ACLU Urges Supreme Court to Overturn a Ruling Against DeRay Mckesson
Earlier this year, the Fifth Circuit ruled that Mckesson could be held liable for injuries he did not immediately cause or encourage. Now, the ACLU is asking the Supreme Court in a petition to overturn the ruling or else risk a widespread chilling effect on protest.
Devin Nunes Tries to Unmask Cow Account, Raising Concerns over Anonymous Speech
In a new amicus brief, Public Citizen and the American Civil Liberties Union argue that Nunes cannot legally pursue the identity of the anonymous speaker without first proving he has a valid defamation claim. Without meeting this legal standard, they write, the court could threaten people's First Amendment right to anonymous speech.
Trump Signs New Executive Order Targeting Anti-Israeli Sentiment on College Campuses
The order that calls for agencies to apply Title VI civil rights law to discrimination against Jewish people. Critics of the executive order worry that the new definition anti-semitism is too broad and will be used to censor legitimate opposition to the Israel.
Cheerleader Who Knelt During National Anthem, Wins $145,000 in Settlement with University
Two years ago, Tommia Dean sued the university arguing that state and university officials conspired together to prevent cheerleaders from protesting at future games. In a settlement reached this fall, the Georgia Department of Administrative Services agreed to pay her $135,000.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk Cleared of Defamation In Suit Brought By British Cave Explorer
On December 6th, a jury in Los Angeles found that Tesla and Space X CEO Elon Musk had not defamed a British cave explorer when Musk called him a “pedo guy” on Twitter. Vernon Unsworth sued Musk in July 2018 after the two publicly disagreed about the rescue attempts for a soccer team who was trapped in a cave system in Thailand.
The suit, filed on behalf of two documentary film organizations, argues that the registration requirement violates the First Amendment, is too broad in scope, and has not been proven to be necessary to national security interests.
State Senator Sued for Allegedly Blocking a Constituent from Public Facebook Page
According to the lawsuit, Nelson blocked Church after he questioned the accuracy of one of the senator’s online posts. After a tense back and forth, Church claims that Nelson deleted his comments and told him to either “mind his manners or go someplace else to post [his] propaganda.”
Monroe County’s Police Chief Says His Officers Will Not Enforce New “Annoyance” Law
On December 4th, Monroe County Sheriff Todd Baxter condemned the county’s new “annoyance” law, calling it a “solution to a problem that doesn’t exist.” One month earlier, the Monroe County legislature passed a measure that would allow police officers to arrest anyone that “annoys, alarms, or threatens the personal safety of an officer.”