FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NEWS ADVISORY
October 19, 2018
Steve Marshall
For More Information, contact:
Mike Lewis (334) 353-2199
Alabama Attorney General
Joy Patterson (334) 242-7491
Page 1 of 1
ATTORNEY GENERAL STEVE MARSHALL LEADS 13-STATE SUPREME COURT
AMICUS BRIEF IN SUPPORT OF PENSACOLA’S RIGHT TO MAINTAIN
HISTORIC CROSS IN PUBLIC PARK
(MONTGOMERY) – Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall led a group of 13 states in filing
an amicus brief Thursday to the U.S. Supreme Court in support of the City of Pensacola’s right
to maintain a historic cross in a downtown public park.
“At issue is the right of the City of Pensacola to keep a public landmark in a city park,” said
Attorney General Steve Marshall. “The landmark in this case is a simple Latin cross erected in a
corner of Bayview Park by the citizens of Pensacola as the nation was preparing to enter the
Second World War.”
Attorney General Marshall filed his amicus brief with the U.S. Supreme Court in the case
Amanda Konrat’yev v. City of Pensacola, Florida, supporting Pensacola’s appeal of a September 7,
2018, federal appeals court ruling ordering the city to remove the cross from Bayview Park.
“For 77 years, the cross has served as a backdrop for community events and memorial services
honoring veterans,” Attorney General Marshall added. “Given the history and significance of
this beloved local landmark, it defies reason that Pensacolans should be forced to remove it
because its presence is now perceived to conflict with the Constitution’s prohibition of the
establishment of religion. This distorted view of the law, which has unfortunately been upheld
by two federal courts, is a serious challenge to the public’s ability to retain historic religious
symbols on thousands of monuments and memorials on public property across America. The
impact of this question travels far beyond Pensacola. I was in our Nation’s Capital a few weeks
ago and noticed thousands of crosses lining the hills of Arlington overlooking Washington, D.C.
Should they now be ripped out of the ground because they can also be viewed as religious
symbols* Even members of the federal appeals court panel that ruled against the City’s ability
to display the cross have called into question the legal precedent used to challenge such
displays.”
Alabama was joined by Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Ohio,
Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas and Utah in the filing.
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Link to the Alabama-led amicus brief
501 Washington Avenue * Montgomery, AL 36104 * (334) 242-7300
www.ago.alabama.gov
