The Ten Commandments Monument
In 2003, a federal court judge ordered Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore to remove a monument from the state judicial building which featured the Biblical Ten Commandments, along with an assortment of historical documents which had served as bases for U.S. law. When Moore did not remove the monument, the other eight justices ordered it removed.
Thousands of citizens descended on Montgomery to protest the imminent removal of the Ten Commandments monument. Twenty-two Christian activists were arrested at the monument in the public area of the judicial building during public hours. They were charged with criminal trespass.
The "Montgomery Twenty-Two" retained Jim Zeigler as their attorney. Most later pleaded guilty and all avoided jail.
One of those who decided to fight the charge was Karen Kennedy of Prattville. Mrs. Kennedy was sitting beside the Ten Commandments monument in her wheelchair and connected to her oxygen tank when she was arrested and taken to jail.
She was found guilty by a district judge sitting without a jury. Zeigler filed an appeal for a jury trial in circuit court. Before the appeal came up, Mrs. Kennedy died. Zeigler said, "She has taken her appeal to a higher seat of judgment."
Read more about this topic: Jim Zeigler
Famous quotes containing the words ten, commandments and/or monument:
“And ten low words oft creep in one dull line:”
—Alexander Pope (16881744)
“Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest? He said to him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”
—Bible: New Testament, Matthew 22:36-40.
“I see his monument is still there.”
—Calvin Coolidge (18721933)