Kentucky Clerk Ordered to Jail for Refusing to License Same-Sex Marriages
Thursday, September 03, 2015
Kim Davis, the Rowan County, Kentucky Clerk who has been in the spotlight recently for her decision not to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, was ordered jailed by Judge David L. Bunning of Federal District Court on Thursday.
Bunning said Davis, an elected official who had refused to issue the licenses on religious grounds, would be released from jail once she agreed to an order compelling her to issue the marriage licenses.
On June 26, the Supreme Court ruled that bans on same-sex marriages were unconstitutional. Still, some local clerks have refused to issue licenses.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTBunning said at the hearing that Davis' reasoning for not issuing the licenses was “simply insufficient.”
“It’s not physically impossible for her to issue the licenses,” he said. “She’s choosing not to.”
“Thank You Judge”
Bunning's decision to jail Davis contradicted requests from prosecutors, who asked the judge to fine her rather than put her behind bars. Bunning said he did not believe a fine would provoke her compliance with the order.
As Davis was ushered out of the courtroom, she was heard saying “thank you, Judge.”
The Struggles Continue
While the Supreme Court ruled that same-sex marriage was the law of the land, some couples are still fighting to wed.
Government employees in Alabama, North Carolina and Texas have also refused to issue licenses on religious grounds.
Two other clerks in Kentucky have also been refusing to issue licenses, though Bunning warned that his order to issue the licenses also applied to them.
Related Slideshow: The Most and Least Diverse High Schools in Rhode Island
The data below reflects the 2012-13 academic year as provided by the Rhode Island Dept of Education. Values have been rounded to the nearest whole percent.
_400_400_90.jpg)
Related Articles
- RI Business Blasts $600K in Medicaid Cuts as Hurting “Most Vulnerable”
- Rhode Island SBA Announces 2015 Small Business Week Award Winners
- RI Business Plan Competition Narrows Field to 13
- Organize + Energize: Traits of a Disorganized Business. Part I of 2.
- Organize + Energize: Traits of a Disorganized Business. Part 2
- David Brussat, Dr. Downtown: Business Climate Change, Please
- Guest MINDSETTER Sen. James Sheehan: Cut Franchise Tax to Attract More Start-Up Business to RI
- Riley: Providence Pension Fund is Risky Business
- Guest MINDSETTER Rep Scott Slater: Replace Illicit Marijuana Industry with Legitimate Businesses
- $200,000 to be Awarded in Prizes at 2015 RI Business Plan Competition
- Business, Taxpayer Groups Oppose RI Minimum Wage Increase
- What Will Fix RI’s Business Climate?
- INVESTIGATION: Port Business Receives Tax Bill 100 Times Larger Than Last Year’s
- Smart Benefits: Fines Now In Effect for Small Business Health Plan Reimbursements
- Guest MINDSETTER™ Sen. James C. Sheehan: RI’s Most Business Friendly Budget in Decades
- It’s All About Education: Learning about Business and Connecting with Community
- NEW: URI Names Ebrahimpour College of Business Dean
- 12th Annual Women in Business Luncheon Set For June 30
- Newport and Bristol Counties Ready for the Summer Season with New Businesses and Experiences
- Organize + Energize: Starting a Business? It’s Time to Get Organized!
- Opponents Blast Online Retail Tax for Hurting RI Businesses
- Saul Kaplan: Stop Treating Business Model Innovation As Change Management
- 78 Local Businesses Receive Worksite Health Awards
- Cheat Sheet 4, FBI Files Unveils the Business Ties of Patriarca’s Lawyers
