Animal-Sacrificing Priest Sues Prosecutors
Animal-Sacrificing Priest Sues Prosecutors
TRENTON (CN) - A Santeria priest sued county prosecutors, the sheriff and police, claiming his arrest for sacrificing a chicken in his backyard temple interfered with his ability to adopt children.
In his federal complaint, plaintiff Jorge Badillo says he is a santero - a priest in the Afro-Caribbean Santeria religion, which performs animal sacrifices.
Badillo sued Monmouth County, its sheriff and a lieutenant, two county prosecutors, the Freehold Police Department and an officer, the Monmouth County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and its employee Victor Amato.
The complaint describes Amato as "Chief of Police for the Monmouth County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals."
It all began, Badillo says in his complaint, when Sheriff's Lt. Martin and a canine officer came to his home, with a warrant, looking for a gun that belonged to Badillo's brother.
"He [Lt. Martin] contacted Victor Amato and made the initial accusations of animal cruelty after seeing a chicken that had been sacrificed in front of the temple in plaintiff's backyard," the complaint states.
http://www.courthousenews.com/2013/03/15/55743.htm