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SUPREME COURT-PHOTO DISCRIMINATION
Supreme Court rejects appeal over gay bias case
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A Christian advocacy group says it expects the U.S. Supreme Court will have more chances to rule on the issue of gay rights versus religious freedom after the court rejected an appeal from an Albuquerque photography studio.
The justices left in place a unanimous state Supreme Court ruling last year that said Elane Photography violated New Mexico's Human Rights Act by refusing to photograph a lesbian couple's commitment ceremony.
Alliance Defending Freedom Senior Counsel David Cortman says photographer Elaine Huguenin (HYOO'-guh-nin) "and numerous others like her around the country have been more than willing to serve any and all customers, but they are not willing to promote any and all messages."
The group is also defending a Washington state florist and a Colorado cake artist who refused to do work for same-sex ceremonies and a Kentucky T-shirt printer who declined to make shirts promoting a gay pride festival.
Sound:
206-a-14-(Jordan Lorence, senior counsel, Alliance Defending Freedom, in prepared statement)-"the court system"-Jordan Lorence, senior counsel for the Alliance Defending Freedom, says a photographer who serves all customers shouldn't be forced to endorse all messages. (7 Apr 2014)
<<CUT *206 (04/07/14)££ 00:14 "the court system"
208-a-07-(David Cortman, senior counsel, Alliance Defending Freedom, in prepared statement)-"American should fear"-David Cortman, senior counsel for the Alliance Defending Freedom, says merchants shouldn't be required to endorse messages they disagree with. (7 Apr 2014)
<<CUT *208 (04/07/14)££ 00:07 "American should fear"
205-w-33-(Steve Coleman, AP religion editor, with David Cortman, senior counsel, Alliance Defending Freedom)--A Christian advocacy group says it expects the U.S. Supreme Court will have more chances to rule on the issue of gay rights versus religious freedom after the court rejected an appeal from an Albuquerque photography studio. AP Religion Editor Steve Coleman reports. (7 Apr 2014)
<<CUT *205 (04/07/14)££ 00:33
207-a-08-(David Cortman, senior counsel, Alliance Defending Freedom, in prepared statement)-"and all messages"-David Cortman, senior counsel for the Alliance Defending Freedom, says the New Mexico photographer objected to the ceremony, not the customers. (cut used in wrap) (7 Apr 2014)
<<CUT *207 (04/07/14)££ 00:08 "and all messages"
163-v-33-(Jerry Bodlander, AP correspondent)--The Supreme Court won't hear an appeal from a photographer who wouldn't shoot a same-sex ceremony. AP correspondent Jerry Bodlander reports. (7 Apr 2014)
<<CUT *163 (04/07/14)££ 00:33
CONGRESS-MOZILLA CEO
Congressman denounces campaign that led to Mozilla CEO resignation
WASHINGTON (AP) — A leading congressional human rights advocate is denouncing the online protests that led to last week's resignation of Mozilla's CEO.
Brendan Eich left the maker of the Firefox browser after furious attacks over his $1,000 contribution in support of a now-overturned gay-marriage ban in California.
In a House speech, U.S. Rep. Frank Wolf, R-Va., noted that when Eich made his donation in 2008, then-presidential candidate Barack Obama also said he believed that marriage was only the union of a man and a woman.
Wolf said Americans shouldn't be "demonized" or driven from their jobs over what, for many, remains a deeply held religious conviction.
He said America was founded on principles of free speech and freedom of religion and "has never been defined by mob rule."
Sound:
229-a-10-(Representative Frank Wolf, R-Va., in House speech)-"freedom of religion"-Congressman Frank Wolf of Virginia says the campaign that led to Eich's resignation punished an unpopular view. (7 Apr 2014)
<<CUT *229 (04/07/14)££ 00:10 "freedom of religion"
227-w-34-(Steve Coleman, AP religion editor, with Rep. Frank Wolf, R-Va.)--A leading congressional human rights advocate is denouncing the online protests that led to last week's resignation of Mozilla CEO Brendan Eich. AP Religion Editor Steve Coleman reports. (7 Apr 2014)
<<CUT *227 (04/07/14)££ 00:34
228-a-10-(Representative Frank Wolf, R-Va., in House speech)-"has been compromised"-Congressman Frank Wolf of Virginia denounces the online campaign that led to last week's resignation of Mozilla CEO Brendan Eich. (7 Apr 2014)
<<CUT *228 (04/07/14)££ 00:10 "has been compromised"
230-a-13-(Representative Frank Wolf, R-Va., in House speech)-"his personal beliefs"-Congressman Frank Wolf of Virginia says America has never been defined by mob rule. (7 Apr 2014)
<<CUT *230 (04/07/14)££ 00:13 "his personal beliefs"
CHURCHES-SCHOOL FEES
Churches continue to fight Hawaii schools lawsuit
HONOLULU (AP) — Attorneys representing churches being sued over renting Hawaii public school buildings for services say there's nothing new in an amended lawsuit.
A judge previously dismissed a lawsuit claiming the churches owe more than $5.6 million in rental fees, saying it didn't contain the required level of detail for a case alleging fraud. Hawaii Citizens for the Separation of Church and State founder Mitchell Kahle and public advocate Holly Huber later filed an amended suit.
Religious liberty group Alliance Defending Freedom filed another motion to dismiss, reiterating its previous argument that the state Department of Education knew how the facilities were being used. ADF attorney Erik Stanley said Monday the amended suit doesn't include new information.
A hearing is scheduled for May 27.
Sound:
301-a-11-(Erik Stanley, senior legal counsel, Alliance Defending Freedom, in prepared statement)-"do so again"-Erik Stanley, senior legal counsel with the Alliance Defending Freedom, says there's nothing new in the amended lawsuit. (7 Apr 2014)
<<CUT *301 (04/07/14)££ 00:11 "do so again"
300-a-09-(Erik Stanley, senior legal counsel, Alliance Defending Freedom, in prepared statement)-"of the law"-Erik Stanley, senior legal counsel with the Alliance Defending Freedom, says a lawsuit seeking additional fees from churches that meet in public schools should be thrown out. (7 Apr 2014)
<<CUT *300 (04/07/14)££ 00:09 "of the law"
INMATE-RELIGIOUS PROGRAMMING
Appeals court denies religious program challenge
JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — A federal appeals court has ruled that a former inmate at a privately run Mississippi prison had no constitutional right to be provided with Catholic-oriented television programming.
Raymond Gutierrez, a California inmate who had been housed at the Corrections Corporation of America prison in Tallahatchie County, Miss., had sued the prison management company in 2013. A federal judge in Oxford, Miss., threw out his lawsuit later that year.
Gutierrez, who has since been released from prison, argued in his appeal that the prison's TV service provides access to Protestant networks but not Catholic programming. He argued the facility's refusal to provide Catholic programming denied him equal protection rights.
A three-judge panel of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said Gutierrez failed to show the prison's decision was discriminatory.
MALAYSIA-NOAH BANNED
Malaysia, Indonesia ban biblical epic 'Noah'
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — Malaysia and Indonesia have banned the biblical epic "Noah," joining other Muslim nations that forbid the Hollywood movie for its visual depiction of a man Islam considers a prophet.
Film censors in both countries said Monday that the portrayal of the ark-builder by Russell Crowe was against Islamic law. Depictions of prophets are shunned in Islam to avoid worship of a person rather than God.
Malay Muslims make up about 60 percent of Malaysia's 30 million people, and Christians about 9 percent.
In Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation, the head of the national censorship board said the plot of "Noah" contradicts both the Quran and the Bible.
Indonesia's most influential Islamic body welcomed the move, saying films that could corrupt religious teachings should be outlawed.
VATICAN-SCOTTISH CARDINAL
Vatican ex-sex crimes prosecutor heads to Scotland
VATICAN CITY (AP) — The Vatican is sending its former sex crimes prosecutor to Scotland this week to investigate "recent serious allegations of misconduct" surrounding disgraced Scottish Cardinal Keith O'Brien, who resigned last year after admitting to sexual misdeeds.
O'Brien, once Britain's highest-ranking Catholic leader, resigned in disgrace as the archbishop of St. Andrews and Edinburgh in 2013 and recused himself from the conclave that elected Francis as pope in 2013 after unidentified priests alleged in British newspaper reports that he acted inappropriately toward them.
The men said they had complained to church authorities about O'Brien's conduct but that the church had failed to respond. None of the men are believed to have been minors at the time of the purported misconduct.
After initially denying the allegations, O'Brien eventually admitted that his sexual conduct had "fallen below the standards expected" of a priest, archbishop and cardinal. He apologized and promised to play no further role in the public life of the Scottish church.
VATICAN-JORDAN
Pope, Jordan's king have tea ahead of Mideast trip
VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis and King Abdullah II of Jordan have held talks over tea at the Vatican with an eye to the pontiff's upcoming visit.
Francis leaves May 24 for Jordan, the first stop on a three-day pilgrimage that will also take him to the West Bank and Israel.
The Vatican says Francis and the king chatted Monday in a "cordial and informal atmosphere" for 40 minutes. Instead of the traditional venue of the formal papal studio in the Apostolic Palace, they met in the modest Vatican hotel where Francis lives.
The Holy See said the king, accompanied by his religious affairs adviser, reaffirmed his "most open willingness to work together in the commitment for peace and interreligious dialogue" in the Middle East.
VATICAN-AFRICA-AIDS
Pope presses anti-AIDS chastity strategy in Africa
VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis has praised church workers in Africa who promote chastity as a key way to prevent the spread of HIV.
Francis was speaking Monday at the Vatican to bishops from Tanzania.
Many non-Catholic health care workers advocate condoms as an important weapon to fight the spread of the HIV virus that causes AIDS. The Vatican opposes condom use because church teaching forbids contraception.
Francis praised church workers in Africa who care for those with HIV/AIDS and "all who strive diligently to educate people in the area of sexual responsibility and chastity."
In 2010, Pope Benedict XVI said male prostitutes who intend to use condoms might be taking a step toward greater responsibility. The Vatican insisted Benedict wasn't justifying condom usage to prevent HIV's spread.
FAKE HIRST PAINTINGS
Fla. pastor on trial in NYC fake Hirst art case
NEW YORK (AP) — A Miami pastor is on trial in New York on charges of knowingly offering faked works of British artist Damien Hirst to a buyer who was actually an undercover officer.
Deliberations began Monday in Kevin Sutherland's attempted grand larceny trial.
The Manhattan district attorney's office says the 46-year-old Sutherland tried to sell two counterfeit examples of Hirst's circular "spin" paintings and three bogus Hirst "spot" prints for $185,000 even though he'd been told the authenticity of one painting was in question.
Sutherland says an auction house never clearly told him the artworks were fake. He says he didn't ask Hirst's studio to weigh in because its authentication process was pricey.
Sutherland leads a small nondenominational church.
Hirst received Great Britain's best-known art award, the Turner Prize, in 1995.
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