Page 6 - ARUBA TODAY
P. 6
A6 U.S. NEWS
Thursday 21 February 2019
‘Excessive fines’ ban applies to states, Supreme Court says
By MARK SHERMAN go directly to the agency
Associated Press that took it, the law firm
WASHINGTON (AP) — Tyson said in written arguments in
Timbs admitted he’d sold support of Timbs.
drugs, and he accepted The Indiana man had been
his sentence without a on hand when arguments
fight. What he wouldn’t qui- in the case were heard
etly accept was the police before the justices last No-
seizing and keeping the vember.
$40,000 Land Rover he’d He said back then that
had when arrested. On his view of the case had
Wednesday, the Supreme changed over time.
Court sided with him unani- “At first it was about getting
mously in ruling the Consti- my truck back because I
tution’s ban on excessive was mad, and I wanted my
fines applies to the states stuff back. Now it’s a lot dif-
as well as the federal gov- ferent,” he said. “I was curi-
ernment. ous to see how often they
The decision, in an opin- did this to people. They do
ion written by Justice Ruth it a lot around here, and
Bader Ginsburg, could help apparently it’s done all
efforts to rein in police sei- over the country.”
zures of property from crimi- As it did in earlier cases
nal suspects. Visitors wait to enter the Supreme Court as a winter snow storm hits the nation’s capital making applying parts of the Bill
Reading a summary of her roads perilous and closing most Federal offices and all major public school districts, on Capitol Hill of Rights to the states, the
opinion in the courtroom, in Washington, Wednesday, Feb. 20, 2019. court based its decision
Ginsburg noted that gov- Associated Press on the part of the 14th
ernments employ fines “out of house arrest but faced $10,000. But Indiana’s top firm Institute for Justice. Amendment that says “no
of accord with the penal no prison time. His biggest court said the justices had “The decision is an impor- state shall deprive any per-
goals of retribution and loss was the Land Rover he never ruled that the Eighth tant first step for curtailing son of life, liberty or prop-
deterrence” because fines had bought with some of Amendment’s ban on ex- the potential for abuse erty without due process of
are a source of revenue. the life insurance money cessive fines — like much of that we see in civil forfei- law.” That same provision,
The 85-year-old justice he received after his father the rest of the Bill of Rights ture nationwide,” said Sam the due process clause,
missed arguments in other died. Timbs still has to win — applies to states as well Gedge, a lawyer with the also was used in cases that
cases last month following one more round in court as the federal government. Institute for Justice. established a woman’s
lung cancer surgery, but before he gets his vehicle The case drew interest Law enforcement authori- right to an abortion and
she returned to the bench back, but that seems to be from both liberal groups ties have dramatically in- knocked down state laws
on Tuesday. a formality. concerned about police creased their use of civil against interracial mar-
Timbs, of Marion, Indiana, A judge in Indiana had abuses and conservative forfeiture in recent de- riage and gay sex.
was charged in 2013 with ruled that taking the car organizations opposed to cades. When police seize The 14th Amendment was
selling $400 worth of hero- was disproportionate to the excessive regulation. Timbs the property of people ac- passed after the Civil War
in. He pleaded guilty and severity of the crime, which was represented by the lib- cused of crimes, the pro- to ensure the rights of newly
was sentenced to a year carries a maximum fine of ertarian public interest law ceeds from the sale often freed slaves.q
Mormon church won’t oppose gay conversion therapy ban
By LINDSAY WHITEHURST sion therapy and has de- 2016, the faith declared
Associated Press nounced the practice,” he that same-sex attraction is
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — The said. not a sin, a shift that came
Mormon church won’t Moreover, most members eight years after a back-
stand in the way of a pro- of the Utah Legislature are lash over the church’s role
posal to ban gay conver- members of the church, helping lead the 2008 fight
sion therapy for minors in its and its positions can hold for California’s Proposition 8
home base of Utah, leaders outsized sway. ban on gay marriage.
said Wednesday, a position Supporters of the pro- The legislation set to be for-
that advocates heralded posal have worked with mally unveiled on Thursday
as a milestone in the con- the church to address will help bolster the men-
servative state. concerns about religious tal health of LGBT young
The announcement is freedom and make sure people amid an alarming
key in part because LGBT that counseling in line with spike in youth suicides in
members have historically church teachings on mar- the state, Republican spon-
reported that church lead- riage and sexuality won’t sor Rep. Craig Hall said in a
ers encouraged them to come under the proposed statement.
attend therapy aimed at ban, said Marty Stephens, The American Psychologi-
changing their sexual ori- a lobbyist for the church. cal Association opposes
entation, said Troy Williams The faith opposes same-sex therapy seeking to change
with the group Equality In this Sept. 11, 2014, file photo, the angel Moroni statue sits atop marriage and sexual intima- sexual orientation, and it
Utah. the Salt Lake Temple, at Temple Square, in Salt Lake City. cy, but it has taken a more has been banned in fifteen
“We are grateful that The Associated Press welcoming stance to LGBT states and the District of
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints recog- nizes the harms of conver- people in recent years. In Columbia. q