Regular readers of Newshog will remember the story of Cynthia Simpson, a Wiccan who was taking Chesterfield County Board in Virginia to court because they ruled that she couldn't give the prayer before meetings on account of she wasn't Judeo-Christian.
The ACLU were aiding Simpson in her efforts and I praised their involvement as exactly the kind of stuff the ACLU should be doing.
Now, via CNN, comes a report of a little bit of precedent that might aid Simpson's lawsuit.
A small South Carolina town is facing a hefty legal bill after losing a battle over whether it should stop using Jesus Christ's name in prayers before council meetings.
The U.S. Supreme Court refused in June to hear the Great Falls' appeal of a lower court ruling over the prayers.
Now Darla Wynne wants Great Falls to pay her more than $65,000 to cover legal bills. A judge is expected to rule on the matter within the next two months.
Wynne, who describes herself as a Wiccan priestess, sued Great Falls in 2001, saying the town violated the separation between church and state by using the name Jesus Christ in prayers because it promoted one religion, Christianity, over the another.
The money is not covered by insurance, and it is unclear where the town of about 2,200 residents would get the cash. The amount is about 7 percent of its annual budget.
Well done the Supremes!
Now, in a further lesson for Chesterfield County Board, Wynne's lawyer says that the bill was only about $18,000 two years ago, before they decided to appeal to the Supreme Court.
Maybe they should have listened to their local Wiccans, who know the old maxim "As thou give, so shall thou receive, only threefold."
Heh.
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