TRI In The News

Preacher's Free-Speech Rights Win the Day in Court

From One News Now

Original article available here

A New Jersey street preacher cited for annoying people on a public sidewalk in Manasquan, New Jersey, last January has won his right to continue expressing his faith.

Ken Fleck was accused of violating a noise ordinance for quietly preaching the gospel even though no one complained. Rutherford Institute attorney Rita Dunaway says Fleck was preaching with slight amplification in a public area.

"A police officer approached Ken and told him that he was violating the city's noise ordinance, which prohibits sounds that are loud, unnecessary, or unusual, and sounds that annoy or disturb other people," says Dunaway. "So the officer issued Ken a summons to appear in court."

Fleck pleaded not guilty in his March trial.

"The court dismissed the charge against him, finding that there was simply no evidence that he had been disturbing anyone," the attorney goes on to explain.

In May, The Rutherford Institute filed suit claiming that the ordinance and the way it was applied against Fleck is unconstitutional in restricting his free-speech rights.