Atheist Puerto Rican Cop Passes First-Circuit Hurdle

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Thursday, July 21, 2016
Last Update: 1:46 PM PT
By JACK BOUBOUSHIAN

(CN) — Puerto Rican police commanders cannot claim immunity after punishing an atheist officer for not participating in a Christian group prayer at a work meeting, the First Circuit ruled.

Officer Alvin Marrero-Mendez is a self-professed atheist. He says that group meetings of Puerto Rican police officers, which happen about every other month, usually close with a Christian prayer.

On March 9, 2012, his commander, Officer Guillermo Calixto-Rodriguez, called for a volunteer to lead a closing prayer in front of 40 officers standing in military formation.

Marrero says he pulled Calixto aside and told him he did not feel comfortable taking part in the prayer, because he was not Christian and it violated the Constitution's mandate to keep separation between church and state.

http://www.courthousenews.com/2016/07/21/atheist-puerto-rican-cop-passes-first-circuit-hurdle.htm

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