Former Atlanta Fire Chief Kelvin Cochran has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against Mayor Kasim Reed and the city, saying he was fired last month because of his religion.
Attorneys with faith-based nonprofit Alliance Defending Freedom are representing Cochran in the federal case, which was filed Wednesday.
Cochran and ADF attorneys are expected to speak about the lawsuit Wednesday afternoon at the Georgia Capitol.
The decorated fire chief was ousted from Reed’s administration in early January for what the mayor said was a breach in protocol in Cochran’s decision to publish a religious book about his Christian faith, “Who Told You That You Are Naked?”
At issue are passages within the 162-page book that describe homosexuality as a “sexual perversion” akin to bestiality.
Many decry Cochran’s comments as offensive and anti-gay, while others see it as a valid expression of religious beliefs.
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