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Amish Sentenced To Jail Over Waste Disposal Violations

By Howard M. Friedman

Two Swartzentruber Amish farmers who refuse to comply with state code requirements for disposal of waste from their community school outhouses and who say obtaining a permit for the outhouses would violate their religious beliefs have also refused the options of paying a fine or performing community service. (See prior posting.) So a Pennsylvania trial court judge has sentenced them to 90 days in jail. Today's Centre Daily Times (State College, PA) reports Judge Michael Zungali did not accept the defendants' claim that community service would violate their religious beliefs, saying it could be performed near their homes. The judge told defendants that if they appealed they would not be sent to jail immediately. The two men said it violates their religious beliefs to hire their own attorney for the appeal, but they would accept volunteer help or permit someone else to pay for their defense-- which a local farmer offered to do.

Full post as published by Religion Clause on June 13, 2008 (boomark / email).