Court Dismisses Atheist's Lawsuit Regarding Fort Riley

January 7, 2010

Source: The Kansas City Star

Wire Service: AP

http://www.kansascity.com/news/breaking_news/story/1670238.html

A federal judge in Kansas dismissed a lawsuit Thursday by an atheist soldier who claimed his rights were violated because he had to attend events where prayers were said while stationed at Fort Riley.

U.S. District Judge Kathryn Vratil ruled Army Spc. Dustin Chalker failed to exhaust all other alternatives before he and the Military Religious Freedom Foundation sued the Department of Defense in 2008.

The Military Religious Freedom Foundation said Chalker's case reflected a pattern of religious intolerance and proselytizing by members of the armed forces. Mikey Weinstein, president of the Albuquerque, N.M., foundation, said an appeal of the ruling would be filed with the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver.