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The Case Of Gregory Lee Johnson

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In 1984 Republican National convention, Gregory Lee Johnson was among the people who participated in the political demonstration to protest the policies of President Ronald Reagan administration along with some of the others Dallas-based corporations. During the march through the city’s streets, Johnson burned an American flag while the other protesters was chanting for him. Nobody was injured at the protest or burning of the flag, although several eye witnesses were upset by Mr. Johnson behave, which resulted him being arrested, charged, and convicted for violating Texas statute that prevented the desecration of venerated object, such as the American flag, and State court of appeals affirmed. Nevertheless, Johnson appealed his case and argued that his actions were symbolic speech which was protected under the First Amendment; after his appeal, Texas Criminal Court of Appeals reversed it and decided that the State can’t punish Johnson for burning the flag in these circumstances. First, they believe that him burning the flag was expressive conduct which is protected …show more content…

democratic system of government is based. Then again, Justice William Brennan and other Supreme Court Justice agreed with Johnson and held that flag burning constitutes a form of symbolic speech which is protected by the First Amendment. They made a notation that freedom of speech protects actions that society may find very offensive, but society 's outrage alone is not justification for suppressing free speech. In conclusion, Texas v. Johnson was a landmark case the established the right of American’s to burn an American flag as a symbol of expression and stressed the important of First Amendment freedom of

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Johnson became a suspect when a witness claimed that he saw him carrying a leather strap, though Johnson denied owning one. Johnson provided numerous alibi witnesses at trial. Nevertheless, he was convicted by an all-white jury and sentenced to death. While the U.S. Supreme Court granted a stay of execution, a mob broke through the jail and brutally murdered Johnson in a public hanging. Johnson’s tombstone reflects his professed innocence, “God Bless you all.

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In 1984, protestor Gregory Lee Johnson marched to the Dallas Texas Convention Center. He stood on the front steps; the American flag in one hand, and a bottle of kerosene in the other. Exasperated by President Reagan’s policy, Johnson ignited the flag. Convicted by the Texas court, Johnson was charged with the desecration of a venerated object. Johnson claimed that burning the

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In the act of burning the flag, Johnson was taken under arrest for the act that states that they cannot ‘criminally punish a person for burning a flag as a mean of political protest’. The arrest under the First Amendment caused a breach in peace and may be considered a ‘serious offence’. The burning of the flag was an offence to the flag and to Americans today but Johnson did this as an act of free speech and the unjust of the fair treatment to any single individual. The way that people acted towards this act started riots and unfair treatment to Johnson. The way that we

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