US Supreme Court Justices (front l-r ): Anthony M. Kennedy, John Paul Stevens, Chief Justice John Roberts, Antonin Scalia, and , Clarence Thomas, (back l-r): Samuel Alito Jr., Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen Breyer, and Sonia Sotomayor
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Humane Society of the United States says it's going to ask Congress to adopt another ban on the sale of videos showing graphic violence against animals.
This time, the ban would be a narrower one -- with the hope that it would be acceptable to the Supreme Court.
By an 8-to-1 vote today, the justices struck down a federal law aimed at banning videos showing violence against animals. The court said it violates the right to free speech.
The justices threw out the conviction of a Virginia man who had made videos about pit bull fights.
The law was enacted to limit Internet sales of so-called crush videos. They appeal to a certain sexual fetish by showing women crushing to death small animals with their feet.
Chief Justice John Roberts, writing for the majority, said the law goes too far. He suggested that a measure limited to crush videos might be valid.
In dissent, Justice Samuel Alito said the harm animals suffer in dogfights is enough to sustain the law.
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