By Bradenton Herald Staff -- OCALA -- The American Civil Liberties Union sued a Florida school board Wednesday, claiming its delay in allowing the formation of a gay-straight alliance club at a middle school is a violation of free speech and equal access. The ACLU filed the lawsuit against the School Board of Lake County in federal court in Ocala. Efforts by eighth-grader Bayli Silbertstein to Read more … [Read more...]
Florida’s Law Against Loud Music in Vehicles Struck Down
December 17, 2012 By
By Lloyd Dunkelberger -- THE LEDGER TALLAHASSEE BUREAU | Florida's law telling drivers who blast their car stereos loudly to turn it down is an unconstitutional restriction of free-speech rights, the Florida Supreme Court ruled Thursday. The decision will reverberate throughout the state in communities that have modeled local ordinances and restrictions on the state law. In Thursday's ruling, based on two Pinellas County cases, the state's highest court upheld an opinion from the Lakeland-based 2nd District Court of Appeal that nullified the 2005 state law that allowed police officers to pull over motorists if their sound systems are "plainly audible" from 25 feet away. http://www.theledger.com/article/20121213/POLITICS/121219683?Title=Florida-s-Law-Against-Loud-Music-in-Vehicles-Struck-Down … [Read more...]
Florida teacher found guilty in death of Utah man
December 4, 2012 By
BY FRANCIS MCCABE LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL -- A Clark County jury on Friday found Benjamin Hawkins guilty of involuntary manslaughter in the death of a man he punched last year at a Strip casino. The Florida native, who is black, was arrested after the death of John Massie, a 46-year-old white man from Utah. Hawkins said he was defending himself when he struck Massie at O'Shea's casino July 6, 2011, after Massie made race-based comments. http://www.lvrj.com/news/jury-finds-florida-teacher-guilty-in-death-of-utah-man-181603421.html … [Read more...]
Rocky Howard, William Mechler, Off-Duty Florida Police, Fatally Shoot ‘Armed, Naked’ Female
October 22, 2012 By
TAMPA, Fla. -- Two off-duty Florida law-enforcement officers fatally shot an armed, naked woman who confronted them at a social gathering Saturday, authorities said. The shooting occurred at about 1:15 p.m. Saturday in Hernando County, north of Tampa. The county sheriff's office said in a news release that the men were approached by an "armed, naked and irrational female." The news release does not identify the weapon, but it says "one or both of the law enforcement officers fired their weapons, striking the female." She died at the scene. Both officers have been placed on administrative leave as the Florida Department of Law Enforcement investigates the shooting in the Spring Hill community. Authorities have identified the officers as Hernando County sheriff's Detective Rocky Howard and Tampa police officer William Mechler, who have served six and four years, respectively. … [Read more...]
Florida weighs case of illegal immigrant who passed bar exam
October 3, 2012 By
(Reuters) - Florida's Supreme Court on Tuesday grilled attorneys on the implications of issuing a law license to an undocumented immigrant and law school graduate who passed the Florida Bar exam after disclosing he was in the United States illegally. http://reut.rs/QHKLYN … [Read more...]
