
The longtime caretakers of a Mojave Desert cross that led to a Supreme Court case are vowing to replace the memorial, which was stolen less than two weeks after the high court allowed it to remain standing.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California had sued over the cross on federal land, saying it was a violation of the constitutional separation of church and state.
The cross has been covered with a tarp or a wooden box since 2002 by a court order to avoid violating federal law mandating the separation of church and state. The 75-year-old monument was the target of a longstanding legal challenge from the ACLU, which charged that the cross is a religious symbol that shouldn't be allowed on public land. The U.S. Supreme Court last month refused to order that it be torn down in a 5-4 decision.
The Liberty Institute is now offering a $25,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction in the case, and the National Park Service has established a tip hotline seeking information leading to the recovery of the cross. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Park Service at (760) 252-6120.
It's not clear if a replacement cross will be permitted. A park service spokeswoman says officials are waiting on word from the Justice Department.














