Supreme Court to rule on right to lie about military honors
2/22/2012
In 2007, Xavier Alvarez introduced himself at a board meeting as a former Marine who had won the Congressional Medal of Honor. He wasn't and didn't. Alvarez was convicted of violating the Stolen Valor Act, a 2006 law designed to punish those who lie about earning military medals. The conviction was deemed unconstitutional by a California appeals court.
Today, the U.S. Supreme Court will rule on the legality of the law, deciding whether it violates Americans' rights to free speech. "If false factual statements are unprotected, then the government can prosecute [...] the dentist who assures you it won't hurt a bit," 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Chief Judge Alex Kozinski told NPR.
Should lying about military medals be considered a crime?
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