Contact: Rich Hobson, Foundation for Moral Law, 334-262-1245

SALEM, Mass., March 6 /Christian Newswire/ -- The Foundation for Moral Law, a religious-liberties legal organization led by Judge Roy Moore, will be defending Michael Marcavage of Repent America, in a trial scheduled for March 10, 2008, against the charge of "disorderly conduct" brought against Mr. Marcavage for preaching in a Salem, Mass. public square on Halloween night, Oct. 31, 2007.  Even though Salem's laws allow the use of speech amplification until 10:00 p.m., Salem police officers on Halloween night confiscated Mr. Marcavage's megaphone at 8:30 p.m., threw him to the ground, and arrested him on charges of allegedly violating the noise ordinance and "disorderly conduct"--all for calmly preaching the gospel to a large crowd of Halloween revelers.  See the video of Mr. Marcavage's arrest here.  After the Foundation showed the local district attorney's office that the Salem noise ordinance statute allowed Mr. Marcavage to use the megaphone, the noise ordinance charge was dropped.

Because the district attorney's office is still insisting that Mr. Marcavage's preaching amounted to "disorderly conduct," however, Foundation attorney Ben DuPré will represent Mr. Marcavage at his March 10, 2008 trial in Salem District Court and will argue that his peaceful preaching of the Gospel was not disorderly or in any way illegal. 

Attorney DuPré explained, "The city of Salem does not have the right to arrest Mr. Marcavage simply because his religious message is not welcomed there.  The police should have been protecting Mr. Marcavage's right to speak instead of targeting him for the Christian content of his speech.  Preaching the Gospel is not disorderly conduct, even on Halloween night."

The Foundation for Moral Law, a national non-profit legal organization, is located in Montgomery, Alabama, and is dedicated to restoring the knowledge of God in law and government through litigation relating to moral issues and religious liberty, as well as education consisting of forums for pastors, judges, and the general public.

For more information about the Foundation for Moral Law, please visit www.morallaw.org.