ACLU Seeks to Challenge Prayer Policy
The American Civil Liberties Union says it is prepared to go to court to prevent any kind of sectarian prayers by Virginia State Police chaplains. Charles Fishburne reports.
Last month, Governor McDonnell instructed State Police Superintendent Stephen Flaherty to rescind an order prohibiting state police chaplains from invoking the name of Jesus…or praying any other sectarian prayer. The Superintendent had originally taken the action following a Fourth US Circuit Court ruling that a similar case was unconstitutional.
Kent Willis: We face situations like this all the time across the state of Virginia.
Kent Willis, Virginia ACLU says he wants state police to distribute pamphlets with their interpretation of the legal status of chaplains, and he that stands ready to challenge it.
Kent Willis: We don’t consider ourselves the prayer police, we don’t go out and try to convince people to engage in litigation.
But, he says…
Kent Willis: If someone is in a room with a state trooper and they are offended by the prayer that’s given and they contact us then it’s very likely we would represent them in a lawsuit.
Charles Fishburne, WCVE News
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