Antigay Speech Lawsuit Dismissed

A lawsuit filed by a Los Angeles City College student who claimed his professor violated his free speech rights by interrupting his speech against gay marriage was dismissed Friday.

A three-judge panel of the U.S. ninth circuit court of appeals unanimously overturned a lower court decision that would have allowed Jonathan Lopez's suit against the professor to move forward.

Lopez, who says in his suit that he is a Christian, claims a professor stopped him mid speech, labeling his words sexual harassment under the Los Angeles Community College District's code of conduct.

In 2009 he sued the school district, claiming the professor violated his free speech rights.

In her opinion, Judge Sandra S. Ikuta wrote that Lopez"failed to make a clear showing that his intended speech on religious topics gave rise to a specific and credible threat of adverse action from college officials under the college's sexual harassment policy."