On Monday November 9th, the Supreme Court received a petition against the controversial practice of sentencing minors who have committed non-homicidal crimes to life in prison. The petitioners referred to two cases, Sullivan v. Florida and Graham v. Florida, in which both defendants were sentenced to life in prison as minors. The petitioners stated that the outcome of these cases conflicted with the cruel and unusual punishment clause of the 8th Amendment.
For the past 16 years, “don’t ask, don’t tell,” has been the standard military policy on homosexuality. It prevents openly gay or lesbian servicemen from serving in the military. This is a highly controversial issue, one that resonates particularly strongly with Californians, who despite narrowly passing Proposition 8 have long been on the forefront of gay rights in this country.
Roman Polanski’s internationally publicized arrest at a Switzerland airport stirred up the dregs of his past. It has taken over three decades for Polanski, the Oscar-winning director of Chinatown and the Pianist, to be arrested for the 1977 drugging and rape of a 13-year-old girl.
