Flagrant Conduct

The 2003 landmark Lawrence v. Texas Supreme Court case established the right of homosexuals to engage in private sexual conduct. After setting the sociopolitical and legal scene, Carpenter (Earl R. Larson Professor of Civil Rights & Civil Liberties, Univ. of Minnesota Law Sch.) describes the 1998 arrest of John Lawrence and Tyron Garner and the ensuing events as gay rights groups in Houston grasped the potential of the case as a national test. Chapters introduce participants, describe the so-called crime, compare differing accounts of the arrest, follow court events, and explain the stakes. Carpenter excels at discussing legal strategies and Supreme Court arguments, and the elite lawyers and strategists of the defense team are shown in stark contrast to the ill-prepared Harris County district attorney.