In April, four Supreme Court justices were in the courtroom for oral arguments and three participated remotely. For the early– and late-May calendars, only two justices were in court. Today, for the June calendar, all members of the court are participating remotely. (Screenshots below. Click on the photos to enlarge.)
This afternoon, the arguments include B.B. v. County of Los Angeles and People v. Peterson.
As nationwide protests continued concerning the killing of George Floyd, the court heard the B.B. case, where a jury awarded $8 million in a wrongful death action that was based on Los Angeles Sheriff’s deputies pinning an arrestee to the ground, with one deputy, according to the Court of Appeal’s opinion, “pressing his right knee down on the back of [the arrestee’s] head, near the neck, and his left knee into the center of [the arrestee’s] back.” The issue before the court is not about liability, but about apportionment of noneconomic damages.
Peterson is the high-profile appeal of a man convicted and sentenced to death for killing his pregnant wife. The questioning from the bench did not indicate the court is likely to reverse the death penalty.
The June calendar continues tomorrow. The arguments are live streamed.
Because this is an oral argument week, the court will not be holding a conference this week.
