Return to Transcripts main page

Live From...

Ala. Assoc. Justices Order Ten Commandments Removed

Aired August 21, 2003 - 13:46   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Now let's talk about that monumental showdown in Alabama. The manager of the state judicial building is told to take all necessary steps to make sure a monument of the Ten Commandments, all 5,000 pounds plus, is removed.
CNN's David Mattingly is in Montgomery, where the controversy seems to be heating up, even as the deadline now is well in the rearview mirror.

Hello, David.

DAVID MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Miles.

You know, last night when the midnight deadline came and went and Judge Roy Moore said that he wasn't going to move that monument, the question went up that if he's not going to move it, then who in the state of Alabama will? As you were telling us, we now have apparently the answer. The other justices with the State Supreme Court put out an order today telling the building manager of this building, the judicial building here of the state of Alabama, to take all steps necessary to comply with the federal court order as soon as practicable. That's an important phrase, because that is a 2 1/2-ton monument that he's going to have to move.

The state attorney general, Bill Pryor, a short time ago praised the justices for being faithful to the rule of law and said that he believes the court order today brings the state into compliance with the court order, and he hopes it will help the state avoid being fined that $5,000-a-day fine that the federal court has threatened them with.

Chief Justice Roy Moore is expected to issue a statement. That's why you see all these cameras and tripods set up here outside the building. That's supposed to happen at 3:30 Eastern Time today. Moore steadfast in his belief that the monument is not a constitutional violation of the church and state, an opinion shared by dozens of people who have been out here on the steps of the judicial building all night, in fact.

And we've seen a lot of spontaneous demonstrations today. Here's one going on right now, people singing, holding their Bibles, and marching up the steps of the judicial building. Some of these people from as far away as California and Ohio that we've talked to today. It was a very different scene last night, however, inside the building when some supporters of Roy Moore refused to leave the building at closing time. They were arrested and taken away and charged with trespassing. No chance of anything like that happening today, though, Miles, because the doors are locked to the public. Everybody's got to stay outside. And this is where all the action is. As you see, people continuing to demonstrate, expressing their opinions that the monument should stay right where it is -- Miles.

O'BRIEN: All right. CNN's David Mattingly at the courthouse steps there in Montgomery.

Should the Ten Commandments be removed? E-mail us your thoughts, Livefrom@cnn.com is the address. We'll talk about this a little bit more, 2:30 Eastern Time. And we'll include some of your comments, as long as you send them.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com






Aired August 21, 2003 - 13:46   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Now let's talk about that monumental showdown in Alabama. The manager of the state judicial building is told to take all necessary steps to make sure a monument of the Ten Commandments, all 5,000 pounds plus, is removed.
CNN's David Mattingly is in Montgomery, where the controversy seems to be heating up, even as the deadline now is well in the rearview mirror.

Hello, David.

DAVID MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hello, Miles.

You know, last night when the midnight deadline came and went and Judge Roy Moore said that he wasn't going to move that monument, the question went up that if he's not going to move it, then who in the state of Alabama will? As you were telling us, we now have apparently the answer. The other justices with the State Supreme Court put out an order today telling the building manager of this building, the judicial building here of the state of Alabama, to take all steps necessary to comply with the federal court order as soon as practicable. That's an important phrase, because that is a 2 1/2-ton monument that he's going to have to move.

The state attorney general, Bill Pryor, a short time ago praised the justices for being faithful to the rule of law and said that he believes the court order today brings the state into compliance with the court order, and he hopes it will help the state avoid being fined that $5,000-a-day fine that the federal court has threatened them with.

Chief Justice Roy Moore is expected to issue a statement. That's why you see all these cameras and tripods set up here outside the building. That's supposed to happen at 3:30 Eastern Time today. Moore steadfast in his belief that the monument is not a constitutional violation of the church and state, an opinion shared by dozens of people who have been out here on the steps of the judicial building all night, in fact.

And we've seen a lot of spontaneous demonstrations today. Here's one going on right now, people singing, holding their Bibles, and marching up the steps of the judicial building. Some of these people from as far away as California and Ohio that we've talked to today. It was a very different scene last night, however, inside the building when some supporters of Roy Moore refused to leave the building at closing time. They were arrested and taken away and charged with trespassing. No chance of anything like that happening today, though, Miles, because the doors are locked to the public. Everybody's got to stay outside. And this is where all the action is. As you see, people continuing to demonstrate, expressing their opinions that the monument should stay right where it is -- Miles.

O'BRIEN: All right. CNN's David Mattingly at the courthouse steps there in Montgomery.

Should the Ten Commandments be removed? E-mail us your thoughts, Livefrom@cnn.com is the address. We'll talk about this a little bit more, 2:30 Eastern Time. And we'll include some of your comments, as long as you send them.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com