American Atheists v. city of Montgomery

MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- American Atheists Inc. is preparing to file a lawsuit against the city of Montgomery in the next few days if the city doesn’t disband its program that dispatches clergy to violent crime scenes or make it more inclusive.

Kentucky-based attorney Edwin Kagin, who is representing the atheist organization, said if American Atheists doesn’t receive a response from the city in the next few days it will file suit. The lawsuit has been drafted, and he is looking for an attorney in Alabama to handle the case.

“If we sue, which we will, it will end up costing the state of Alabama thousands of dollars or hundreds of thousands of dollars,” he said because the city is clearly breaking the law.

American Atheists Inc. and the Freedom from Religion Foundation have sent letters to the Montgomery Police Department saying the department’s new program that dispatches trained clergy to crime scenes to comfort victims, Operation Good Shepherd, is in violation of the U.S. Constitution’s First and 14th Amendments.

The deadline for the city to respond to American Atheists' letter is Tuesday.

http://blog.al.com/montgomery/2013/10/atheist_group_says_montgomery.html#incart_2box