Gideons Jailed for Bibles

(Key Largo, Florida) Two men, Anthony Mirto and Ernest Simpson, were arrested and jailed for passing out Bibles on a public sidewalk. The men, who were not disruptive, are members of Gideons International, known for providing Bibles to hotels, motels, hospitals and other institutions.

Mirto and Simpson were arrested on a trespassing complaint filed by Key Largo School principal Annette Martinson who claimed that they were on school property. Mirto and Simpson assert that they were on a public sidewalk. Nonetheless, they were cuffed and hauled off to jail. A hearing is scheduled for March 5th in Monroe County Court.

Officials with the Alliance Defense Fund said that they would represent Mirto and Simpson in court. Based on the reporting thus far, I'd speculate that it should be possible to lodge a civil rights complaint against the school principal, Annette Martinson, the Key Largo School System and the Monroe County Sheriff's Office, claiming denial of religious freedom.

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