Leonard J. Kerpelman, attorney in school prayer case, dies - Baltimore Sun

It was 1963, Madalyn Murray O’Hair was making headlines by fighting for the removal of mandatory Bible readings from public schools. Her lawyer Leonard J. Kerpelman took her case pro bono and successfully argued in front of the justices years later, leading to an eventual 8-1 victory. A loss of an important figure in our collective history,,,

Mr. Kerpelman contended that the First Amendment to the Constitution required the establishment of a "wall of separation between church and state," The Baltimore Sun reported in 1963.

"I see no constitutional objection to the study of religion, history of religion, or the study of the Bible as literature," he told The Sun in 1963. "But this ceremony is sectarian, and it is impossible to have such a ceremony that is not sectarian."

After the decision, both client and attorney were vilified and accused of taking God out of the classroom and leading the nation down the road of atheism.

"It was certainly an interesting and high-profile case, and prayer in school is still the subject of some controversy today," said Mr. Curran.

"He always said you could 'still pray in school, but the state can not mandate what prayer you must say,' " said a daughter, Antonia K. Fowler of Reisterstown.

Leonard J. Kerpelman, attorney in school prayer case, dies - Baltimore Sun