Ten Commandments monument removed from Oklahoma State Capitol



OKLAHOMA CITY -- The Ten Commandments monument was removed from the Oklahoma State Capitol grounds late Monday night.

The state's highest court ruled in June that the religious monument on public property violates the Oklahoma constitution.

Attorney General Scott Pruitt filed a last-minute court document alleging that section of the constitution is hostile toward religion. But the judge denied that motion and ordered the monument be removed within 30 days.

The Oklahoma Highway Patrol wanted to move the monument late at night to prevent any interruptions.

The Office of Management and Enterprise Services hired Wilbert Memorials, the private contractor that built and installed the monument, to perform the removal.

The monument is now down the road at the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs near N.E. 13th and Lincoln Blvd.

Officials say no taxpayer money was used to remove the monument.