Tuesday, April 30, 2024

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Tuesday, April 30, 2024 | Back issues

Civil Rights

Bay Area cop can’t dodge excessive force claims over K-9 bite injuries

Natalie Hanson / April 30, 2024

A Brentwood cop can't use qualified immunity to avoid claims that he used excessive force in allowing his K9 to continue biting a woman for 40 seconds after she surrendered.

10th Circuit revives kindergartener’s lawsuit over expulsion for wearing earrings

Amanda Pampuro / April 30, 2024

Rocky Mountain Classical Academy’s dress code permits girls, but not boys, to wear small earrings.

Families say jet fuel-contaminated water from Navy spill on Oahu made their kids sick

Keya Rivera / April 30, 2024

U.S. District Judge Leslie Kobayashi handed a box of tissues to multiple people testifying about illnesses and lasting trauma they say their families endured after the leak.

Supreme Court declines to block Texas’ age verification rule for online porn

Kelsey Reichmann / April 30, 2024

The justices’ order allows Texas to continue enforcing its anti-porn law requiring websites with adult content to verify a visitor's age.

Tensions rise at Columbia and ease at Northwestern amid nationwide student movement for Gaza

Dave Byrnes / April 29, 2024

"We will not stop fighting for you," a collection of Northwestern protesters said in a statement addressed to Palestinian children after the university reached a deal with organizers to remove an encampment but continue peaceful demonstrations.

Federal judge tosses challenge over recall of profane vanity license plate

Hillel Aron / April 29, 2024

Edward Odquina wanted a license plate reading "FCKBLM." The city of Honolulu said no. A number of judges have now agreed.

Health plan exclusion of trans care ruled unconstitutional by Fourth Circuit

Joe Dodson / April 29, 2024

Six Republican appointees took issue with the majority, saying it is using en banc cases to address social issues outside the scope of the individual cases presented.

Georgia sheriff who held detainees in restraint chairs for hours loses appeal of criminal conviction

Megan Butler / April 29, 2024

"Even if restraint chairs were 'passive restraints,' as Hill contends, we have repeatedly applied the constitutional use-of-force framework to such restraints," an appellate judge wrote.

Newsom, Bonta duck teacher suit over California protections for trans students

Sam Ribakoff / April 29, 2024

Two teachers claim that their school district imposes policies protecting transgender and gender-nonconforming students' privacy that violates their religious liberties and free speech.

West Texas A&M defends drag show ban at Fifth Circuit

Sabrina Canfield / April 29, 2024

A LGBTQ+ student organization accuses the university's president of violating free speech by cancelling the group's planned drag show fundraiser.

Cop conspiracy?

Brief / April 29, 2024

BATON ROUGE, La. — A federal court in Louisiana denied the city of Baton Rouge’s request to dismiss a motorist’s malicious prosecution, due process and false arrest claims against three police officers. They allegedly fabricated a felony charge so they could jail him for “yelling at a police officer’s relative.” His claims suffice to overcome the officers’ immunity defense, and the city is on the hook for defamation and vicarious liability at this stage.