Supreme Court Notebook

 High court stays out of Conn. state worker layoff case 

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court has rejected an appeal from former Connecticut Gov. John G. Rowland over claims his administration violated state employees’ constitutional rights when it laid off 2,800 workers based on their union membership in 2003.

The justices did not comment Tuesday in turning away Rowland’s appeal, including his contention that the case could have national implications because it would hamper governors during labor negotiations.
Last year, the New York-based federal appeals court ruled against the Rowland administration and ordered a trial judge to decide on an award for the laid-off employees. The appeals court also ruled that Rowland and his then-budget director, Marc Ryan, could be sued individually.
Justice Sonia Sotomayor did not take part in the court’s consideration of the case. She previously served on the appeals court.
 

Supreme Court denies petition on sex assault case 

 
JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to hear post-conviction arguments from John Ray Kidd, a Mississippi man convicted of sexual assault in an attack on a woman who had accepted a ride home from him.
 
The Supreme Court denied Kidd’s petition Monday without comment.

Kidd was convicted in 1999 in Union County and was sentenced to 25 years for sexual battery and 30 years each on two counts of rape. The sentences were to run consecutively. The Mississippi court upheld his conviction in 2001.

The 26-year-old woman suffered physical substantial trauma during the incident, according to testimony in the case.
Kidd has argued that he was denied a fair trial when prosecutors were allowed to bring up prior charges on which he was acquitted while questioning witnesses.
 

Supreme Court upholds Hawaii reapportionment 

 
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court has upheld Hawaii's reapportionment plan that leaves out some military personnel and students when calculating population and determining state legislative districts.

The justices affirmed a lower court ruling without comment Tuesday.

Voters challenging the reapportionment plan said it wrongfully excluded more than 108,000 military members, their families and university students. But a three-judge court in Hawaii found that the plan did not violate the
Constitution's right to equal protection.
The case is Kostick v. Nago, 13-456.