Police Officer Sues Claiming He Was Fired Because He Converted To Islam

A former Norton, Ohio police officer filed suit in federal district court in Ohio yesterday claiming that he was fired because of his conversion to Islam. The Akron Beacon Journal reports that according to plaintiff Nicholas Matheny, Police Chief Thad Hete found out about his conversion in September 2010 when Matheny handed out wedding invitations. When Matheny returned from his honeymoon, Hete and the city's chief administrator tried to convince him to resign, threatening to place backdated warnings in his police file. When Matheny refused, he was fired.