High Court Denies Appeals Involving Pledge, Death Penalty, Insider Trading
A Louisiana death row inmate who claims she shouldn’t be executed because she suffers from fetal alcohol syndrome is one of several litigants whose cases were denied review today by the U.S. Supreme Court.
According to SCOTUSblog, “a number of significant new cases were denied review” today.
Lawyers for death row inmate Brandy Holmes claimed she has the mentality of a 10 or 12 year old and should not be executed, UPI reports. The National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome had filed an amicus brief arguing that Holmes was impaired by her mother’s alcohol use during pregnancy, and her problems should have been considered as mitigating factors, according to a press release. Holmes’ lead lawyer is Harvard law professor Charles Ogletree.
Other cases denied review include:
–An appeal by former Qwest CEO Joseph Nacchio, convicted of insider trading for selling $52 million in stock despite knowledge that his company was facing financial difficulties, the Wall Street Journal (sub. req.) reports. One issue was whether a trial judge improperly excluded expert testimony that Nacchio’s pattern of stock sales didn’t appear to rely on inside information. Another issue is whether the government’s charges were based on revenue projections that were merely part of internal corporate debates rather than material, inside information, the Wall Street Journal says.
–An appeal by a Florida high school student who remained seated during the Pledge of Allegiance, leading to his removal from math class. A state law requires all public students to recite the Pledge unless they have a written excuse from their parents, the Associated Press reports.
SCOTUSblog lists several other cases denied review, including appeals involving school bans on Confederate flags, and motorists who want Choose Life license plates.
Additional coverage:
New York Times: “Bridgeport Diocese Loses Bid to Keep Abuse Records Sealed”
CNN: “Death row female inmate denied high court review”
