The Jewish Coalition for Religious Liberty, The American Hindu Coalition, Muslim Public Affairs Council, and Samaritan's Purse joined other organizations by filing "friend-of-the court" briefs urging the Supreme Court of the United States to weigh in on the City of Stockton, California's firing of Ron Hittle.
"The lower courts denied his ability to present his case of religious discrimination to a jury, and we're asking the Supreme Court to clarify the legal standards that apply in employment discrimination cases," says attorney Stephanie Taub of First Liberty Institute, the law firm representing Hittle.
Ron Hittle says he was fired as Stockton Fire Chief after attending a leadership conference held in a church, AFN has reported. Hittle, a Christian, was required by the city to attend a leadership conference. The church event was nearby and has been frequented by various speakers including President Bill Clinton.
The city’s primary reasons for termination were that Hittle attended a “religious event” and because he allowed other to attend, according to a First Liberty news release.
Hittle was fired in October of 2011 after he was first confronted by the city manager 11 months earlier with a list of 10 “charges.”
The manager told Hittle that if he didn’t accept a demotion, “I’ll drag your name through the mud” as part of an investigation that “will be embarrassing for you and your family.”
Now Jews, Hindus, Muslims and Christians are uniting behind Hittle.
Decision still months away
Once it is fully briefed, First Liberty is anticipating it could be a few months before we hear whether the Supreme Court will take the case or not.
"We are grateful for the support from these reputable organizations who reject the religious hostility that led to the firing of an honorable civil servant," says Taub.
Additional amici include: The Coalition for Jewish Values, Robertson Center for Constitutional Law, Darren Shearer, Global Leadership Network, Islam and Religious Freedom Action Team of the Religious Freedom Institute, Foundation For Moral Law, Samaritan's Purse, California Employment Lawyers Association, and the Independence Law Center.
The case is known as Ronald Hittle v City of Stockton, California.
"The City will not be providing a comment on this at this time," Stockton officials told AFN via email.
