Idaho Christians awarded $300,000 after lawsuit finds city had no right to arrest them for attending church services during Covid

Moscow, Idaho has settled a lawsuit filed by three Christians who alleged the city violated their first and fourth amendment rights when they were arrested for taking part in a peaceful religious demonstration protesting Covid-19 restrictions.

Gabriel Rench, Sean Bohnet, and his wife Rachel were awarded a total of $300,000, which after legal fees is expected to net them around $50,000 each. While the money has been promised, the trio has yet to be provided with an apology from the city.



According to the Spokesman-Review, the city had hoped to have the suit settled via summary judgment, but District Judge Morrison England Jr denied that request in February and ordered that an out-of-court agreement be reached between the parties, which occurred on June 2.

In July, the city explained that it, and the Idaho Counties Risk Management Program, "determined that a financial settlement in the case was the best course of action to dispose of the suit and avoid a protracted litigation proceeding."

With the signing of the agreement, "all claims against the City and the named City employees will be dismissed with prejudice along with a release of all liability."

The city ended the statement by noting that, "This settlement provides closure of a matter related to the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic and the City's efforts to protect the public during an exceptionally trying time."

Rench told the Spokesman that despite the end of the legal saga, he still believed that city officials "really don't care about justice," citing the fact that none of them were willing to meet with him to discuss their "egregious" conduct on the day of the protest.

The Bohnets pointed out that they had been victims of "slander" and "lies" over their involvement in what was nothing more than a peaceful demonstration after video of their arrest went viral.

The event, a "psalm sing" organized by the local Christ Church, took place in September 2020 outside Moscow City Hall. The trio was arrested alongside two others while they sang and protested the city's mask and social distancing mandates. They were each given citations for various offenses related to violating the public health emergency order.

In January 2021, the charges were dismissed, a move that the Bohnet's lawyers called "a victory for religious freedom and the cherished God-given rights protected by the United States Constitution."