November 28, 2005

A chunk of the U.S. Supreme Court's pediment fell on the fifth anniversary of this filing with the Second Judicial Circuit Court in the case Gore v. Harris et. al. The filing sought "to commence counting votes in Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties" following efforts by Republicans to stop the recount in the 2000 Presidential elections.

The Florida Supreme Court ordered the recount. The U.S. Supreme Court later stopped the Florida recount.

Spokeswoman Kathy Arberg said a piece marble about one-foot square, from what was thought to be dentil molding at the top of the building, fell about 9:30 a.m. (1430 GMT). There was no one on the stairs at the time, a half hour before the opening of the court's session.

The marble was above the inscription near the top of the building saying, "Equal Justice Under Law" and above the allegorical figure representing "Order," one of nine sculptured figures on the pediment.
[Marble chunk falls from top of Supreme Court - Reuters - 11-28-05]