Judge Don Willett Urges Supreme Court Review of DeRay Mckesson Protest Liability Case

Judge Don Willett, a Trump‑appointed member of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, has asked the Supreme Court to intervene in a lawsuit against civil‑rights activist DeRay Mckesson. The case stems from a 2016 Baton Rouge protest following the police shooting of Alton Sterling, where former officer John Ford sued Mckesson for negligence after being injured by an unidentified assailant. Willett argued that protest leaders cannot be treated as insurers of a crowd simply because they are visible speakers. A district judge, Brian Jackson, previously ruled in Mckesson’s favor, but a divided Fifth Circuit panel later overruled that decision. The dispute raises questions about First Amendment protections and the extent to which activists may be held liable for violence that occurs during demonstrations.