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Law
Supreme Court Kicks Off New Term with Hundreds of Rejected Appeals
The Supreme Court kicked off a new term on Monday by rejecting hundreds of appeals that built up over the summer recess. Because of the Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashanah, which commemorates the Jewish New Year, the justices did not hear any arguments on Monday. Three of the eight justices are Jewish. Arguments are scheduled to begin on Tuesday. Here are five cases that will not be heard by the high court this coming term.
Death Row Appeal
From 2009 to 2013, death row inmates in North Carolina were allowed to review sentencing statistics to prove their sentencing was tainted by racial bias under the Racial Justice Act. Four inmates–three African-Americans and one Native American–had their death sentences reduced to life in prison with no parole because of the newly enacted law. But North Carolina’s Supreme Court vacated the reduced sentences last December, after the Racial Justice Act was annulled in 2013, meaning the inmates’ death sentences could be reinstated.
The inmates sought to appeal that decision to the U.S. Supreme Court, which rejected their appeal on Monday. Their cases will be retried at the state level. North Carolina has not performed an execution in 10 years.
Obama Immigration Appeal
In late 2014, President Obama announced a proposal to shield illegal immigrants who met certain residency requirements and stopped children who were U.S. citizens from being deported. Twenty-six states sued, claiming Obama was overstepping his authority, and the Supreme Court, operating as an eight person bench due to Justice Antonin Scalia’s death in February, ruled in a 4-4 decision against the administration.
On Monday, the high court weighed an appeal from the Obama administration to reconsider his proposal when a ninth member joins the bench. They rejected the appeal.
Taser Gun Appeal
In 2011, police officers in North Carolina shot a man five times with a taser gun. The man, Ronald Armstrong, was mentally ill and refused to be taken to a mental hospital. He later died from the taser wounds.
The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled the police used excessive force, and established new restrictions on police officers’ ability to use a taser gun on people resisting arrest. The U.S. Supreme will not rehear the case this term, they said on Monday, leaving in place the taser guidelines established by the lower court.
John Deere Appeal
Prior to 2013, New Hampshire’s Automobile Dealer Bill of Rights law barred automobile manufacturers from ending dealer contracts without just cause. Then, in 2013, New Hampshire Governor Maggie Hassan expanded the law to include farm equipment manufacturers. Led by John Deere, the newly expanded law was challenged in the state’s Supreme Court, which upheld the law.
The farm equipment firms appealed their case to the U.S. Supreme Court, which let the state court ruling stand by rejecting the appeal.
“Whitey” Bulger Appeal
James “Whitey” Bulger, the infamous Boston gangster, was arrested in 2011 after 17 years on the lam. Two years later, he was convicted of racketeering crimes, and of playing a role in at least 11 murders. Bulger, 87, appealed his 2013 conviction, arguing that a now-dead federal prosecutor promised him immunity.
His appeal to the Supreme Court was officially shut down on Monday, and he is now essentially guaranteed to spend the remainder of his life behind bars.
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