▁Nobel ▁Prize ▁in ▁Phys i ology ▁or ▁Medicine ▁ ▁April ▁ 6 , ▁ 1 9 6 7 ▁( Th urs day ) ▁Bill ▁B air d , ▁an ▁advoc ate ▁for ▁reform ▁of ▁restrictions ▁against ▁birth ▁control , ▁was ▁arrested ▁in ▁front ▁of ▁ 2 , 5 0 0 ▁people ▁at ▁an ▁aud itor ium ▁at ▁Boston ▁University , ▁shortly ▁after ▁announ cing ▁that ▁he ▁would ▁challenge ▁the ▁Massachusetts ▁state ▁law . ▁ ▁B air d ▁handed ▁a ▁can ▁of ▁Em ko ▁s per mic idal ▁fo am ▁and ▁a ▁cond om ▁to ▁a ▁ 1 9 - year - old ▁student ▁and ▁was ▁taken ▁off ▁the ▁stage ▁by ▁Boston ▁police , ▁who ▁charged ▁him ▁with ▁providing ▁contra cept ives ▁to ▁a ▁minor , ▁distrib uting ▁medic ines ▁without ▁a ▁ph arm ac ist ▁or ▁medical ▁license , ▁and ▁" il leg ally ▁exhib iting ▁an ▁obsc ene ▁object ". ▁B air d ▁would ▁fight ▁his ▁conv iction ▁to ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Supreme ▁Court ▁which ▁would , ▁on ▁March ▁ 2 2 , ▁ 1 9 7 2 , ▁reverse ▁the ▁lower ▁courts ▁in ▁the ▁case ▁of ▁Eisen stadt ▁v . ▁B air d . ▁ ▁Mark ing ▁the ▁largest ▁r ans om ▁in ▁United ▁States ▁history ▁up ▁to ▁that ▁time , ▁$ 2 5 0 , 0 0 0 ▁was ▁paid ▁by ▁the ▁president ▁of ▁a ▁bank ▁in ▁B ever ly ▁Hills , ▁California , ▁for ▁the ▁safe ▁release ▁of ▁his ▁ 1 1 - year - old ▁son