Reinhardt Reversed in Buttons Case:
Today the Supreme Court handed down its opinion in Carey v. Musladin, reversing the decision by Judge Reinhardt (surprise!) that had granted federal habeas relief to a murder defendant on the ground that the victim's family wore buttons with pictures of the deceased during the trial. The decision was unanimous as to the result, but there were three very short opinions concurring in the judgment (by Stevens, Souter, and Kennedy) in addition to the brief majority opinion by Justice Thomas.