Son of Sam laws are laws designed to keep criminals from profiting from their crimes by selling their stories to publishers. They authorize the state to seize all money earned from such a deal and use it to compensate the criminal's victims. A publisher is a person or entity which engages in the act of publishing. ...

The first such law was created in New York after the Son of Sam killings. It was enacted after rampant speculation about publishers offering large amounts of money for the serial killer's story. The law was invoked in New York ten times between 1977 and 1990, including once against Mark David Chapman. State nickname: Empire State Other U.S. States Capital Albany Largest city New York Governor George Pataki Official languages None (English is de facto) Area 141,205 km² (27th)  - Land 122,409 km²  - Water 18,795 km² (13. ... David Falco Berkowitz (born June 1, 1953), better known by his nickname Son of Sam, is an infamous 1970s New York City serial killer who killed six people and wounded several others. ... 1977 was a common year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1977 calendar). ... 1990 is a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Mark David Chapman in 1980 Mark David Chapman (born May 10, 1955) is an American who murdered former Beatle John Lennon in 1980. ...

Critics disputed the law on First Amendment grounds. Also, it was argued that it would take away the financial incentive for many criminals to tell their stories, some of which (such as the Watergate scandal) were of vital interest to the general public. The first ten Amendments to the U.S. Constitution make up the Bill of Rights. ... The Watergate building. ...

In 1987, lawyers for Simon and Schuster sued the New York authorities to enjoin enforcement of the Son of Sam law. Their case involved the book Wiseguy, written by Nicholas Pileggi about ex-mobster Henry Hill and used as the basis for the film Goodfellas. The case reached the Supreme Court in 1991. In an 8-0 ruling, the court ruled the law unconstitutional. Simon & Schuster v. N.Y. Crime Victims Compensation Board 502 U.S. 105 (1991). The majority opinion was that the law was overinclusive, and would have prevented the publication of such works as The Autobiography of Malcolm X, Thoreau's Civil Disobedience, and even The Confessions of Saint Augustine. 1987 is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Jean-François Millet Le Semeur (The Sower) Simon & Schuster logo, circa 1961. ... Wiseguy (1987-1990) was a television show about an OCB (Organized Crime Bureau) undercover agent named Vincent Vinnie Terranova played by Ken Wahl. ... Nicholas Pileggi (born February 22, 1933 in New York City, New York) is an (American screenwriter, best known for writing Wise Guys, which was adapted into the movie Goodfellas; and Casino, also adapted into a movie directed by Marting Scorsese. ... This entry is about Henry Hill, the former wiseguy turned FBI informant, for the artist, see Henry Hill (artist). ... From left to right: Ray Liotta as Henry Hill, Robert De Niro as Jimmy Conway, Paul Sorvino as Paul Cicero, and Joe Pesci as Tommy DeVito. ... Seal of the Supreme Court The Supreme Court of the United States, located in Washington, D.C., is the highest federal court (see supreme court) in the United States; that is, it has ultimate judicial authority within the United States to interpret the Constitution of the United States and decide... 1991 is a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Autobiography of Malcolm X cover The Autobiography of Malcolm X was written by Alex Haley between 1964 and 1965, based on interviews conducted shortly before Malcolms death (and with an epilogue for after it), and was published in 1972. ... Henry David Thoreau Henry David Thoreau (July 12, 1817 – May 6, 1862; born David Henry Thoreau) was a noted American author and philosopher who is most famous for Walden, his essay on civil disobedience, and appreciation for nature. ... Henry David Thoreau Civil Disobedience is an essay (available at Wikisource), written by noted philosopher Henry David Thoreau. ... Confessions is the name of a series of thirteen books by St. ...

Though the New York law was struck down, many such laws still exist in other states, mostly because they are so rarely invoked. The Supreme Court ruling actually stated that Son of Sam laws could conceivably be constitutional, but only if written very carefully with regard to First Amendment concerns; most of the remaining Son of Sam laws are not.