 The American Civil Liberties Union has defended the religious freedom of snake handlers against various attempts to have the practice banned.In 1992, Glen Summerford, a serpent-handling preacher, was convicted of attempted murder of his wife with a rattlesnake.In his book, "Salvation on Sand Mountain", Dennis Covington, a journalist covering the Summerford trial, discusses his first-hand, investigative experiences at a snake-handling church in Appalachia.