4 Backers of Fired Minister Sentenced
Four supporters of a fired minister, saying that they would not give up their freedom of religion, Monday refused to pledge to refrain from disrupting church services and were sentenced to 30 days in jail.
The four, who were arrested Friday at Trinity Lutheran Church in Clairton and had spent the weekend in jail, were found in civil contempt of court for barricading themselves in the building.
Allegheny County Judge Emil Narick told the four that they would be allowed to walk out of the courtroom if they would make a statement promising not to interfere with the ownership or conduct of services at the church.
“I want freedom of religion,” said unemployed shipbuilder Paul Brandt. “I don’t want to be told by Mellon Bank that I can’t go to church.”
Narick said that Brandt, the Rev. William Rex and union leaders Daryl Becker and Pamela Ramsey were guilty of interfering with a previous court order demanding that members of the church council turn control of the church over to the synod.
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