Looking Back

Fifty years ago today, June 13, 1967

First Negro Justice

President Johnson announced today he is nominating the first Negro ever chosen to serve on the Supreme Court-Solicitor General Thurgood Marshall. Marshall, 59, and one-time chief legal officer of the national associate for the advancement of colored people, would succeed associate justice Tom C. Clark, who resigned Monday.

Butts Libel Suit

The Supreme Court Monday upheld by a 5-4 vote a $460,000 judgment won by Wallace Butts, former athletic director at the University of Georgia, against the Curtis Publishing Co. The award was based on an article in The Saturday Evening Post saying Butts had outlined Georgia’s plays to Paul “Bear” Bryant, Alabama football coach, eight days before t he 1962 Georgia-Alabama game. Alabama won the game, 35-0.

Eavesdropping Law

Rep. Milton Jones of Columbus said today a provision of Georgia’s new anti-bugging law which permits court-approved eavesdropping by policemen may have been invalidated by Monday’s Supreme Court decisions.

Jones said a New York law which was thrown out by the court is similar, though not identical, to the law enforcement provision of the Georgia statute.

This story was originally published June 12, 2017 at 3:01 PM with the headline "Looking Back."