Defendant Sentenced To Attend Church

In Cincinnati, Ohio, a man convicted of disorderly conduct has received an unusual sentence. Yesterday's Cincinnati Enquirer reports that the defendant, Brett Haines, who used racial slurs and threatened a black cab driver, has been ordered to attend services at any one of Cincinnati's predominantly African-American churches for six consecutive Sundays. Judge William Mallory Jr. was concerned about church-state issues when he offered Haines the optional sentence, so he asked Haines if the alternative would offend his beliefs. Haines said he was not a church-going man but would "absolutely" like to choose church over jail. Haines told his lawyer, Dennis Deters, that the sentence might do some good. Assistant prosecutor Kirstin Fullen did not object. [Thanks to Eugene Volokh via Religionlaw listserv for the information.]