Utah city to remove Ten Commandments monument

By The Associated Press

11.30.02

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OGDEN, Utah — The City Council has decided to remove a Ten Commandments monument from the municipal building lawn rather than continue a court battle over the display.

The council had considered appealing to the U.S. Supreme Court a ruling that found that if the city allowed the commandments monument it also must allow one listing a religious group's precepts.

The council cited potentially high legal costs and "substantial uncertainty" that the high court would even agree to hear the appeal of the July decision by the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver. The council decision was announced on Nov. 26.

The 10th Circuit this fall refused to reconsider its ruling that constitutional guarantees of free speech require the city remove the Ten Commandments monument or accept one listing the "Seven Aphorisms" of Summum, a religion founded in Salt Lake City 27 years ago.

Summum sued the city in 1999 after it refused to accept a donation of a stone monument listing Summum's tenets. U.S. District Judge Bruce Jenkins had granted the city summary judgment, saying it could not be compelled to accept the monument.

The Ten Commandments monument was donated to the city in 1966 by the Ogden Fraternal Order of Eagles.

Several groups have offered to place the Ten Commandments monument on private property.

The council said in a news release that it would impose a moratorium on monuments on the municipal grounds until it can work out a written policy.

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City can't allow Commandments monument yet bar other religious displays
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