High court rejects public prayer case

The U.S. Supreme Court Monday declined to hear a case challenging a local government policy that requires religion-neutral prayers at public meetings.

The dispute at the center of the legal challenge pitts the city of Fredericksburg against a local City Councilman who wants to pray in the name of "Jesus." It dates to 2004.

That councilman, ordained minister Hashmel C. Turner Jr., later filed suit against the city, seeking to overturn a policy requiring non-sectarian prayers at government meetings.

The issue's scope grew larger In recent months, becoming a statewide issue when the State Police superintendent adopted a similar policy for troopers who serve the department as volunteer chaplains.

State Police officials said that policy was adopted in response to a lower federal court ruling in 2008 that upheld the legality of the Fredericksburg council regulation. Six of 17 State Police chaplains resigned that part of their duties to protest the policy.

Several Republican in the House of Delegates jumped into the fray in September, criticizing State Police officials and Gov. Timothy M. Kaine for what they termed an attack on Christianity. At least one bill seeking to overturn the policy will be considered during the six-week legislative session that starts Wednesday.

A spokesman for Kaine, a practicing Roman Catholic, has said the governor does not view the policy as an affront to Christianity or any other faith. The governor is on record as supporting the State Police policy .

The high court's rejection of the Fredericksburg-related appeal effectively affirms the earlier ruling by the lower federal court.

-- Julian Walker

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