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Constitutional Law Keyed to Choper
Terminiello v. Chicago
Citation:
337 U.S. 1 (1949)Facts
Arthur Terminiello, a suspended Catholic priest, was brought to Chicago to address a gathering organized by Gerald L.K. Smith’s Christian Veterans of America. The meeting attracted significant public attention, with over 800 people inside the auditorium and approximately 1,000 protesters outside. The crowd outside was angry and turbulent, throwing bricks through windows and attempting to force entry into the building. Police were assigned to maintain order but struggled to prevent disturbances. In his speech, Terminiello condemned the protesters outside and harshly criticized various political and racial groups, using inflammatory language such as “slimy scum” to describe his opponents. He made derogatory comments about Jews, communists, and the Roosevelt administration. After the speech, Terminiello was charged with violating a Chicago ordinance prohibiting breach of peace. The trial court instructed the jury that speech which “stirs the public to anger, invites dispute, brings about a condition of unrest, or creates a disturbance” constitutes a breach of peace. Terminiello was convicted and fined $100.
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