United States Ninth Circuit

The Supreme Court of Guam may not interpret the Territory of Guam's "Bill of Rights", a federal statute, to allow greater religious freedom than that provided by the First Amendment; the Religious Freedom Restoration Act provides no defense to a "rastafarian" prosecuted for importation of marijuana, not simple possession.

Appellate Information

• Argued 11/05/2001
• Decided 05/28/2002
• Published 05/28/2002

Judges

• Before BEEZER, THOMPSON, and O'SCANNLAIN, Circuit Judges.

Court

• United States Ninth Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellant:
  
• Tricia R.S. Ada, argued the cause for petitioner;  Robert H. Kono, Angela M. Borzachillo, Office of the Guam Attorney General, Hagätña, Guam, were on the briefs., Julie M. Carpenter and Nory Miller, Jenner & Block, Washington, DC, were on the brief for amicus curiae The DKT Liberty Project, Dr. John P. Homiak, and Prof. Carole D. Yawney., David T. Goldberg, New York, NY, was on the brief for amicus curiae Senator Vincente C. Pangelinan and Senator Mark C. Charaurous.


• For Appellees:
  
• Nelson Tebbe, ACLU Drug Litigation Project, New Haven, CT, argued the cause for respondent; Graham Boyd, ACLU Drug Policy Litigation Project, New Haven, CT, and Daniel N. Abrahamson, The Lindesmith Center, San Francisco, CA, were on the brief.