Town Abandons Fight to Preserve Praying Soldier Memorial

A small North Carolina town has abandoned its fight to preserve a veteran’s memorial with a praying soldier and Christian flag.

The town of King, with a population of about 6,900, had spent $50,000 in legal fees and faced an expected $2 million bill to fight Army veteran Steven Hewett, whose 2012 suit charged officials were violating his constitutional rights by allowing a Christian flag at the Veteran’s Memorial, the Winston Salem-Journal reports.

Those voting to settle the case Tuesday night, including the mayor, Jack Warren, who cast the tie-breaking vote, said the city and taxpayers couldn't bear the high cost and had been advised they wouldn't win.

But the surrender had one resident asking "What else are you going to give up next?” the newspaper reports.

"The decision to settle this case has been very difficult for the King city council," the city said in a press release. "It was not reached until it became clear that the costs of proceeding to trial would greatly exceed the city’s insurance policy limits."

"The settlement marks an end to a difficult period in the city’s history."

The city hopes to replace the kneeling soldier statue with another soldier monument, the newspaper reports.

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