|
The United States Postal Service (USPS) and the Full Gospel Interdenominational Church have appealed a decision by U.S. District Court Judge Dominic J. Squatrito finding in favor of ACLU-CT’s client, Bertram Cooper. The case involves a contract postal unit in Manchester, Connecticut owned and operated by the church through a non-profit subsidiary named Sincerely Yours, Inc. (“SYI”). Inside the SYI-run postal station were numerous religious displays, including a poster asking whether customers “need prayer in their lives,” church-related artwork and photographs, and a television playing various religious programs created by the church. The American Civil Liberties Union of Connecticut, and attorneys from Wiggin and Dana LLP working pro bono, brought the case on behalf of Mr. Cooper, a veteran, against the USPS seeking removal of the displays on the ground that they violate the First Amendment of the United State Constitution. SYI and the church later intervened on the side of the USPS and are parties in the case. The District Court ruled that the religious displays at the SYI unit violated the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment and issued an injunction ordering their removal. PDF of the original ruling: Post Office Case Ruling PDF of a prayer request form found at the Manchester Post Office: Prayer Request from Manchester Post Office
|
