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Widow's lawsuit claims church refused husband's headstone

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    Should there be restrictions on gravestones?

  • Duration 4:58
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-- -- back in session on the docket today a widow in Indiana.

Is suing.

A Catholic Church over its refusal to allow her late husband's NASCAR inspired headstone.

Shannon cars says she spent 9600.

Bucks on the black granite stone here it is.

It is shaped.

Like a couch.

And it features images of things -- husband loved the -- a dog.

And color logos of NASCAR and the Indianapolis Colts but the church says no way.

So does she have a case training now -- Sullivan a defense attorney NRC's Cohen -- a Fox News legal and so she says she I earlier said that that the church took the money but that -- -- true she paid that 9600 bucks to.

That the company that makes the head stones.

And did the church ever say she could she could place -- -- did she ever rely on anything the church said or did Mercedes.

He hit it right on the head that's exactly what she's gonna -- -- that you didn't tell me it couldn't use his particular tombstone.

Now that I purchased it now I've spent a fortune that a lot of money for heads down about four times what it usually costs.

Now tell me I can't do with the rules where the regulations where the dimensions of course a church just that but we told you this.

You're you're telling if it to a grieving family wares that are writing.

You've got when you purchase a plot you have to you have a contract with the with the church with weird that body's going to be in turned.

Their specifications and that contract if they don't have at their -- analysts what's.

What's -- objection -- the Catholic Church.

There aren't very straightforward and in fact.

There's no writing no document that says she could put that highly directional tombstone in the cemetery.

This comes down to two simple words congress and contracts let's start with contracts when you.

Obtain and you pay for -- cemetery plot that's a contract and you're bound by the rules and regulations.

Of the cemetery in this particular situation.

It was very specific what the size what the type was what could and could not.

-- placed on the tombstone itself and the church made it very clear to -- granted like Mercedes pointed out.

She was a grieving widow she may have had some issues maybe should've been documented maybe didn't do things at.

That's exit include anything in writing they had nothing in writing at the time she bought that has done.

There's nothing in writing that says that she can let's look at congress the constitution says congress cannot establish nor prohibit the free exercise of religion.

If a state judge instructs this Catholic Church.

To accept this cemetery plot this tombstone there in essence carving out exceptions to and dictating the rules and regulations.

-- not think could -- clear my name -- does the church and Clinton.

And the fact that there's -- -- for the did nothing to do the practice the religion we know the constitution says we're all lawyers on the panel but what did nothing to do with whether headstone could be honored not.

They're really boiled down to what's in the contract what would not want said because you know when there's a contract pen to paper people agree on terms.

That's what holes here there's nothing in there.

Specifically and by the church's own admission we told her you know -- through this course this -- you know how old he won with thirty almost 32 years debate.

This is a -- he died in -- head on collision.

You're talking to the grieving widow this is not someone who was lamenting over -- -- -- going to -- this is a total shock.

You -- what he.

Elect saying the church isn't showing her passion their signatures is showing compassion and his widow who you know that she she's a thousand things he loved -- -- we saw the pictures the dog.

You know that that colts the NASCAR logo but the church apparently feels keep that this is.

You know these -- secular messages it's going to Catholic cemetery.

And they say they have the same policies in -- -- -- in writing or not since 1907.

Absolutely and and what's gonna happen next to slippery slope.

A person who love Starbucks coffee your -- should it be a banner a billboard for Starbucks every time you go to some.

-- what about a guy who -- tutors.

Did you got even better example -- and when judge how well I mean how are not a good example they capture.

A million for was his Mercedes they don't -- like when everybody got our great and I found apple -- is anti abortion well there are rules of the Catholic church and -- -- following that for centuries.

And you know may need it the rules require a certain.

The standard of headstone in a Catholic cemetery.

Which they say this woman should understand before she went out spent almost ten grant and I go back to the -- until -- achieve it for state judge I don't I don't recommend parents at that on boring -- -- -- -- yet and now she's gonna turn around and say what spent almost 101000 dollars and headstone someone it's and it could do this.

Course she said but -- they typically they say they say she submitted her plan to them.

And when they -- they said that's not gonna fly man you better by the different -- don't keep -- giving a quick let's work.

Absolutely told the weeks before she ever laid out the money for that look at this as an emotional decision I.

And it shouldn't be there are guys will seek this thing to even live before you got ten grand -- -- down.

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