Jews for Jesus victorious in 1st Amendment battle

Charlie Butts and Marty Cooper - OneNewsNow - 4/22/2009 6:20:00 AM

Alliance Defense Fund has won a case for Jews for Jesus.

Robert Wertheim, a missionary with Jews for Jesus, often distributed literature at the City College of San Francisco's Ocean Campus, but he had no permit. According to an Alliance Defense Fund (ADF) press release, Wertheim was repeatedly approached by campus security officers who demanded that he show a permit or stop handing out leaflets. Each time he was approached, Wertheim left.
 
However, Wertheim believed his constitutional rights of free speech were being violated, so he took his case to ADF-allied attorney Rick Nelson of American Liberties Institute, who wrote the college several times but never received a response. So, Wertheim resumed his missionary duties.
 
"Mr. Wertheim, the missionary for Jews for Jesus, went out, was handing out literature," he explains. "They told him he was going to be arrested and he said, 'Well, I don't want to be arrested, but if that's all you can do, then take me to jail.' So they did."
 
After detaining Wertheim at school for over an hour and confiscating his literature, wallet, watch and wedding band, they took him to jail. The next day he posted bail, and Nelson says the charges were completely dropped.
 
ADF then filed suit in the case of Jews for Jesus v. City College of San Francisco, and a settlement has been reached.
 
"Now a judgment's been entered and the defendants had to pay $60,000 in damages, and they're going to have to pay attorneys' fees and costs as well for us to bring the case," Nelson adds.
 
The college has also revamped its literature distribution policy. Wertheim is now free to resume his role as a missionary to the campus.

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