Federal appeals court overturns order delaying Ross execution News
Federal appeals court overturns order delaying Ross execution

[JURIST] The US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit [official website] has lifted a restraining order preventing the execution of Connecticut serial killer Michael Ross [About.com profile], but said that the execution should be delayed until Ross' father can appeal to the Supreme Court. Ross received the death penalty after confessing to murdering eight women and is trying to have his execution proceed, but his father and public defenders are now arguing that Ross was not mentally competent [JURIST report] to waive his appeals. In its Friday ruling, the 2nd Circuit said that it could find no case law establishing the right of the relative of a death row inmate to challenge the inmate's sentence on their own behalf. AP has more. The Hartford Courant has local coverage.

2:48 PM ET – The 2nd Circuit opinion [PDF text] is now available.

THIS DAY @ LAW

International Day Against Fascism and Anti-Semitism

November 9 is the International Day Against Fascism and Anti-Semitism [UNITED factsheet]. On November 9, 1924, American gay activist Henry Gerber and several associates formed the Society for Human Rights, the first gay rights organization in the United States. The Society received a charter from the State of Illinois in December but was disbanded in July 1925 after a police raid which led to Gerber's arrest and trial (albeit not conviction). Pay a virtual visit to Henry Gerber House, now a registered Chicago landmark.

Supreme Court strikes down Massachusetts anti-draft law

On November 9, 1970, the Supreme Court voted 6-3 in Massachusetts v. Laird not to hear the case of the state's anti-draft law. Massachusetts had passed a law, which allowed its citizens to decline to fight in any undeclared war, even if the person was drafted. The law was passed in opposition to the draft and the war in Vietnam. The First Circuit found the war constitutional and thus struck down the law.