Nation IN BRIEF : OHIO : Court Ruling Sides With Flag Burner

A divided Ohio Supreme Court overturned the conviction of a woman who burned a U.S. flag to protest the Persian Gulf War. In a 4-3 decision, the court said the judge should have told jurors that flag burning is a protected form of expression and in itself didn’t prove Cheryl Lessin was guilty of inciting violence. Lessin was arrested on Aug. 10, 1990, at a demonstration in downtown Cleveland to protest then-President George Bush’s decision to send troops to the Persian Gulf. She was convicted in October, 1990, and sentenced to one year in prison.