After four days of deliberation, former Broward County Deputy Scot Peterson was found not guilty on all 11 charges related to the 2018 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Peterson, who was the only armed school resource officer on campus when the shooting started, was charged with child neglect and other counts in connection with the deaths and injuries on an upper floor of the building. After the verdict was read, Peterson was sobbing in court and spoke to the court, saying, "Don't anybody ever forget this was a massacre on February 14."
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On Thursday morning, firefighters responded to an electrical fire at the iconic Tiffany & Co. store on Fifth Avenue in New York City. The fire was contained to the basement and no serious injuries were reported, though two minor injuries were sustained. Con Edison was requested to the scene to help with the fire, which was put out by noon and did not damage the store. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
The Supreme Court issued a 6-3 ruling on Thursday that race-conscious admission programs at two colleges were unconstitutional, with Chief Justice John Roberts arguing that it violated the 14th Amendment's equal protection clause. Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote the primary dissent, joined by Justice Elena Kagan, and Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson also penned a separate dissent, joined by Kagan. The ruling has been met with criticism from civil rights groups, and is likely to have far-reaching implications for universities across the country.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis was asked by a high school student whether former President Donald Trump “violated the peaceful transfer of power” on Jan. 6, 2021, and avoided giving a direct answer. This prompted criticism from fellow Republican Chris Christie, who called the question a “yes or no” one. DeSantis responded by saying he had nothing to do with the events of that day and urged against “relitigating” them. The incident has sparked a debate among Republican voters and could have an impact on the 2024 presidential nomination race.
Christine King Farris, the last living sibling of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., passed away on Thursday at the age of 98. For decades, Farris worked with her brother's widow, Coretta Scott King, to preserve and promote his legacy, and was remembered by her family and friends as a passionate advocate for civil rights and social justice. Her legacy will live on through her work to preserve and promote the legacy of her brother, Martin Luther King Jr.
The Supreme Court has ruled that the use of affirmative action in college admissions is unconstitutional, with Chief Justice John Roberts writing the majority opinion and Justice Sonia Sotomayor writing a dissenting opinion. This decision is likely to have a significant impact on college admissions, as many institutions have long relied on affirmative action as a way to promote diversity on campus.
President Joe Biden expressed his disappointment with the Supreme Court's ruling against affirmative action in college admissions, citing the U.S. military as an example of how diversity brings strength. He called on Congress to pass legislation to protect affirmative action and urged states to take action to ensure that diversity in college admissions is maintained. Biden said he "strongly, strongly" disagrees with the court's decision and believes that colleges are stronger when they are racially diverse.
The Supreme Court has issued a unanimous decision in Groff v. DeJoy, setting aside the "de minimis" standard set more than 45 years ago and laying out a "clarified standard" for lower courts to apply when determining when an employee's proposed religious accommodation imposes an undue hardship on the employer's business. This decision is a major victory for workers seeking religious accommodations from their employers, and could have far-reaching implications for how employers handle such requests in the future.