Figures of Speech: First Amendment Heroes and Villains

For the last 25 years, William Bennett Turner has taught a course on the First Amendment at UC Berkeley. His book, Figures of Speech, describes the colorful characters who have played roles in important First Amendment controversies. Choosing figures and cases from his own personal experience, Turner illustrates broad First Amendment principles and describes how we’ve arrived at our contemporary understanding of the First Amendment’s meaning.

For the past quarter century, William Bennett Turner has taught “The First Amendment and the Press” at UC Berkeley. He also teaches First Amendment courses at the Fromm Institute at the University of San Francisco. As a San Francisco lawyer, Turner specialized in unusual litigation, including constitutional law, and has argued three cases (including two First Amendment cases) before the U.S. Supreme Court. He founded his own law firm in San Francisco in 1978 and served as its senior partner until 1992.

Turner has published dozens of articles in magazines, newspapers, and law reviews. He also has served as legal affairs correspondent for KQED television, winning numerous awards for news and documentaries on legal subjects. He has appeared on Nightline, CBS Morning News, PBS News Hour, CNN, the Spanish equivalent of 60 Minutes, and radio talk shows around the country. 

Introduction

Yetta Stromberg

Jehovah’s Witnesses

Dannie Martin

Raymond Procunier and Robert H. Schnacke

Earl Caldwell

Richard Hongisto

Clarence Brandenburg

Larry Flynt

Clinton Fein and the ACLU

Afterword

Acknowledgements

Bibliography