Which Louisiana based course case was cited as evidence in Peloza v. Capistrano School District?
Edwards v. Aguillard Edwards v. Aguillard, 482 U.S. 578 (1987), was a United States Supreme Court case concerning the constitutionality of teaching creationism. The Court ruled that a Louisiana law requiring that where evolutionary science was taught in public schools, creation science must also be taught, violated the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment because the law was specifically intended to advance a particular religion. It also held that "teaching a variety of scientific theories about the origins of humankind to school children might be validly done with the clear secular intent of enhancing the effectiveness of science instruction".
People v. Newton People v. Newton, 8 Cal. App. 3d 359 (Ct. App. 1970), was a controversial appeal arising from the voluntary manslaughter conviction of Huey P. Newton, the reputed co-founder of the Black Panther Party for Self Defense. The California Court of Appeal reversed Newton’s conviction due to prejudicial error stemming from the trial court’s failure to instruct the jury as to the possibility of involuntary unconsciousness as a complete defense to the charges. Though Newton’s attorney arguably withdrew the defense at trial, the Court nonetheless held that the failure to instruct violated Newton’s constitutional right to have the jury determine all material issues based on the evidence. This case stands for the proposition that trial courts have an affirmative duty to instruct juries as to a defense of involuntary unconsciousness where there exists evidence that may support that conclusion.