Philly Loses Bid to Boot Scouts

A Philadelphia federal jury ruled unanimously Wednesday that the city violated the First Amendment rights of the Boy Scouts of America when it cited the group's discrimination against gay people in an attempt to evict a local Scouts council from a city-owned building.

"We can't be kicked out of the building or evicted and we don't have to pay any rent," Scouts attorney William M. McSwain said of the verdict.

Lawyers for the Scouts say they expect U.S. district judge Ronald Buckwalter to issue an injunction against the Scouts' eviction. Still, the city's lease allows it to evict the Scouts without giving a reason.

Buckwalter told the jury he hopes the Scouts council and the city can negotiate a solution.