Lawsuit: Deputy fired for not training woman due to faith

SANFORD, N.C. – A former sheriff’s deputy in North Carolina is suing over his firing, saying he lost his job because his religious beliefs prevented him from training a woman.

The Sanford Herald reports that Lee County Deputy Manuel Torres is claiming religious discrimination in the lawsuit he filed July 31 in U.S. District Court.

The lawsuit says the 51-year-old Torres believes the Bible prohibits him from being alone with a woman who’s not his wife for extended periods of time. It says he requested a religious accommodation in July 2017 when he was told to train a female deputy.

It says he was fired about two months later.

The newspaper reports Sheriff Tracy Carter declined comment. Torres is seeking reinstatement to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, along with compensatory and punitive damages.

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Information from: The Sanford Herald, http://www.sanfordherald.com