MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — The Alabama Supreme Court has refused to hear the appeal of a DUI conviction that was based on the fact that the Covington County trial judge wore a robe with the Ten Commandments embroidered on it.
The Supreme Court on Friday declined to review the conviction of Robert T. Dalton for driving under the influence. Dalton had appealed his conviction on grounds the jury was prejudiced because the Ten Commandments were on Circuit Judge Ashley McKathan's robe during the trial.
The Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals earlier upheld the conviction, saying the presence of the Ten Commandments on the judge's robe did not violate Dalton's right to a fair trial.
The Supreme Court declined to review the appeals court decision, without issuing an opinion.
McKathan started wearing the Ten Commandments robe in December 2004, not long after former Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore was removed from office after he refused a federal judge's order to remove a Ten Commandments monument from the lobby of the Alabama Judicial Building.
The Supreme Court on Friday declined to review the conviction of Robert T. Dalton for driving under the influence. Dalton had appealed his conviction on grounds the jury was prejudiced because the Ten Commandments were on Circuit Judge Ashley McKathan's robe during the trial.
The Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals earlier upheld the conviction, saying the presence of the Ten Commandments on the judge's robe did not violate Dalton's right to a fair trial.
The Supreme Court declined to review the appeals court decision, without issuing an opinion.
McKathan started wearing the Ten Commandments robe in December 2004, not long after former Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore was removed from office after he refused a federal judge's order to remove a Ten Commandments monument from the lobby of the Alabama Judicial Building.
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By the way, that is the Little Mermaid Statue in Denmark. Someone decided to imposes fundamentalist Islamic fashion rules on her. For some reason I found these two stories about robes interesting and thought they should go together. It makes me think about what our society will lose if we allow religious fundementalism of any flavor to invade our public spaces. But I won't preach...much.
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