40 Days for Life files civil suite against Marathon County library

A local anti-abortion group plans to file a lawsuit against Marathon County’s library director after he canceled the showing of a controversial film.

An attorney for the group said the county’s offer of an alternate facility for the event was unacceptable.
Members of the organization, 40 Days for Life, accused library director Ralph Illick of censorship yesterday. Illick canceled a showing of “Blood Money” scheduled for Sunday, and said he was concerned protesters would affect normal operations of the library.

Peter Breen, one of the attorneys representing 40 Days for Life, said the group plans to file a civil suit against Illick and Marathon County this afternoon or Wednesday morning.

“I anticipate my clients will reject (the county’s) offer, and that they will find it incredibly offensive and unacceptable,” Breen said. “(County officials) are taking an event that should be in the library’s public meeting room and shuttling it off to a side venue in a closed county office.”

Breen also said the county offered no proof that disturbances would occur if the film were shown at the library.

Wausau Daily