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Judge rules against Christians who preached to homosexuals [Philly 5 lose round in federal court]
World Net Daily ^ | February 4, 2005 | staff

Posted on 02/04/2005 2:16:58 AM PST by Boot Hill

'Philly 5' lose round in federal court,
prosecutors get away with calling
defendants' words 'hateful'



Posted: February 4, 2005
1:00 a.m. Eastern

© 2005 WorldNetDaily.com

In another blow to the "Philly 5" – the Philadelphia Christians facing possible 47 year jail terms for evangelizing at a homosexual event – a federal judge has refused a request to stop the local prosecution of the group.

Judge Petrese B. Tucker, for the second time, has refused to sanction the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office for what the Christians' attorneys say are "retaliatory criminal proceedings."

According to the American Family Association Center for Law & Policy, which is representing the Christians on the federal level, Tucker denied the request for relief last week, saying the Philly 5 had "insufficient evidence ... regarding why any of the defendants would want to stifle their First Amendment rights."

The group's attorneys had presented as evidence their clients' First Amendment rights were violated the fact that Assistant District Attorney Charles Ehrlich told an earlier court proceeding the Christians' religious speech was "hateful, disgusting, despicable words," and "fighting words."

As WorldNetDaily reported, on Oct. 10, a group of 11 Christians was "preaching God's Word" to a crowd of people attending the Philadelphia "OutFest" event and displaying banners with biblical messages.

After a confrontation with a group called the Pink Angels, described by protesters as "a militant mob of homosexuals," the Christians were arrested and spent a night in jail.

Eight charges were filed: criminal conspiracy, possession of instruments of crime, reckless endangerment of another person, ethnic intimidation, riot, failure to disperse, disorderly conduct and obstructing highways.

None of the Pink Angels was cited or arrested.

After a preliminary hearing in December, Judge William Austin Meehan ordered four of the Christians to stand trial on three felony and five misdemeanor charges. If convicted, they could each get a maximum of 47 years in prison. One female teenage protester faces charges in the juvenile justice system.

Brian Fahling is senior trial attorney for the law center.

Said Fahling in a statement: "The law requires us to show bad faith or retaliation by the D.A.'s office; we established that beyond argument with a videotape of the entire incident that shows our clients peacefully exercising their First Amendment rights, then being arrested and charged with crimes that carry a potential for 47 years imprisonment, and a district attorney's office that retaliated against them because it hates their speech.

"It is difficult to conceive of more compelling evidence of bad faith and retaliation than what we have presented to the court in this case."

Fahling colleague Michael DePrimo added: "There has never been a stronger case for federal court intervention based upon allegations of bad faith and retaliation than [the Philly 5] presented to Judge Tucker. … Prior to taking the bench, Judge Tucker was an assistant district attorney for Philadelphia for eight years; she is undoubtedly aware that peaceful expression of First Amendment rights is not criminal."

The next hearing date scheduled for the Christians is Feb. 17, when the court will consider their motion to dismiss the case. Seventeen-year-old Lauren Murch's trial date is Feb. 18.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events; US: Pennsylvania
KEYWORDS: aclulist; banglist; christianpersecution; christians; donutwatch; freedomofreligion; freespeech; govwatch; homosexualagenda; homosexuals; outfest; philly5; pinkangels
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To: Psalm 73
"I have been on mission day-trips to Provincetown (the San Fran of the East Coast) to minister to the homosexuals there (speaking the truth with love)."

Prayers for your ministry.
21 posted on 02/04/2005 4:11:39 AM PST by Ramcat (Thank You American Veterans)
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To: tutstar

Lead Magnet

22 posted on 02/04/2005 4:13:57 AM PST by Nightshift (Ignorance on your part, doesn't require a reply on my part.)
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To: DirtyHarryY2K; 4lifeandliberty

ping


23 posted on 02/04/2005 4:25:36 AM PST by tutstar ( <{{--->< http://ripe4change.4-all.org Violations of Florida Statutes ongoing!)
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To: Boot Hill

bump


24 posted on 02/04/2005 4:33:55 AM PST by newsgatherer
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To: Boot Hill

She's another CLINTON appointee, sworn in 7/14/2000.


25 posted on 02/04/2005 4:40:09 AM PST by Khuey (Political correctness is ALWAYS having to say you're sorry!)
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To: clee1
"When these people are sent to prison for exercising their 1st Amendment rights, the Second Civil War begins. Bet on it."

then what are we going to do after lunch that day?

26 posted on 02/04/2005 4:57:38 AM PST by sure_fine (*not one to over kill the thought process*)
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To: armyman
One correction: They face prison time, which is a whole nuther animal. Jail time is a breeze by comparison. (Not speaking from personal experience.)
27 posted on 02/04/2005 5:09:30 AM PST by savedbygrace ("No Monday morning quarterback has never led a team to victory" GW Bush)
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To: Boot Hill
The group's attorneys had presented as evidence their clients' First Amendment rights were violated the fact that Assistant District Attorney Charles Ehrlich told an earlier court proceeding the Christians' religious speech was "hateful, disgusting, despicable words," and "fighting words."

The city can constitutionally only regulate the time, place and manner of speech, not the content. It appears that there is prima facie evidence here that the DA's office is trying regulate content, perhaps through selective enforcement against alleged "fighting words".

28 posted on 02/04/2005 5:25:49 AM PST by Unam Sanctam
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To: Boot Hill
I don't believe they'll be found guilty, but if they are found guilty, I believe that it will become open season on other Christians exercising similar beliefs in public, resulting in an angry backlash, that will ultimately aid the cause the Philly 5.

Thanks for offering some hope. I was about to go off the deep end.

29 posted on 02/04/2005 5:28:40 AM PST by Aquinasfan (Isaiah 22:22, Rev 3:7, Mat 16:19)
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To: clee1
"When these people are sent to prison for exercising their 1st Amendment rights, the Second Civil War begins. Bet on it."

Not as long as the MSM keeps it from seeing the light of day. They are the enablers of criminals, perverts and traitors.

30 posted on 02/04/2005 5:35:12 AM PST by sweetliberty (Blind stupidity or blind loyalty is still blind.)
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To: Boot Hill

They ignore the tradition of religious tolerance Penn
believed he could inculcate in his experimental City of
brotherly love. (And methinks Sir William was not promoting
Buggery-nor Sodomy--but true Christianity)


31 posted on 02/04/2005 5:40:13 AM PST by StonyBurk
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To: fortheDeclaration

You were edicated in Public School wasn't you? Methinks ye
confuse Sir William Penn with Roger Willaims.


32 posted on 02/04/2005 5:45:21 AM PST by StonyBurk
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To: StonyBurk
Thanks.

Yes I had confused the two and posted my acknowledgement of the error on post#12.

33 posted on 02/04/2005 5:48:41 AM PST by fortheDeclaration
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To: clee1

And the FBI has investigated a Christian Pastor in Ill.
seems some anti-christ /dispeptic rice Christian was
offended by his sermons on a Christian view of current
cultural acts (abortion,and earlier in series on homosexuality) So the cowardly Christian imposter called the FBI and said this Preacher was calling for a War against the Abortion clinics claiming he would go to jail
over it.What a Fear factor feast we sat down to when we
tolerated the infidel revision and Soviet Communist notion of a secular State and godless Constitution.


34 posted on 02/04/2005 5:50:59 AM PST by StonyBurk
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To: armyman

do seem to recall something about Janet "Gas' em and Burn 'em " Reno and her Clintonian dept. of Just US
Claiming Christians were a HATE group.Will look for the
paper later.


35 posted on 02/04/2005 5:54:29 AM PST by StonyBurk
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To: Boot Hill
"insufficient evidence ... regarding why any of the defendants would want to stifle their First Amendment rights."

I wonder if that's a direct quote from the ruling. It doesn't make a lot of sense. Would it work as a defense in a criminal proceeding?

"Your honor, I can't dispute that I robbed the bank but the prosecution has failed to prove WHY I robbed the bank and therefore the case should be dismissed"

36 posted on 02/04/2005 5:54:56 AM PST by Durus
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To: Boot Hill

Looks like we are heading to a dark night for this country.


37 posted on 02/04/2005 5:56:28 AM PST by redgolum
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To: clee1

Doubt it.

Few know of this. Few want to know.

The Nazi's rose to power in the most literate, best educated state in Europe. The signs of what they were was all around, yet most did nothing till it was to late.

The people of the US, in the Church and out of it, don't want to know.


38 posted on 02/04/2005 5:59:04 AM PST by redgolum
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To: StonyBurk

I remember another potential Clinton appointee saying that some Christians need to be locked up for national security...


39 posted on 02/04/2005 6:01:39 AM PST by redgolum
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To: clee1

I would hope that you are right but most people will continue with they were doing.

The socialists and communits learned that you isolate and then pick off your enemies one by one.

As the german was said to have written,"When they came after the .... I did nothing."

Most Americans, so long as it is not their ox being gored, do not give a tinkers dam what happens to the other guy.
He/She did something to deserve it.

In their blind lust for pleasure, they never realize that anything the government does to the other guy, the government can do to them.

Until it is too late.


40 posted on 02/04/2005 6:05:14 AM PST by sport
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