High Court to Rule on LAX Ban on Religious Leaflets : Constitutionality Challenged by Jews for Jesus

The Supreme Court today agreed to decide whether Los Angeles International Airport may prohibit religious groups from distributing literature inside its buildings.

The court, beginning its 1986-87 term with William H. Rehnquist as the new chief justice and Antonin Scalia as the newest justice, said it will review a ruling that struck down such a ban imposed at the Los Angeles airport.

Owned by Los Angeles, the airport is the world’s third busiest. In 1983, the city’s Board of Airport Commissioners enacted a resolution saying the airport’s buildings “shall be limited to airport-related uses.”

The resolution said “sidewalk areas immediately outside the terminal facilities may be used for activities protected by the First Amendment.”

Freedom of Speech, Expression

The Constitution’s First Amendment guarantees freedom of speech and expression.

A group known as Jews for Jesus challenged the constitutionality of the Los Angeles airport resolution in 1984 after Howard Snyder, one of its ministers, was ordered to stop distributing leaflets.

Lawyers for the group said Snyder was following Jews for Jesus policy in refraining from either soliciting or accepting any money while handing out the literature. They said he was not harassing, touching or otherwise annoying any other person.

The group’s lawsuit charged that the ban violated free-speech rights because the airport, even inside its terminal buildings, is a traditional public forum--similar to a city park or sidewalk.

Upheld by 9th Circuit

A federal trial judge ruled that the resolution was unconstitutional, and the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld that ruling last March 25.

In other action, the court:

--Cleared the way for NBC to collect more than $250,000 from political extremist Lyndon H. LaRouche, who unsuccessfully sued the network for libel.

The court, without comment, rejected LaRouche’s contention that he was treated unfairly and that his rights were violated.

--Refused to become embroiled in a continuing legal effort to strip the Roman Catholic Church of its tax-exempt status because of its anti-abortion lobbying.

The court, without comment, let stand rulings that “pro-choice” individuals and groups have the proper legal standing to sue in trying to force the government to revoke the church’s tax exemptions. The Reagan Administration had urged the justices to kill the lawsuit.

--Refused to limit the number of school districts allowed to join a pending lawsuit against the asbestos industry.

--Rejected the latest appeal by Dr. Jeffrey MacDonald, the former Green Beret convicted of murdering his pregnant wife and two daughters 16 years ago.

--Let stand a $1.1-million award won by a California woman who suffered toxic shock syndrome after using a tampon made by Johnson & Johnson Products Inc.

--Said it will consider allowing Jews to invoke key federal civil rights laws in suing vandals for defacing a synagogue with anti-Semitic and Nazi-type slogans and symbols.