Spain high court investigating Catalonia officials for sedition News
Spain high court investigating Catalonia officials for sedition

Spain’s High Court [official website] announced on Wednesday that Calalonia’s police and organizers are under investigation for sedition, most notably Catalonia’s regional police, Josep Lluis Trapero. Trapero is being called to testify [Reuters report] in relation to arrests of high-ranking officials over the organization of a banned independence vote.

The accusations refer to the unrest that broke out after police raided Catalan government offices and arrested officials September 20 to halt a banned October 1 independence referendum [JURIST report]. That police action was met with protests, and the Catalan regional police are accused of failing to intervene. Tensions between Spain and the north-eastern Catalonia region continue to increase, days after the referendum.

The vote, which drew a turnout of 42.3 percent of registered voters, was in favor of Independence by a margin of 90 percent to 10. In his first interview since the October 1 referendum, Carles Puigdemo of the Catalonia government, told BBC that they will declare independence 48 hours after the final votes have been counted.

THIS DAY @ LAW

Justice Department brings anit-trust action against AT&T

On November 20, 1974, the Department of Justice filed its final anti-trust suit against AT&T. United States v. AT&T was ultimately settled out of court with an agreement that the corporation would break up its monopoly on phone service throughout the country.

Nuremberg war crimes trials began

On November 20, 1945, the war crimes trials of Nazi World War II leaders began in the German city of Nuremberg. Review the Nuremberg Tribunal's Charter and the verdicts and sentences handed down on major war figures.

Winston Churchill born

On November 20, 1874, Sir Winston Churchill was born in Woodstock, England. He would go on to lead the United Kingdom as Prime Minister through World War II. Toward the end of the war, Churchill worked with US President Franklin D. Roosevelt to craft the treaties and accords that have defined the world since WWII. A 2002 poll by the BBC declared Churchill the Greatest Briton of all time.

New Jersey ratifies Bill of Rights

New Jersey ratified the Bill of Rights, a set of 10 fundamental amendments to the US Constitution, on November 20, 1789, becoming the first state to do so. The state also ratified an amendment on federal representation which ultimately failed. Additionally, New Jersey rejected an amendment on congressional salaries, which would eventually become the 27th Amendment more than 200 years later. Read the articles ratified by New Jersey.