Picture an Execution: The First Amendment and the Spring 2025 Push for Death Chamber Access

Journalism’s fight for access has ramped up because, as the Louisiana and Indiana executions show, the death penalty itself could be ramping up. The escalation is happening on the federal level too.

Turkish Tufts University Student Released From Louisiana Detention Center

A federal judge ordered her release pending a final decision on her claim that she was illegally detained following an op-ed she co-wrote last year criticizing her university’s response to Israel and the war in Gaza.

Columbia University Student and the US Government Spar Over His Detention in Louisiana

In court papers over the weekend, lawyers for the Justice Department also blamed his move on overcrowded facilities in the Northeast.

Louisiana Environmental Activist Loses Freedom of Speech Lawsuit

A unanimous jury ruled the officials who threatened to arrest and imprison her as she attempted to speak during a public meeting did not violate her right to freedom of speech.

Judge Blocks Biden’s Title IX Rule in Four States in Blow to LGBTQ+ Student Protections

The judge's order says the Biden administration rule likely violates free speech laws by requiring schools to use the pronouns requested by students.

Louisiana Law That Could Limit Filming of Police Hampers Key Tool for Racial Justice, Attorneys Say

Critics have said the law — signed this week by Republican Gov. Jeff Landry — could hinder the public’s ability to film officers. 

Louisiana Law Will Criminalize Approaching Police in Certain Circumstances

The legislation’s language does not specifically mention filming, but opponents have questioned its constitutionality, saying it could impede a person’s First Amendment rights.

Teen Who Said Deputy Threatened Him As He Filmed Mom’s Arrest Awarded $185,000

A federal appeals court largely sided with the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office on many of the allegations, squelching much of the lawsuit over the deputies’ use of force.