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WORLD / Odd News
Nebraska state senator sues God
(AP)
Updated: 2007-09-18 16:53
LINCOLN, Neb. - The defendant in a state senator's lawsuit is accused of
causing untold death and horror and threatening to cause more still. He
can be sued in Douglas County, the legislator claims, because He's
everywhere.
This file photo from April 12, 2006, shows Sen. Ernie Chambers of Omaha
during debate in the legislative chamber in Lincoln, Neb. Saying that God
has caused 'fearsome floods ... horrendous hurricanes, terrifying
tornadoes,' Nebraska's longest-serving state senator says he is suing the
Almighty to make a legal point. [AP]?
State Sen. Ernie Chambers sued God last week. Angered by another lawsuit
he considers frivolous, Chambers says he's trying to make the point that
anybody can file a lawsuit against anybody.
Chambers says in his lawsuit that God has made terroristic threats
against the senator and his constituents, inspired fear and caused
"widespread death, destruction and terrorization of millions upon
millions of the Earth's inhabitants."
The Omaha senator, who skips morning prayers during the legislative
session and often criticizes Christians, also says God has caused
"fearsome floods ... horrendous hurricanes, terrifying tornadoes."
He's seeking a permanent injunction against the Almighty.
Chambers said the lawsuit was triggered by a federal suit filed against a
judge who recently barred words such as "rape" and "victim" from a sexual
assault trial.
The accuser in the criminal case, Tory Bowen, sued Lancaster District
Judge Jeffre Cheuvront, claiming that he violated her free speech rights.
Chambers said Bowen's lawsuit is inappropriate because the Nebraska
Supreme Court has already considered the case and federal courts follow
the decisions of state supreme courts on state matters.
"This lawsuit having been filed and being of such questionable merit
creates a circumstance where my lawsuit is appropriately filed," Chambers
said. "People might call it frivolous but if they read it they'll see
there are very serious issues I have raised."
US District Judge Richard Kopf, in an order last week, expressed doubts
about whether Bowen's lawsuit "has any legal basis whatsoever" and said
sanctions may be imposed against Bowen and her attorneys if they fail to
show cause for the lawsuit.
The Associated Press usually does not identify accusers in sex-assault
cases, but Bowen has allowed her name to be used publicly because of the
issue over the judge's language restrictions.
Cheuvront declared a mistrial in the sexual assault trial in July, saying
pretrial publicity made it impossible to gather enough impartial jurors.
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