Police body cameras are important, says DOJ

The DOJ said it had expected to award only 50 grants and added another $2.5 million to meet the increased demand when requests soared. An additional $3.9 million has been allocated for training, technical assistance, and a study to analyze the effectiveness of the program.

Instead, the DOJ awarded  19.3 million dollars. Article here, (via aba journal).

Requiring sex offenders to disclose online screen names isn't a Free Speech violation, says court.

A Pennsylvania law requiring convicted sex offenders to reveal their Internet aliases does not violate the First Amendment, according to an en banc panel of Pennsylvania’s intermediate-level Commonwealth Court.

The sex offender, Richard Coppolino, had alleged the law violated his right to anonymous online speech, report the Legal Intelligencer and the Allentown Morning Call. He alleged the reporting requirement was overbroad because it was intended to protect minors, but his crime did not involve a minor or the Internet.

Article here (via ABA journal).

Panhandling ordinance fails in Grand Rapids

With public objection pushing elected leaders away from a package of panhandling restrictions, two city commissioners urged that Grand Rapids at least ban begging from motorists.

But a 3-3 vote led by First Ward commissioners Dave Shaffer and Walt Gutowski on Tuesday, June 3, failed to get a majority.

Article here. 

This means that panhandling is still legal in Grand Rapids.

Rally for teen ticketed for cussing has low turnout

In Brighton, teenager Colin Anderson was recently ticketed for cursing in public. A rally was held in his support, but sadly had a low turnout.

Article here. (from mlive)

About 30 people turned out for the “This is f----- bulls---“ rally Saturday at the Brighton Mill Pond, according to the report. Some signs carried swear words and protested the city police’s decision to ticket a teen for cussing.

Free speech ruling at US Supreme Court: anti-President protestors can't claim viewpoint discrimination

Presidential protestors can't claim that Secret Service agents used viewpoint discrimination, and thus caused a violation of free speech.

Article here.(via WSJ Law Blog).

Or, in other words, the safety of the president comes above the free speech rights of those protesting against him (or her), and the agents who are protecting that president are shielded by immunity from a free-speech claim.

Judge rules against Michigan retailer over critical online review

Mr. and Mrs. Palmer posted an online review at RipoffReport . com when the product Mr. Palmer ordered for his wife never arrived. But then they were threatened by the Michigan manufacturer.

 From the Article:

Michigan-based KlearGear.com told the Palmers in 2012 that they had 72 hours to remove the negative review or pay $3,500 because they violated a “non-disparagement clause” in its terms of use with customers, the lawsuit said.

The couple refused, saying the clause was not in effect when the items were purchased and the terms violated the First Amendment. They also note RipoffReport.com has a policy of not removing posted reviews.

 The retailer then reported the Palmers to a credit reporting agency for their "failure to pay" which resulted in credit difficulties for the couple.

Judge Benson, in his order, said the retailer is liable to the Palmers for defamation, intentional infliction of emotional distress and violation of the Fair Credit Reporting Act.

Here they go again: Grand Rapids seeks to re-write panhandling ordinance

From an article on mlive: 

Though a federal court has ruled that panhandling is a First Amendment right, the city plans to restrict the activity by making it illegal to ask for money from motorists.

A proposed law up for Grand Rapids City Commission review on Tuesday, May 13, also would prohibit panhandling in certain locations and ban certain tactics deemed too aggressive.

Among the rules:
• no solicitation in an “accosting” manner, or by continuing to beg after a person has refused the request
• no solicitation within 15 feet of a public restroom
• no solicitation within 15 feet of an ATM machine, or a building that has an ATM in it
• no solicitation on a public bus or within 15 feet of a bus stop
• no solicitation from anybody waiting in line to enter a building, like at Van Andel Arena
• no solicitation from any driver or passenger on a public street

Although the City Attorney Catherine Mish supports the proposed ordinance by comparing it to Kentwood's, it remains to be seen how this is different from the earlier ordinance that was declared unconstitutional.

This is a probably an attempt by the city to make the ordinance fall under what's called "Time, Place, and Manner," guidelines. In other words, it's OK for a city to restrict some exercise of free speech, if they only attempt to do it by restricting the time, place, or manner that the exercise happens. To make an example, if protestors want to gather, that's fine, but they can't impede pedestrian traffic (place and manner); or the protests can't happen after 8:30 at night (time). The US Supreme Court has said that these restrictions are OK because they are reasonable (impeding pedestrian traffic would be unsafe, or after 8:30 at night would be infringing another's right to quiet, etc.)

And lastly, in an aside to the City Commissioners and the others behind this ordinance, you can't clean a city by getting rid of panhandlers. If you (Commissioners) think this is a problem, go to another city, where it's really a problem.

Hobby Lobby, First Amendment, questions and answers

Michigan lawyer, are you prepared to answer your lay friends' and neighbors' questions about Hobby Lobby and a business's First Amendment freedom of religion rights? No?

Go here . . . . or here. 

(via state bar of Michigan blog).

Man sues Jimmy Kimmel, ABC over death joke

An Edison, N.J., man is taking ABC host Jimmy Kimmel and the network's parent company, Disney, to court over a skit in which a 6-year-old boy suggested killing everyone in China as a solution to the U.S. debt problem.

article here. 

The Oct. 16 segment led China's Foreign Ministry to demand an apology, which the network and Kimmel did at least three times. Even the White House weighed in, condemning the segment but defending freedom of speech, after more than 100,000 people signed an online petition asking for "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" to be taken off the air. . . .

The Plaintiff's complaint says that he "was deeply shocked, offended, and outraged at the comment to kill all everyone in China since that is his home country and Jimmy Kimmel failed to suppress such a hateful and offensive remark."

T-shirt maker sues the NSA and DHS over his t-shirt designs.

An American T-shirt maker sues the National Security Agency and Department of Homeland Security over his t-shirt designs.

Article here.

Dan McCall sells T-shirts, mugs and posters, often with satirical messages. To ridicule electronic surveillance disclosures, he paired the NSA’s official seal on T-shirts for sale with the slogan: “The only part of the government that actually listens.”

McCall, who runs LibertyManiacs.com from an office in his home, filed the suit last week in federal court in Baltimore. He says the agencies violated his First Amendment rights, and is being assisted in his suit by Public Citizen, a Washington, D.C.-based government watchdog organization.

ACLU tells local municipalities to repeal anti-begging laws

GRAND RAPIDS, MI – On the heels of a federal judge striking down the state’s panhandling statute, the ACLU of Michigan has sent notices to 84 communities – including many in West Michigan – urging their anti-begging ordinances be repealed.

Article here. 

An Oct. 29 letter sent to the Ada Township attorney said: “We have reviewed your city ordinance and understand it to read as follows: No person shall: … Beg in any public place. …
“Ada Township’s ordinance, like the state law struck down in (the Grand Rapids case), prohibits begging in public places and is therefore unconstitutional on its face. We therefore advise you to repeal the ordinance and to instruct your local law enforcement agency to stop enforcing it immediately.”

Residents urge GRCC to defund Actor's Theater after play with male nudity

A recent play at Grand Rapids Community College featuring nudity was a topic of controversy at Monday's board meeting, as opponents of the production questioned whether the college should defund the group that staged the performance.
The school is endorsing nudity “as entertainment or education and is using our tax dollars to do this,” said Joan Ridderbos, a Middleville resident who learned of the play from friends who attend her church.
Article here. 

Ionia Newspaper editor sued for defamatory statements and lost - other side wants sanctions

An Ionia newspaper editor lost a defamation lawsuit yesterday. But the defendants' attorney fees don't have to be paid by the losing editor, the judge ruled.

Article here.

The editor sued letter writers accusing her of "yellow journalism," and criticized her in letters to supervisors and online.