Pinkney case receives support from broad coalition
First Amendment Rights cited

By Eric T. Campbell, Michigan Citizen

DETROIT — Benton Harbor Rev. Edward Pinkney can now count a long and distinguished list of free speech advocates as supporters in his struggle to expose the Berrien County justice system. Law professors, religious organizations and free speech advocates submitted three lengthy amicus briefs to the Berrien Court, March 18 rebuking the court’s sentencing and imprisonment of Pinkney in December 2007.

...“With respect to the religious groups, there are a number of them that you would not normally see sign on to such a cause,” Steinberg told the Michigan Citizen. “And it’s difficult to get law professors to agree on anything.”

...The brief...explains, “The criticism of public officials has been described as not just the right, but the duty, of citizens in a democratic society.”

...The Whirlpool Corporation will attempt to open the first portion of a private golf course on June 1. Pinkney thinks that the appearance of former president George Bush on May 28 may be timed to correspond with the opening.

...“They want to show people that they’re still in control of this project,” Pinkney says.

Full Article: http://tinyurl.com/cy5af3

ACLU Press Release: http://aclumich.org/issues/free-speech/2009-03/1349