Ashton Jones v. Board of Regents of the University of Arizona

Jones appeals from a judgment of the District Court dismissing a complaint alleging that certain of Jones’ civil rights, conferred by the First and Fourteenth Amendments of the Constitution, were violated. 42 U.S.C. § 1988 .

In November of 1965, Jones stationed himself near the Student Union building on the University of Arizona campus, at Tucson, donned a sandwich board sign which read “Help Stop Viet Nam war now. For Peace and Freedom,” and began to distribute handbills, critical of the Viet Nam engagement, to those passers-by who would accept them. He was observed by two campus police officers who informed him of a university regulation prohibiting the distribution of all handbills not officially related to an authorized campus event and requested that he desist. Upon his refusal to do so, the officers forcibly removed him from the campus. Jones immediately returned, put on his signs, and began, once again, to pass out leaflets. A crowd of six to ten people then gathered round, and conversation concerning the Viet Nam war ensued. Later, two bystanders approached Jones, tore his signs from his back and chest, and destroyed them. By this time the crowd had reached twenty-five to…