The Supreme Court has rejected an attempt by a citizen journalist, Priscilla Villarreal, to revive her civil rights claim against Texas officials who were arrested for soliciting information from a police officer. The issue was whether the officials could claim "qualified immunity" which would protect them from being sued. The court's refusal to hear the case means her claim that the officials violated the Constitution's First Amendment, which protects freedom of speech. Liberal Justice Sonia Sotomayor criticized the court's decision, calling it a "grave error". The court also handed a win to a Vermont police officer who faced an excessive force claim for handling a protester.