Legal Opinion
Valarie Goguen v. Joseph Smith, Sheriff of Worcester County
Court of Appeals for the First Circuit
Decided December 14, 1972No. 72-1204PublishedCited by 41 opinions
1Opinion of the Court
COFFIN, Chief Judge.
Appellee was sentenced to six months in the House of Correction after having been convicted by a jury in a Massachusetts Superior Court1 for “publicly treat [ing] contemptuously the flag of the United States”, in violation of Mass.Gen.Laws ch. 264 § 5.2 The treatment found contemptuous consisted of appellee appearing in the business district of Leominster, displaying a small cloth American flag sewn to his blue jeans on the area covering his left buttock. When a police officer questioned appellee, persons with whom appellee was standing were amused. Appellee was arrested…
2Cases cited82 opinions
- Younger v. HarrisSupreme Court of the United States · 1971
- New York Times Co. v. SullivanSupreme Court of the United States · 1964
- Grayned v. City of RockfordSupreme Court of the United States · 1972
- Grayned v. City of RockfordSupreme Court of the United States · 1972
- United States v. O'BrienSupreme Court of the United States · 1968
77 more not listed; retrieve them via the Exa API.
3Cited by41 opinions
- Smith v. GoguenSupreme Court of the United States · 1974
- Kenneth R. Mancuso v. James L. Taft, MayorCourt of Appeals for the First Circuit · 1973
- United States v. Harry F. SeussCourt of Appeals for the First Circuit · 1973
- District of Columbia v. WaltersDistrict of Columbia Court of Appeals · 1974
- City of Council Bluffs v. CainSupreme Court of Iowa · 1983
36 more not listed; retrieve them via the Exa API.