Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Are corporations people?

For the First Amendment, yes.

For the Sixth?  I'll let you decide after this question and answer from Justice Alito:



JUSTICE ALITO: Do we assume for purposes of this case that your client, a corporation, has a Sixth Amendment right to a jury trial?
 
MR. PHILLIPS: I think the language of the Sixth Amendment couldn't be clearer, that it says in all criminal prosecutions the -- the accused is entitled to a jury trial, and all -- and you know, Article III, section 2, says in all jury trial -- in criminal prosecutions there's a jury trial. So there is no effort whatsoever to limit the -- the individual, or in any way to -- the person or persons or entities that are entitled to those rights.
 
JUSTICE ALITO: What are the peers of the Southern Union Company that would sit on the jury, other railroads?

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Watching this train wreck of a primary season, I say Citizens United is the best case ever.

Anonymous said...

Maybe he was just being funny. Even corrupt, disgusting, immoral, inseneitive, selfish, and greedy conservatives sometimes crack a joke that doesn't demean minorities or the poor.

Anonymous said...

To steal a line from the New Yorker:
"I will believe corporations are people when Texas executes one." Actually, I will settle for a long jail term