6/13/2012 MinneCulture

Near v Minnesota: How a local rag ignited a First Amendment firestorm

When Minneapolis politicians censored small time scandal sheet publisher, Jay Near, it sparked the country’s first debate on whether the government can control people’s speech and punish them for publishing unpopular ideas. Called the first great press case, the surprising 1931 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Near vs. Minnesota is a landmark of First Amendment law, and continues to guide our democracy today. KFAI producer Susan Gray talks to media and legal experts, who describe the characters that played a role in creating this important jurisprudence.