On March 20 in Bloomington, Indiana, Monroe Circuit Court Judge Nate U. Hill quashed the indictmonts in tho Indiana "subversion" case roported in The Week no. 13. Leonard Boudin, general counsel for the Bmorgeney Civil Liberties Committee, argued that the indictments against the three officers of the Young Socialist Alliance chapter at Indiana University should be thrown out on the grounds that the 1951 Indiana Anti-Communist Act, under which they were brought, was unconstitutional. The judge agreed. The court proceedings followed a meeting at the university addressed by Leroy MeRae, secretary of the YSA.
Daniel T, Taylor III, the trial lawyer for tho defendants, had subpoended eight people, including prosecutor Thomas Hoadley and his key witness, calling on them to produce in court a tape recorder, tapes and pamphlets allegedly stolen from a ronted apartment. These, Tloadly had indicated that he wished to use as evidences; the defence claimed that they had been acquired illegally.
Judge Hill's ruling not only invalidates the Anti-Communism Act$ it has a broader legal significance. Unless overturned, it affects all state sedition laws because it sets the precedent that the federal Government has jurisdiction in such matters even if the law deals only with sedition against a state governmont. Unfortunately, this victory docs not entirely climinate the threats to the defendants. Hoadley, can appeal to a highor court if he obtains the permission of the states Attorney General,