FREE AT LAST!!!!

The ACLU is pleased to announce that Joseph Amrine is now a free man after the Cole County prosecutor decided that there was not enough evidence to retry him. On April 29 The Missouri Supreme Court had ruled that there was an absence of "credible" evidence against Amrine, granted his habeas corpus petition, and overturned his conviction.  Thank you to everyone who supported Joe.
 

Click here to read media coverage of this historic event.

Click here to see a picture of MU ACLU President Anthony Johnson with Joe at Shakespeare's Pizza in Columbia a couple of hours after his release.

DEATH PENALTY CONVICTION OVERTURNED  

Click here to read the Missouri Supreme Court's decision in the Amrine case.

View MU Law School ACLU Clemency Petition

HELP STOP THE COLUMBIA CITY COUNCIL FROM NEEDLESSLY INFRINGING UPON THE RIGHTS OF COLUMBIA CITIZENS BY PASSING AN UNWARRANTED JUVENILE CURFEW. Update:  The Columbia City Council has tabled the proposed curfew thanks to local residents and organizations' concerns about the  consequences the curfew would have upon young minorities. Click here to read the Tribune's coverage. Click here to contact your Council Member AND Mayor Hindman and urge them NOT to reconsider the proposed Curfew. Click here to read about how the ACLU has helped to strike down curfew laws as unconstitutional. Proposition 1, The Smart Sentencing Initiative, achieves a Victory. Although Proposition 1 failed to gain an electoral victory, garnering 42% of the vote, it spurred the Columbia Police Department to reform its internal policy regarding first time marijuana offenders because of an admitted lack of consistency. Click here to read about the new policy change. Click here to read the Smart Sentencing Initiative Maneater named Proposition 1 the 2002-2003 Best Not-So-Lost-Cause of the Year!  Click here to read the story. Interested in drug policy reform?  Check out Drug War Links  Landmark Supreme Court Ruling Upholds Affirmative Action Policies for Public Universities The ACLU welcomes Supreme Court decisions upholding the principle that public universities may continue to use affirmative action to ensure a diverse student body, saying the rulings keep "the door open for thousands of academically qualified students of color to continue to pursue the American dream." Read more >>> Online Forum: What's on your mind? ACLU Hails Affirmative Action, Gay Rights Victories From Conservative Court Acknowledging the reality of an increasingly diverse society, the Supreme Court ends its 2002 term with historic decisions supporting affirmative action and gay equality. But the Court’s conservative instincts were evident in rulings involving criminal defendants and immigrants that were low points for civil liberties. Read more >>> Read complete term summary >>> ACLU: Government 'Must Effectively Use' Existing Powers A new congressional report on the failure by the CIA and FBI to detect activities that led to the 9/11 attacks demonstrates that the government does not need additional new law enforcement powers to combat terrorism.   Read more >>> Online Forum: What's on your mind? 'PATRIOT II' Would Needlessly Infringe on Basic Liberties New Department of Justice "anti-terrorism" legislation goes further than the USA PATRIOT Act in eroding checks and balances on presidential power. The legislation contains a number of measures that are of questionable effectiveness but are sure to infringe on civil liberties. Read more >>> Online Forum: Share Your Thoughts >>> Appeals panel rejects secret court's limits on terrorist wiretaps "We have no desire whatsoever to in any way erode or undermine constitutional liberties," says John Ashcroft Do YOU believe him? Help the ACLU defend our beloved Constitution from the Ashcroft "Justice" Department Skepticism Remains Despite Mueller's Vow To Alter FBI's Anti-Terrorism Tactics FBI Director Robert S. Mueller III (left) attempted to allay concerns about government policies and actions in an address to nearly 1,500 attendees at the ACLU's Inaugural Membership Conference. Nadine and Me Why I became a card-carrying member of the ACLU  by Ronald Bailey, a conservative libertarian and Reason Magazine's science correspondent.