Washington Post: S.Ct. prohibits religious Ten Commandments Display in KY courthouses

The Washington Post has an article entitled, Ten Commandments Disallowed in Courthouses

Sort of the usual suspects. Stevens, Ginsburg, Breyer, Souter and O’Connor as the swing vote held that a Kentucky court house display of the Ten Commandments was impermissible because “”When the government acts with the ostensible and predominant purpose of advancing religion, it violates that central Establishment clause value of official religious neutrality.” Justice Souter wrote for the majority. Opposed were Rehnquist, Scalia, Thomas, and Kennedy. Oddly, the article felt it necessary to point out that O’Connor was a Reagan appointee. If they’re going that route, they should say Ten Commandments ruled impermissible by Ford-appointee Stevens, Reagan-appointee O’Connor, Bush I-appointee Souter, and Clinton appointees Breyer and Ginsburg.

I haven’t read the opinion yet, but it is available in PDF form here.

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The Supreme Court decided another case here wherein it held that a public display of the Ten Commandments was permissible. That display was at the Texas State House where it was among 17 monuments and 21 historical markers, and the Court felt that the display in that case was more secular in nature.