Update: Great Falls Makes No Move to Pay Legal Bills of Wiccan Priestess

October 16, 2005

Source: The Herald

http://www.heraldonline.com/local/story/5258727p-4773941c.html

On October 16, 2005 The Herald reported, "With the deadline to appeal set to expire, Great Falls officials have made no move to pay the legal bills of a Wiccan high priestess who successfully sued the town to remove the name of Jesus Christ from pre-meeting prayers. Federal Judge Cameron Currie last month ordered the town to pay about $53,000 in legal bills that Darla Wynne incurred during her four-year fight over the prayers. Wynne emerged victorious in June when the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear the town's appeal of a lower court decision that it improperly favored one faith with its prayers. The Town Council meets Monday, but its agenda does not include action on the federal court order, said Mayor H.C. 'Speedy' Starnes. If no action is taken, the 30-day window the town council has to file a notice of appeal over Currie's ruling about payment would most likely expire before council meets again in November... If Great Falls doesn't pay up by this week, Wynne's lawyer, Herbert Buhl, said he will ask the federal court to enforce the order so he can collect."