Freepreach.org - Protecting the Free Expression of All Religious Traditions
Pastor Cleared of Bogus “Hate Speech” Charges
From a press release by the Pacific Justice Institute, Pastor Audey Yancey of Quartz Hill was cleared of charges he engaged in "hate speech" by distributing 200 gospel tracts.
Yancey—a retired Marine Corp veteran with twenty years of service—appeared at the Palmdale City Hall meeting dressed in Marine Corp blues and holding a copy of the Qur’an. The “hate crime” allegations against Yancey were based on a tract that pictured the American flag and under it the words “Remember 9/11: In the name of Allah they brought destruction and death to thousands. In the name of Jesus Christ you can have eternal life.” Pacific Justice Institute defended Pastor Yancey’s right to freedom of speech and unequivocally stated that the “hate crime” allegations were completely unfounded. The task force’s legal counsel, Superior Court Judge Stella Owens-Murrell, agreed with Pacific Justice Institute that no hate crime had been committed, and the matter was dismissed.
Brad Dacus, president of Pacific Justice Institute, commented, “We are pleased that freedom prevailed in this case, and we will continue to work hard to ensure that pastors are not silenced by intolerance.”