Supreme Court actions

— In other actions at the Supreme Court on Monday, justices:

Declined to consider whether the Constitution requires the insanity defense to be an option for criminal defendants, leaving intact John Joseph Delling’s murder conviction in Idaho. Five states - Idaho, Montana, Utah, Nevada and Kansas - have passed laws abolishing the insanity defense since 1979, though it was reinstated in Nevada by that state’s supreme court.

Rejected an appeal by former Rep. William Jefferson, a Louisiana Democrat serving a 13-year prison term after being convicted of accepting more than $450,000 in bribes.

Dismissed an Illinois prosecutor’s plea to allow enforcement of a law aimed at stopping people from recording police officers on the job, leaving in place a lower court ruling that found that the state’s anti-eavesdropping law violates free-speech rights when used against people who tape law enforcement officers.

Refused to hear a joint appeal from R.J. Reynolds and Vector Group Ltd.’s Liggett unit and let stand a $20 million award against the two cigarette makers.

Information for this article was contributed by The Associated Press.

Front Section, Pages 2 on 11/27/2012

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