Document: 502 U.S. 105 112 S.Ct. 501 116 L.Ed.2d 476 SIMON & SCHUSTER, INC., Petitionerv.MEMBERS OF THE NEW YORK STATE CRIME VICTIMS BOARD, et al. No. 90-1059. Argued Oct. 15, 1991. Decided Dec. 10, Syllabus Among other things, New York's "Son of Sam" law provides that an "entity" contracting with a person "accused or convicted crime" for the production book work describing crime must pay to respondent Crime Victims Board any moneys owed under contract; requires deposit such funds in escrow account payment victim who, within five years, obtains civil judgment against accused and criminal's creditors; defines "person include "any who has voluntarily intelligently admitted commission which is not prosecuted." After it discovered petitioner publisher had signed agreement author contracted organized figure Henry Hill about Hill's life, Board, inter alia, determined violated Son Sam ordered turn over all money payable Hill. Petitioner then brought suit 42 U.S.C. § 1983, seeking declaration violates First Amendment injunction barring law's enforcement. The District Court found be consistent Amendment, Appeals affirmed. Held: inconsistent Amendment. Pp. 115-123. (a) Whether "speaker" considered Hill, whose income York places because story he told, petitioner, can publish books assistance only those criminals willing forgo remuneration at least singles out speech on particular subject financial burden no and, thus, presumptively Leathers v. Medlock, 499 ----, 111 1438, 113 494; Arkansas Writers' Project, Inc. Ragland, 481 221, 230, 107 1722, 1728, 95 209. fact escrows speech-derived income, rather than taxing percentage outright as did invalidated cannot serve basis disparate treatment since both forms operate disincentives speak. Moreover, Board's assertion discriminatory suspect when legislature intends suppress certain ideas incorrect, this long recognized even regulations aimed proper governmental concerns restrict unduly exercise rights Furthermore, claim permissible focuses generally specifically media falters, first, semantic grounds, entity enters into contract transmit person's becomes by definition medium communication, second, constitutional power impose content-based does vary identity speaker. Accordingly, order justify differential imposed law, State show its regulation necessary compelling state interest narrowly drawn achieve end. Id., 231, S.Ct., 1728. 115-118. (b) compensating victims from fruits crime. Cf. Caplin Drysdale, Chartered United States, 491 617, 629, 109 2646, 2654, 528. However, contrary assertion, little if limiting compensation proceeds wrongdoer's explain why should have greater criminals' "storytelling" their assets, nor offer justification distinction between expressive activity connection transferring victims. Cf., e.g., supra, U.S., Like entities latter similar cases, taken effect statute posited State's interest. 118-121. (c) tailored objective profits significantly overinclusive, applies works provided they express author's thoughts recollections his crime, however tangentially incidentally, broad enables admits having committed whether was ever actually convicted. These two provisions combine encompass wide range existing potential do enable criminal profit while remains uncompensated. 121-123. 916 F.2d 777 (CA2 1990), reversed. O'CONNOR, J., delivered opinion Court, REHNQUIST, C.J., WHITE, STEVENS, SCALIA, SOUTER, JJ., joined. BLACKMUN, KENNEDY, filed opinions concurring judgment. THOMAS, took part consideration decision case. Ronald S. Rauchberg, City, petitioner. Howard L. Zwickel, respondents. Justice O'CONNOR Court. 1 deposited account. are made available creditors. We consider 2 * A. 3 In summer 1977, terrorized serial killer popularly known Sam. hunt received considerable publicity, time David Berkowitz identified apprehended, were worth substantial amount. Berkowitz's chance notoriety families remained uncompensated escape notice Legislature. quickly enacted issue, N.Y.Exec.Law 632-a (McKinney 1982 Supp.1991). 4 intended "ensure monies circumstances shall first recompense loss suffering." Assembly Bill Memorandum Re: A 9019, July 22, reprinted Legislative Jacket, 1977 N.Y.Laws, ch. 823. As explained, "[i]t abhorrent one's sense justice decency individual . expect receive large sums once captured—while people dead, [and] injured result conduct." Senator Emanuel R. Gold, Annual, p. 267. 5 later amended, depiction submit copy Board. This requirement contracts communication: 6 "Every person, firm, corporation, partnership, association legal representative assignee state, respect reenactment way movie, book, magazine article, tape recording, phonograph record, radio television presentation, live entertainment kind, expression thoughts, feelings, emotions regarding board would otherwise, terms contract, owing so representatives." 632-a(1) 1982). 7 required "for benefit victim, years date establishment account, brings action court competent jurisdiction recovers damages [accused convicted] Ibid. actions pending, "the immediately 632-a(4). 5-year period bring begins run established, supersedes limitations expires earlier. 632-a(7). 8 Subsection (8) grants priority classes claims First, upon order, release assets exclusive purpose retaining representation." 632-a(8). addition, discretion, after giving "make payments expenses paid account." provision permits literary agents representatives. Payments subsection may exceed one-fifth amount collected 9 Claims given following priorities: (8); subrogation crime; judgments obtained (d) creditors including local tax authorities. 632-a(11) 10 (10) broadly either entry plea guilty conviction trial 632-a(10)(b) (emphasis added). Thus never been ordinary sense, but statute's coverage. 11 recently construed Appeals, however, apply victimless crimes. Children Bedford, Petromelis, 77 N.Y.2d 713, 726, 570 N.Y.S.2d 453, 460, 573 N.E.2d 541, 548 (1991). 12 supplements pre-existing statutory schemes authorizing compensate losses, see 631 Supp.1991), permitting courts forfeited State, N.Y.Civ.Prac.Law §§ 1310-1352 providing orders restitution sentencing, N.Y.Penal Law 60.27 1987); affording prejudgment attachment procedures ensure wrongdoers dissipate 6201-6226 1980 arrangement established enhances these insofar earns scope 632-a(1). 13 Since enactment invoked handful times. might expected, individuals sought become well highly publicized Jean Harris, "Scarsdale Diet" Doctor Herman Tarnower; Mark Chapman, man assassinating John Lennon; Foster Winans, former Wall Street Journal columnist insider trading. Ironically, applied himself; incompetent stand trial, N.Y.Times, Feb. 20, 1991, B8, col. 4. According share royalties Sam, published 1981, estates. Brief Respondents 8, n. 13. 14 case began 1986, became aware Simon Schuster B 15 Looking back safety Federal Witness Protection Program, recalled: "At age twelve my ambition gangster. To wiseguy. me being wiseguy better president States." N. Pileggi, Wiseguy: Life Mafia Family 19 (1985) (hereinafter Wiseguy). Whatever one think very said realized dreams. career spanning 25 engineering some most daring crimes day, 1978-1979 Boston College basketball point-shaving scandal, theft $6 million Lufthansa Airlines 1978, largest successful cash robbery American history. Wiseguy 9. Most more banausic: He extortion, imported distributed narcotics, numerous robberies. 16 arrested 1980. exchange immunity prosecution, testified many colleagues. arrest, lived assumed name unknown country. 17 August entered Nicholas Pileggi life. month, publishing Schuster. Under agreement, agreed make Pileggi. Over next few according "talked length virtually every single occasional Sunday holiday skipped. spent three hundred hours together; notes conversations occupy six linear file feet." App. 27. Because producing investment effort, compensation. 18 Pileggi's collaboration Wiseguy, January 1986. depicts, colorful detail, day-to-day existence primarily first-person narrative. Throughout frankly participated astonishing variety discusses, among extortion prison sentence served. portion recounts how members preferential prison: "The dorm separate three-story building outside wall, looked like Holiday Inn prison. There four guys room, we comfortable beds private baths. dozen rooms each floor, them mob living them. It convention—the whole Gotti crew, Jimmy Doyle guys, 'Ernie Boy' Abbamonte 'Joe Crow' Delvecchio, Vinnie Aloi, Frank Cotroni. 20 "It wild. wine booze, kept bath-oil after-shave jars. hacks honor almost take, though rules, used cook our rooms. back, I don't Paulie went general mess times half there. stove pots pans silverware stacked bathroom. glasses ice-water cooler where fresh meats cheeses. When there inspection, stored stuff false ceiling, while, confiscated, we'd just go kitchen get new stuff. 21 "We best food smuggled kitchen. Steaks, veal cutlets, shrimp, red snapper. could buy, ate. cost two, week. Guys thousand bucks Scotch thirty dollars pint. inside walls lunch pails. ran bringing days Depending what you wanted much spend, life bearable." 150-151. 22 reviewed favorably: Washington Post called " 'amply detailed entirely fascinating amounts piece revisionist history,' Daily News Breslin named 'the America written.' 5. also commercial success: Within months publication, copies print. later, converted film Goodfellas, won host awards 1990. 23 From perspective, publicity generated book's success proved less desirable. learned soon published. C 24 On 31, notified Schuster: come attention person." 86. furnish provide dollar dates suspend future. complied order. By time, agent $96,250 advances behalf, holding $27,958 eventual May 21, 1987, issued Proposed Determination Order. covered Executive Law, failing making turned held already received, 26 parties cross-motions summary judgment, 724 F.Supp. 170 (SDNY 1989). divided Schuster, Fischetti, 1990). 27 Government States statutes objectives, 3681; Note, Fischetti: Can Survive Challenge?, 66 Notre Dame L.Rev. 1075, (1991) (listing statutes), issue significant likely recur. accordingly granted certiorari, 498 950, 1039 (1991), now reverse. II 28 imposes speakers content speech. ---- - 1443-1444, 494 emphasized invalidating tax, "official scrutiny publications imposing incompatible Amendment's guarantee freedom press." 209 (1987). 29 notion engrained jurisprudence last Term "obvious" require explanation. Leathers, --- 1444 (slip op., 7). manifestation far broader principle: "Regulations permit discriminate message tolerated Amendment." Regan Time, Inc., 468 641, 648-649, 104 3262, 3266-3267, 82 487 (1984). See Police Dept. Chicago Mosley, 408 92, 95, 92 2286, 2289, 33 212 (1972). context regulation, bears repeating, Government's ability burdens raises specter effectively drive viewpoints marketplace. 1444. sort discrimination beyond Government. reiterated 'The right free remove restraints arena public discussion, putting views voiced largely hands us belief approach comport premise dignity choice political system rests.' (quoting Cohen California, 403 24, 91 1780, 1787, 284 (1971)). 30 statute. derived directed specified content. plainly disincentive 31 tries unsuccessfully distinguish Project. While speaker's outright, difference hardly Both speak; indeed, cases will impossible discern advance type costly 32 argues ideas. incorrect; consistently "[i]llicit legislative intent sine qua non violation Minneapolis Star Tribune Co. Minnesota Comm'r Revenue, 460 575, 592, 103 1365, 1375, 75 295 (1983). need adduce "no evidence improper censorial motive." 228, 1727. concluded Star, "[w]e protected 1375. Finally, prohibits media, different, Cowles Media Co., 2513, 2518, 115 586 ("[E]nforcement laws press stricter enforcement persons organizations"). argument falters grounds. Any wasn't already. event, characterization member "media" irrelevant purposes. surely 34 establishes create treatment, end." 35 disclaims, must, suppressing descriptions solicitude sensibilities readers. 38, 38. often occasion repeat, '[T]he society find offensive sufficient reason it. Indeed, gives offense, consequence protection.' Hustler Magazine, Falwell, 485 46, 55, 108 876, 882, 99 41 (1988) FCC Pacifica Foundation, 438 745, 98 3026, 3038, 57 1073 (1978)). 'If bedrock principle underlying prohibit idea simply finds itself disagreeable.' Eichman, 496 110 2404, 2410, 287 (1990) Texas Johnson, 397, 414, 2533, 2544, 342 (1989)). thus assert whatever anguish suffer reliving victimization. 36 doubt, hand, ensuring compensated harm Every body tort serving exactly preventing dissipating before recover explains remedies restitution. Supp.1991); 1987). importance before, Sixth context. 528 (1989). 37 likewise undisputed "fundamental equitable principle," Bedford N.Y.2d, 727, N.Y.S.2d, N.E.2d, 548, "[n]o permitted own fraud, take advantage wrong, iniquity, acquire property crime." Riggs Palmer, N.Y. 506, 511-512, N.E. 188, 190 (1889). force evidenced forfeiture instrumentalities 38 debate properly termed question address here. For purposes case, assume without deciding escrowed represents conclude depriving crimes, using 39 attempts define narrowly, "ensuring storytelling meaningful opportunity injuries." 46. Here shakier ground. assets. Nor classifying manner, compelling. 40 rejected assertions past. Project observed certainly important raising revenue through taxation, justified selective taxation press, completely unrelated press/non-press distinction. 1728-1729; 586, 1372. Likewise, Carey Brown, 447 455, 467-469, 100 2293-2295, 65 263 (1980), preserving privacy prohibiting residential picketing, refused ban nonlabor picketing. "nothing labor-nonlabor bearing whatsoever privacy." 465, 2293. Much same true nothing government above If accepted, circular defense sidestep judicial review statute, makes look tailored. Judge Newman pointed dissent "eliminates entire inquiry concerning validity discriminations. upheld observing anxious regulate designated category speech." F.2d, 785 (Newman, dissenting). short, therefore determine former, latter, objective. 43 means overinclusive. counsel conceded oral argument, subject, incidentally. Tr. Oral Arg. 30, 38; 109. 632-a(10)(b). 44 potentially number works. Had place Autobiography Malcolm X, describes leader figure; Civil Disobedience, Thoreau acknowledges refusal taxes recalls experience jail; Confessions Saint Augustine, laments "my past foulness carnal corruptions soul," instance involved pears neighboring vineyard. Haley X 108-125 (1964); H. Thoreau, Disobedience 18-22 (1849, 1969); Augustine 36-37 (Franklin Library ed. 1980). Amicus Association Publishers, submitted sobering bibliography listing hundreds prisoners ex-prisoners, contain authors incarcerated, Emma Goldman Martin Luther King, Jr. list prominent figures autobiographies written difficult construct: Sir Walter Raleigh, treason dubiously conducted 1603 trial; Jesse Jackson, 1963 trespass resisting arrest attempting served counter North Carolina; Bertrand Russell, jailed seven 89 participating sit-down protest nuclear weapons. prevent publication hyperbole—some compensation—but clearly reaches literature uncompensated.** ** contention neutral decisions Ward Rock Against Racism, 781, 2746, 661 (1989), Renton Playtime Theatres, 475 41, 106 925, (1986). regulated speech, despite incidental effects others. Even Renton, "narrowly tailored" asserted State. Ward, 798, 2757; 52, 931. tailored"—even lenient tailoring standards Renton—where, here, "a [the content-neutral] goals." 799, 2758. analyzed based too overinclusive satisfy requirements And, light conclusion decide whether, Blackmun suggests, underinclusive present Kennedy's discussion longstanding debate, G. Gunther, Constitutional 1069-1070 (12th 1991), neither briefed argued. 45 Should write autobiography end career, early chapter brief recollection stolen (in York) nearly worthless item youthful prank, control creditors, minor incident run. That produce outcome indicates is, say least, III 46 designed law. Some quite different York's, constitutionality laws. singled income. one, result, 47 48 Reversed. 49 THOMAS 50 51 am says opinion. think, so. legislation deserve guidance render sensitive area. 52 53 severe restrictions publishers, sole criterion written. full protection this, submit, unconstitutional. view unnecessary incorrect ask 'is end.' Ante, 118 1729, (1987)). test formulation derives equal jurisprudence, see, Wygant Jackson Education, 267, 273-274, 1842, 1846-1847, 90 260 (1986) (opinion POWELL, J.); Hirabayashi 320 81, 100, 63 1385, 87 L.Ed. 1774 (1943), real legitimate considers straightforward enact burdensome restriction only, apart considerations place, manner use forums. 54 alone obscene, defamatory, words tantamount act otherwise criminal, impairment right, incitement lawless action, calculated imminent substantive prevent. No further reject upheld. 55 Borrowing narrow analysis ill-advised restriction, resort read concession censor whenever believe doing Our precedents traditions allow inference. 56 said, acknowledged late, ought be, content-based. Although restricted survives sometimes exacting scrutiny,' 412, 2543, seem familiar, appears adopted accident example, cited Boos Barry, 312, 320, 1157, 1163, 333 (1988), support approach. Barry Perry Education Assn Local Educators' Assn., 37, 45, 948, 955, 74 794 (1983), proposition forum, 'regulation 1163. Turning appropriate page Perry, discover statement supported citation 461, 2290-2291, (1980). Carey, turns protection: "When discriminates speech-related activities Equal Clause mandates finely interests, justifications offered distinctions draws carefully scrutinized." 461-462, 2290-2291. transformed government's employment colleagues' Ragland. 118. True, Ragland relied, recite close variant, 585, 1371-1372, regulates 58 are, course, predating slow metamorphosis Brown's test, authorities issues censorship. Buckley Valeo, 424 1, 25, 96 612, 637-638, 659 (1976) (upholding content-neutral contributions campaigns federal office striking down expenditures campaigns); Cousins Wigoda, 419 477, 489, 548-549, 595 (1975) (content-neutral association); NAACP Button, 371 415, 438, 83 328, 340-341, 405 (1963) prohibition solicitation lawyers); Shelton Tucker, 364 479, 488, 81 247, 252, 231 (1960) teachers state-supported schools colleges disclose organizations belonged contributed). 59 inapplicability demonstrated repeated "above else, message, ideas, matter, content." 2290, 229-230, 1727-1728 (citing Mosley ); (1984) ("Regulations Amendment"). statements lack engage content-discrimination reflect surer protecting today. 60 categories contemplated. obscenity, Miller 413 93 2607, (1973), defamation, Dun Bradstreet, Greenmoss Builders, 472 749, 2939, 86 593 (1985), incitement, Brandenburg Ohio, 395 444, 1827, 430 (1969), situations presenting grave danger prevent, Near Minnesota, 283 697, 716, 625, 631, 1357 (1931). historic traditional familiar bar, although prevail. Times 2140, 822 (1971). certainty foregoing types remain ones protection, proscription visual depictions sexual conduct children, Ferber, 458 747, 102 3348, 73 1113 (1982), preferable ad hoc balancing henceforth perform here standard test. 61 practical perhaps interpret involving results parallel discussed, enterprise today's tends pro forma own. leave open possibility various sorts appropriate, discount value invite experiments clear violations us. 62 direct not, eliminate respecting issues. questions avoid necessity are: falls unprotected discussed above, 127; impaired, Nebraska Press Assn. Stuart, 427 539, 2791, 683 (1976); combines nonexpressive elements, aims expression, compare O'Brien, 391 367, 88 1673, 672 (1968) 406-410, 2540-2542; restricts (1989); content-neutral. 319-321, 1162-1163. However lines draw answer clear. presents adhere formulation, capacity weaken central protections recognize confirm holdings rule raw censorship content, forbidden text well-settled principles press. matter. 64 With observations, concur invalid.

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