An Indiana state trooper asked a motorist if she accepted Jesus as her savior when he pulled her over for a traffic violation, according to a lawsuit filed by the woman.
Ellen Bogan claims that State Police Trooper Brian Hamilton gave her a warning ticket and then proceeded to quiz her on her faith, according to the Indianapolis Star.
Hamilton asked Bogan if she had a church and “if she had accepted Jesus Christ as her savior,” according to her complaint. He also gave her a pamphlet that asked her “to acknowledge that she is a sinner.”
“It’s completely out of line and it just — it took me aback,” Bogan told the Indianapolis Star
Bogan and the American Civil Liberties Union sued Hamilton for violating Bogan’s First and Fourth Amendment rights.
“I’m not affiliated with any church. I don’t go to church,” Bogan said. “I felt compelled to say I did, just because I had a state trooper standing at the passenger-side window. It was just weird.”
The pamphlet also included an advertisement for the “Policing for Jesus Ministries” radio show by “Trooper Dan Jones.”
