Do Ethnic Slurs Mean a New Trial?

The National Law Journal is reporting (free subscription required) that four organizations - the Anti-Defamation League, the Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian Americans, the Iranian Americans Jewish Federation and the Iranian American Bar Association - filed an amicus brief in the Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit, asking the court to grant a new trial in the Bratz case. The district court had denied a new trial after dismissing a juror for stating during deliberations that Iranians were "stubborn," "rude" and "thieves" who had "stolen others people's ideas" (blogged here). One of the defendants, Isaac Larian, who is MGA's chief executive, is Iranian-American.

Docket number 09-55673 or 09-55812 (not sure which, or both); brief not yet publicly available.

© 2009 Pamela Chestek