Revised Trump travel ban blocked by 2 courts
President Donald Trump’s revised travel ban has suffered another federal court setback after a judge in Maryland rejected a revised measure that bans travel targeting six predominantly Muslim countries.
civil rights
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Supreme Court seems split in case of boy’s death near border
The Supreme Court of the United States appears to be evenly divided about the right of Mexican parents to use American courts to sue a U.S. Border Patrol agent who fired across the U.S.-Mexican border and killed their teenage son.
Eighth Amendment complaint splits 7th Circuit
A prisoner’s attempt to seek remedy for injuries he sustained from falling out of the bunk bed in his cell split the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals. The majority found the inmate did not sue the individuals who were responsible. However, Judge Richard Posner dissented, asserting a dog deserved better treatment than the prisoner received.
Eighth Amendment complaint splits 7th Circuit
A prisoner’s attempt to seek remedy for injuries he sustained from falling out of the bunk bed in his cell split the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals. The majority found the inmate did not sue the individuals who were responsible. However, Judge Richard Posner dissented, asserting a dog deserved better treatment than the prisoner received.
Supreme Court takes up cases about race in redistricting
The Supreme Court of the United States is taking up a pair of cases in which African-American voters maintain that Southern states discriminated against them in drawing electoral districts.
Family values groups’ human rights lawsuit stays in court
A Hamilton County judge has ruled that a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of human rights ordinances in four Indiana cities can continue, despite the cities’ arguments that there was no legal standing to bring the suit in court.
Trump could reshape Justice Department’s civil rights focus
A Donald Trump administration could radically reshape the Justice Department, particularly civil rights efforts that became one of its most pressing and high-profile priorities over the past eight years.
Lafayette adds transgender antidiscrimination protections
The Lafayette City Council has approved antidiscrimination protections for transgender people.
South Bend family questions $18 award for police abuse
The family of a black teenager who was punched and handcuffed by three South Bend police officers then subdued with a stun gun in a case of mistaken identity is questioning why jurors awarded them just $18 in a lawsuit accusing the officers of violating his constitutional rights.
Lafayette gives preliminary approval to gender ID protection
The Lafayette City Council has given preliminary approval to adopt antidiscrimination protection for transgender people.
North Carolina leaders show no sign of surrender on LGBT law
North Carolina's Republican leaders are showing no signs of backing down from their new bathroom rules despite the U.S. Justice Department's declaration that they violate federal civil rights laws and could cost the state dearly in lost education funding.
Ex-judge must take anger-management classes
A former Maryland judge who pleaded guilty to a civil rights violation for ordering a defendant to be physically shocked in his courtroom will have to take anger-management classes as part of his sentence.
Pence names former Indianapolis police chief Hite to post
The former chief of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department will now head the Indiana Civil Rights Commission following an appointment by Gov. Mike Pence.
Indiana House committee tosses hate-crimes bill
Legislation creating the state’s first hate-crime law to help victims targeted because of their race, sexual identity, religion or other specified characteristic is expected to die because it won’t get a committee hearing in the House, leaving lawmakers few options to address civil rights this year.
Indiana business community fears fallout from gay rights failure
Indiana corporate leaders warned that the failure of the Republican-controlled Legislature to enact a law protecting gay, lesbian and bisexual people from discrimination could rebound on business, making it harder to recruit talented employees and sell the state as an attractive place to live.
Gay rights bill dies after author withdraws legislation
The Indiana Senate won’t act on a controversial bill meant to extend some civil rights to gay and lesbian Hoosiers, effectively killing the legislation for the session.
Indiana lawmakers face deadline to keep bills alive
Indiana lawmakers have days to decide whether to keep certain contentious bills alive during this legislative session, including one that would extend civil rights protections to gays and lesbians, but not transgender people, one that would use a tax increase to fund road improvements and one that would further restrict the sale of cold medicines used to make methamphetamine.
Senate leader says gay rights bill to be called for a vote
A bill that would extend civil rights protections to lesbian, gay and bisexual — but not transgender — people will be voted on by the Indiana Senate next week, even if it goes down in defeat.
Gay-rights bill that leaves out transgender protections advances
A Senate committee on Wednesday narrowly advanced a bill that would extend civil rights protections to gay and lesbian Hoosiers but punt the issue of transgender discrimination to a summer study committee, as well as offer religious exemptions for clergy and other groups.
Pence says he won’t support LGBT bill that ‘diminishes’ religious freedom
Indiana Gov. Mike Pence in his State of the State speech Tuesday night finally addressed the most contentious issue at the Statehouse this year – how to balance religious freedom with civil rights for LGBT people – but his statements left unclear whether he would sign any of the bills proposed so far during this General Assembly.