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First Amendment News

Judge rejects ACLU’s request for information on detainees

FAC July 20, 2010

A federal judge in New York has decided that he lacks the authority to order the government to disclose information regarding the treatment of Sept. 11 detainees – even if the government’s actions were unlawful. The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press July 20, 2010 By Brian Westley “Courts are not invested with the competence to second-guess the CIA Director regarding the appropriateness of any particular intelligence source or method,” wrote U.S. District Court

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Judge says constitution protects right to lie about Purple Heart

FAC July 20, 2010

A federal judge has declared unconstitutional a little-known law making it a crime to falsely claim to have been awarded a military medal. Wired July 20, 2010 By David Kravetz A Colorado man who was never in the military was arrested for falsely claiming to have won the Purple Heart (.pdf) and other medals as a Marine in Iraq. He challenged the Stolen Valor Act of 2005, which provides penalties up to a year in prison, on

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Free speech fight ends quietly in lost iPhone saga

FAC July 20, 2010

A brewing free-speech debate touched off by a lost prototype of Apple’s iPhone has ended quietly with a blogger’s agreement to cooperate with investigators. AP July 19, 2010 By Paul Elias SAN FRANCISCO — A judge on Friday ordered a search warrant withdrawn and seized items returned to Jason Chen of Gizmodo.com. The technology website posted images in April of a prototype iPhone left in a Redwood City bar by an Apple employee. Gizmodo said it paid

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US Senate Passes Bill to Protect International Free Speech

FAC July 19, 2010

The United States Senate has unanimously approved bipartisan legislation to protect American journalists, authors and publishers from foreign libel lawsuits Voice of America July 19, 2010 By Cindy Saine The United States Senate has unanimously approved bipartisan legislation to protect American journalists, authors and publishers from foreign libel lawsuits that undermine the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which guarantees free speech and freedom of the press.  The free speech bill’s chief sponsor, Democratic Senate

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Scholars: Westboro message at Marine’s funeral offensive, but protected

FAC July 19, 2010

Why seven groups of scholars filed briefs with the U.S. Supreme Court supporting the Phelpses, not Albert Snyder. Daily Record/Sunday News By Jeff Frantz July 19, 2010 The writers of all seven amicus briefs filed this week with the U.S. Supreme Court in support of the Westboro Baptist Church noted two things: The protest by the Rev. Fred Phelps and members of his family was terribly offensive and presented a worldview with which they disagreed

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