Krishna - LAX free speech case in justice's hands

Yesterday, attorneys representing both the City of Los Angeles and the Hare Krishnas appreared before the State Supreme Court in San Francisco to argue whether or not Los Angeles International Airport is a public forum for free speech. You can read more in depth about the issue here in my article that ran Tuesday.

I spoke this morning with David Liberman, the Los Angeles attorney who represents the International Society for Krishna Consciousness of California. He said he was pleasantly surprised that the seven justices seemed to focus their questions to both sides on the "nitty gritty" issues of the law and the state Constitution, instead of security issues in the wake of 9/11 and even the more recent Christmas Day terrorist scare.

As he and other Supreme Court Court watchers know, the outcome of this decision lies almost entirely with Chief Justice Ronald George, the real wildcard on the seven-justice panel. Associate justices Kathryn Werdegar, Carlos Moreno and Joyce Kennard tend to come down on the side of protecting free speech, while associate justices Ming Chin, Marvin Baxter and Carol Corrigan generally rule more conservatively on such issues.

"It was a lively exchange and I think it's too close to call," Liberman said. "It can go either way."

A ruling will come within 90 days. Then the case returns to the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for an ultimate decision.