Court Opinion

ID: 9422884
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-02 23:05:03.074751+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:18:30.653175
License: Public Domain

Mr. Justice Black,
with whom Mr. Justice Douglas joins,
concurring.
For reasons stated at greater length in my opinions concurring in New York Times Co. v. Sullivan, 376 U. S. 254, 293, and dissenting in Beauharnais v. Illinois, 343 U. S. 250, 267, as well as in the opinion of Mr. Justice Douglas in this case, infra, p.'80, I concur in reversing the conviction of appellant Garrison, based as it is purely on his public discussion and criticism of public officials. I believe that the First Amendment, made applicable to the States by the Fourteenth, protects every person from having a State or the Federal Government fine, imprison, or assess damages against him when he has been guilty of no conduct, see Giboney v. Empire Storage & Ice Co., 336 U. S. 490, 498, other than expressing an opinion, even though others may believe that his views are unwholesome, unpatriotic, stupid or dangerous. I believe that the Court is mistaken if it thinks that requiring proof that *80statements were “malicious” or “defamatory” will really create any substantial hurdle to block public officials from punishing those who criticize the way they conduct their office. Indeed, “malicious,” “seditious,” and other such evil-sounding words often have been invoked to punish people for expressing their views on public affairs. Fining men or sending them to jail for criticizing public officials not only jeopardizes-the free, open public discussion which our Constitution guarantees, but can wholly stifle it. I would hold now and not wait to hold later, compare Betts v. Brady, 316 U. S. 455, overruled in Gideon v. Wainwright, 372 U. S. 335, that under our Constitution there is absolutely no place in this country for the old, discredited English Star Chamber law of seditious criminal libel.