Atheist group's civil lawsuit over Bradley sheriff's Facebook use is heading to trial

Bradley County Sheriff Eric Watson speaks with on Thursday, Sept. 10, 2015, in Cleveland, Tenn.
Bradley County Sheriff Eric Watson speaks with on Thursday, Sept. 10, 2015, in Cleveland, Tenn.

A civil lawsuit involving the Bradley County Sheriff's Office, an atheist organization and Facebook is now heading to trial.

Come Aug. 24, a federal judge will preside over a legal dispute that began when the American Atheists Inc. and a Bradley County resident identified as Jane Doe sued the sheriff in early May.

According to the complaint, filed in U.S. District Court in Chattanooga, Sheriff Eric Watson violated Doe's first amendment rights by promoting Christianity and deleting critical posts on the department's official Facebook page.

Since then, Doe's lawyers have requested an order to stop Watson from "promoting, advancing or furthering any religious doctrine or religion" on the sheriff's website or Facebook, records show.

Earlier this week, however, a federal judge in Knoxville ruled against their motion for a temporary restraining order.

"I am very pleased with the outcome of today's hearing in Federal Court, and in the progress in this case so far," Watson wrote in a statement released Wednesday, when the judge ruled on the motions. "I look forward to a full resolution of this matter on August 24 when we have an opportunity for a trial on the merits of this case."

Perry Craft, an attorney representing Doe and the American Atheists Inc., could not be reached for comment Thursday.

The complaint also says Doe protested a Facebook page post stating "He Is Risen" and a Christian message on Easter. On March 27, the American Atheists received a complaint, wrote Watson the following day and said the post was inappropriate for a government website.

After a local news outlet covered the dispute, Watson posted the article on the sheriff's Facebook site, the complaint says. And from there, any posts supporting an atheist point of view were deleted while any Christian-related comments remained untouched.

Next in the proceedings will be a telephone hearing scheduled for Monday.

Contact staff writer Zack Peterson at 423-757-6347 or zpeterson@timesfreepress.com.

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