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Father Acquitted of Contempt Over Charges of Taking Daughter To Mass

By Howard M. Friedman

Last May, in a widely publicized custody case, Joseph Reyes was ordered to stand trial for criminal contempt for violating a court order that he not expose his daughter to any religion other than Judaism. (See prior posting.) The order was issued after Reyes, in the midst of a divorce proceeding, sent his wife, who was raising their daughter in the Jewish faith, photos of his taking their daughter to be baptized.  Reyes responded by inviting a television crew to film him taking the daughter to Catholic Mass. Chicago Breaking News reports that at Reyes trial yesterday, a Cook County judge said there was no evidence to prove that Reyes had violated the order.  The video introduced at trial did not show the daughter's face or show her at Mass.The restriction on Reyes taking the daughter to church was removed in the couple's final divorce decree, and Reyes has taken his daughter to Christmas and Easter services. His wife is appealing the provisions in the final decree that permit this.

Full post as published by Religion Clause on October 21, 2010 (boomark / email).