Griffin v. Maryland facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Griffin v. Maryland |
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| Argued October 14 – October 15, 1963 Decided June 22, 1964 |
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| Full case name | William L. Griffin et al. v. Maryland |
| Citations | 378 U.S. 130 (more)
84 S. Ct. 1770; 12 L. Ed. 2d 754; 1964 U.S. LEXIS 818
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| Prior history | 225 Md. 422, 171 A.2d 717, affirmed conviction |
| Subsequent history | 236 Md. 184, 202 A.2d 644 (1964), reversing conviction without new trial |
| Holding | |
| The convictions violated the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment and the arrest by a park employee, who was also a deputy sheriff, was state action. | |
| Court membership | |
| Case opinions | |
| Majority | Warren, joined by Douglas, Clark, Brennan, Stewart, Goldberg, |
| Concurrence | Clark |
| Dissent | Harlan, joined by Black, White |
| Laws applied | |
| U.S. Const. amend. XIV | |
Griffin v. Maryland was an important case decided by the Supreme Court of the United States in 1964. It was about five African American students who were arrested at an amusement park. The park had a rule that kept Black people out. The Supreme Court said their arrests were against the law because they violated the Fourteenth Amendment. This amendment helps make sure everyone is treated fairly.
Contents
What Happened at Glen Echo Park?
In 1960, five African American college students protested at Glen Echo Amusement Park in Maryland. The park had a rule that only white people could use its rides and facilities. There were no signs about this rule. Also, you didn't need a ticket to get in.
The students bought tickets from others and got on a carousel. A park employee, who was also a deputy sheriff, saw them. After talking to the park manager, he told the students they couldn't be on the rides. He gave them five minutes to leave the park.
When the time was up, the students were arrested. They were charged with criminal trespass, which means staying somewhere you are not allowed. The students were William L. Griffin, Marvous Saunders, Michael Proctor, Cecil T. Washington, Jr., and Gwendolyn Greene.
The Courts Before the Supreme Court
The students were found guilty in a local court in Montgomery County, Maryland. They were ordered to pay a fine of $100. The higher court in Maryland, called the Maryland Court of Appeals, agreed with the decision. They said the arrests were just the park enforcing its rules about segregation. They also said the state was not involved in the arrests.
The Supreme Court's Decision
The Supreme Court had to decide if the arrests were legal. They looked at whether the state was involved in the park's segregation policy. This is called "state action."
The Court had already said that if the state helps segregation, it goes against the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. This part of the amendment says that states must treat all people equally under the law.
The Supreme Court decided that the arrests by the deputy sheriff were "state action." Even though he worked for the park, he was also a state official. When he arrested the students, he was using his power as a deputy sheriff. Because of this, the arrests were seen as the state helping the park's segregation policy. This was a violation of the Fourteenth Amendment.
Different Opinions in the Court
Justice Douglas agreed with the main decision. He said that in this case, the state was involved in the segregation.
Justice Harlan disagreed. He felt that the deputy sheriff's actions were not different from a regular police officer making an arrest after a complaint. He believed that private businesses should be able to set their own rules, even if those rules involved segregation.
