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Judge Dismisses Air Force Academy Prayer Lawsuit

DENVER (CBS4) -- A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit seeking to block a prayer luncheon at the Air Force Academy. The luncheon will go on as scheduled on Thursday.

U.S. District Judge Christine Arguello ruled Wednesday in Denver. She said associate professor David Mullin and a watchdog group, the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, didn't show they had legal standing to bring the suit.

They alleged the event violates the constitutional separation of church and state because it appears to be sponsored by the academy itself and because Mullin and other faculty members believe they'll face retribution if they don't attend, even though it is officially voluntary.


"We're not opposed to religion, we just want to make sure the wall between the church and state remains erect," said plaintiff Darold Killmer.

Following the judge's ruling, the academy's chaplain agreed to make it clear at the start of the luncheon that it's an event sponsored by the chapel, not the academy as a whole.

(TM and © Copyright 2011 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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