News & Commentary

Last August, Kyle Hamilton used his mobile phone to document an interaction between police officers and a distraught woman on Main Street in St. Charles. A mounted police officer grabbed Hamilton by his shirt collar as he was recording. Another officer threatened to arrest Hamilton, took his phone, viewed and deleted the recordings, and then ordered him to leave.

Back in October 2009, Frank L. Snider, III, was arrested by a Cape Girardeau police officer because he desecrated a flag on the sidewalk in front of his home to protest government acts. Snider was held in jail for eight hours on a charge of violating Missouri’s flag desecration statute. The American Civil Liberties Union of Missouri has been representing Snider since 2010 in a volley of lawsuits and appeals.

ST. LOUIS – Today the American Civil Liberties Union of Missouri, the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press and Chris McDaniel, a St. Louis Public Radio reporter, filed a lawsuit against the Missouri Department of Corrections for violating the Sunshine Law by withholding public information regarding the state’s recent executions. A copy of the lawsuit can be found on the ACLU of Missouri’s website.

Jefferson City, Mo. – In the face of a substantial overnight protest on the capitol steps, early this morning, the Missouri Senate passed a bill that forces a woman who has already met with her health care professional and decided to have an abortion to delay getting the medical care she needs for at least 3 days. Missouri law had already required women to delay their abortions for 24 hours. The bill now goes back to the House, which has already passed a similar bill.

SPRINGFIELD, MO – Brad Glass, of Mountain View, has a disability that impacts his ability to travel, so he is unable to comply with Missouri’s arbitrary statutory requirement that marriage license applicants appear in person before a Recorder of Deeds. Today, the Howell County Recorder of Deeds has been ordered by a United States District Court judge to meet Glass at his home and issue him a marriage license.Gl

In these last days of the legislative session, we are pushing hard to prevent some terrible legislation. Please help us get the word out so you and your social networks can join our efforts.

The Greater Saint Louis Community Foundation, is ready to see what St. Louis can give on May 6--Give STL Day. This is the region’s first-ever 24-hour, online day of giving to benefit the local nonprofit community-- and the American Civil Liberties Union of Missouri is one of the 500 nonprofits that is participating.

ST. LOUIS – Today the American Civil Liberties Union of Missouri and the Missourians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty sent a joint letter asking Gov. Jay Nixon to enact a moratorium on executions, pending a full investigation into execution protocols. A copy of the letter can be found on the ACLU of Missouri’s website.

ST. LOUIS – A permanent injunction issued this week by U.S. District Judge Henry Edward Autrey means Ellisville drivers need not worry about getting ticketed if they use their headlights to send a message to other drivers to slow down and proceed with caution.