"The Onion" submits a brief to the Supreme Court

[Rev. Powell]

https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/22/22-293/242292/20221003125252896_35295545_1-22.10.03%20-%20Novak-Parma%20-%20Onion%20Amicus%20Brief.pdf

The brief begins with the claim that the Onion is "the single most powerful and influential organization in human history."

Background: this is an amicus ("friend of the court") brief; the Onion is not a party to the case, they just want to weigh in as an interested bystander. The case (Novak v. City of Parma) involves a man who was arrested after posting a parody page on Facebook making fun of the local police department. He was arrested and actually tried for interfering with the operations of the police; a jury found him innocent.

Nearly everyone agrees the City's actions were outrageous and vindictive and a travesty of justice. The chief legal issue is not whether the officer is in the right or the wrong, but the issue of qualified immunity--whether the police can be sued at all when acting in a discretionary capacity. For that reason, the Onion's brief is probably mostly beside the point. But it's still a great defense of satire.

The conservative Onion imitator Babylon Bee also filed a similar brief.

[Morpheus, the unwoke.]

The police will likely get away with it.

[ER]

Wasn't the right to satire already protected in the '80s thanks to Misters Falwell and Flynn?

[Rev. Powell]

Wasn't the right to satire already protected in the '80s thanks to Misters Falwell and Flynn?

That's why the Onion brief is off topic; the issue is qualified immunity, not satire. I.e., can the police act vindictively, if they technically have probable cause to make an arrest?

[Morpheus, the unwoke.]

Wasn't the right to satire already protected in the '80s thanks to Misters Falwell and Flynn?

Wow, you have a good memory, I heard of that case too.  But it was Jerry Fallwall and Larry Flynt. Woody Harrelson played him in a movie years back.

[ER]

Wasn't the right to satire already protected in the '80s thanks to Misters Falwell and Flynn?

Wow, you have a good memory, I heard of that case too.  But it was Jerry Fallwall and Larry Flynt. Woody Harrelson played him in a movie years back.

Autocorrect. I knew Larry's brother, so, yeah. But it's Falwell. One l.

[Trevor]

https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/22/22-293/242292/20221003125252896_35295545_1-22.10.03%20-%20Novak-Parma%20-%20Onion%20Amicus%20Brief.pdf

The brief begins with the claim that the Onion is "the single most powerful and influential organization in human history."

Background: this is an amicus ("friend of the court") brief; the Onion is not a party to the case, they just want to weigh in as an interested bystander. The case (Novak v. City of Parma) involves a man who was arrested after posting a parody page on Facebook making fun of the local police department. He was arrested and actually tried for interfering with the operations of the police; a jury found him innocent.

Nearly everyone agrees the City's actions were outrageous and vindictive and a travesty of justice. The chief legal issue is not whether the officer is in the right or the wrong, but the issue of qualified immunity--whether the police can be sued at all when acting in a discretionary capacity. For that reason, the Onion's brief is probably mostly beside the point. But it's still a great defense of satire.

The conservative Onion imitator Babylon Bee also filed a similar brief.

So long as it isn't any briefs that belong to me, they can submit all the briefs they want