Pickering Hosts Scalia at William Carey

The Hattiesburg American discusses the visit of Supreme Court Antonin Scalia to William Carey University in Mississippi.

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia warned against judicial activism this morning at William Carey University, saying the tendency of judges to liberally interpret the constitution on grounds other than original intent overrides the will of the people.

“There are four justices who have sat beside me who believe that the death penalty is now unconstitutional … and they believe it to be unconstitutional, because they think it ought to be,” he said.

The logical conclusion of such a stance is to take the death penalty “off the democratic stage,” he said.

Retired 5th Circuit Court Judge Charles Pickering gave the introduction, praising Scalia’s commitment to democratic principles.

“He is the most vocal advocate of the proposition that if the meaning of the Constitution is to be changed, it must be changed by the people and not by nine jurists in Washington.”