Sunday, August 23, 2009

10th Circuit Refuses To Stay Order On 10 Commandments Monument

On Friday, by a 2-1 vote, the U.S. 10th Circuit Court of Appeals denied a request by Haskell County, Oklahoma commissioners to allow them to keep their Ten Commandments monument in place on the court house lawn while the county seeks review in the U.S. Supreme Court of an order calling for the monument's removal. AP reports on the denial of a motion to recall and stay of the court's mandate. A panel of the 10th Circuit found that the monument violated the Establishment Clause. (See prior posting.) An evenly-divided 10th Circuit denied en banc review. (See prior posting.)

Meanwhile News OK reported on Friday that in Oklahoma City, the State Capitol Preservation Commission is debating where on the state Capitol gounds to locate a 10 Commandments monument authorized by legislation passed earlier this year. (See prior posting.)