MO Free Speech: Upcoming Events

It’s been a busy few months for us at MO Free Speech, and an even busier spring is underway!

On Monday, February 5, we welcome civil-rights litigator Bevis Schock, who will share his incredible case about Mason Murphy, a Missouri resident who was arrested for getting into a 9-minute argument with a police officer. The officer later claimed he had probable cause to arrest Mason for walking on the wrong side of the road. The officer prevailed in the district court and later in the Eighth Circuit, albeit over an excellent dissent from Judge L. Steven Grasz. This case raises complicated issues of retaliation and probable cause under the First Amendment---issues that must be resolved by the U.S. Supreme Court.

This meeting will be at noon and held via Zoom conference. You can RSVP and find the link here: https://www.facebook.com/events/383037870976385

On March 27, we will be attending Scholastic Journalism Day (a/k/a JDay) at the University of Missouri to recognize and support the press rights of student journalists. If you know any high-school students involved in the school publications, encourage them to attend JDay and visit our table. But more importantly, encourage them to see Cathy Kuhlmeier’s presentation and Q&A. Cathy was the plaintiff in the famous Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier Supreme Court case. Cathy will talk about her experience confronting censorship as a student journalist and the yearslong court fight that ensued.

We are also excited about our upcoming Supreme Court panel at Mizzou, where expert panelists will discuss the pending First Amendment cases in the U.S. Supreme Court this term. The event is being co-hosted by the Mizzou Moot Court team. Mizzou Moot Court provides public-speaking and critical-thinking skills, as well as educational resources that teach students about the U.S. Constitution and both federal and state law. The date and other details about the event will be announced soon.

If you are interested in being involved in these or future MO Free Speech events, contact us at info@mofreespeech.org. You can also find us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/786087063213046