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| Kentucky county grants first same-sex couple marriage license after clerk jailed | Kentucky county grants first same-sex couple marriage license after clerk jailed |
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| The first same-sex couple has been granted a marriage licence in Rowan County since the supreme court legalised gay marriage, one day after a defiant clerk was sent to jail for refusing to issue such licences. | The first same-sex couple has been granted a marriage licence in Rowan County since the supreme court legalised gay marriage, one day after a defiant clerk was sent to jail for refusing to issue such licences. |
| James Yates, 41, and William Smith Jr, 33, locked hands and entered the office of clerk Kim Davis at around 8.05am on Friday. It was the sixth time the couple, from Morehead, had attempted to get a license. | James Yates, 41, and William Smith Jr, 33, locked hands and entered the office of clerk Kim Davis at around 8.05am on Friday. It was the sixth time the couple, from Morehead, had attempted to get a license. |
| Surrounded by a gaggle of reporters, Yates and Smith obtained their license from deputy clerk Brian Mason – one of the deputies who told a judge yesterday they would comply with his order to carry out the marriages following the jailing of Davis for refusing to do so. | Surrounded by a gaggle of reporters, Yates and Smith obtained their license from deputy clerk Brian Mason – one of the deputies who told a judge yesterday they would comply with his order to carry out the marriages following the jailing of Davis for refusing to do so. |
| As the couple exited the clerk’s office – a site that has become a focal point for religious conservatives across the US who are opposed to same-sex marriage – a man shouted to the crowd outside: “They got it!” Supporters broke out in a repeated chant of “love has won”. | As the couple exited the clerk’s office – a site that has become a focal point for religious conservatives across the US who are opposed to same-sex marriage – a man shouted to the crowd outside: “They got it!” Supporters broke out in a repeated chant of “love has won”. |
| Yates told reporters he was “relieved and happy” about the turn of events. In recent days, Davis’s office has declined to issue licenses to several couples, including Yates and Smith, despite an order from the US supreme court mandating otherwise. | Yates told reporters he was “relieved and happy” about the turn of events. In recent days, Davis’s office has declined to issue licenses to several couples, including Yates and Smith, despite an order from the US supreme court mandating otherwise. |
| Asked why it was important for them to receive their license in Rowan county, Smith told the Guardian: “This is where we live.” | Asked why it was important for them to receive their license in Rowan county, Smith told the Guardian: “This is where we live.” |
| Yates said they currently had two dates in mind to tie the knot, but had yet to firm up plans. | Yates said they currently had two dates in mind to tie the knot, but had yet to firm up plans. |
| Asked if they expected getting the license to go smoothly, Smith told the Guardian: “We were hoping it would.” | Asked if they expected getting the license to go smoothly, Smith told the Guardian: “We were hoping it would.” |
| Before the clerk’s office opened its doors, Davis’s husband, Joe, jeered the same sex marriage proponents and held a sign that said: “Welcome to Sodom + Gomorrah.” | Before the clerk’s office opened its doors, Davis’s husband, Joe, jeered the same sex marriage proponents and held a sign that said: “Welcome to Sodom + Gomorrah.” |
| “It ain’t nothing about licenses ... it’s about persecuting Kim,” Mr Davis said of the clerk’s opposition. His wife is in “high spirits”, he told the Guardian, and she’s willing to stay in jail “as long as it takes”. | “It ain’t nothing about licenses ... it’s about persecuting Kim,” Mr Davis said of the clerk’s opposition. His wife is in “high spirits”, he told the Guardian, and she’s willing to stay in jail “as long as it takes”. |
| For Davis to be released, she will either have to resign, or agree to allow licenses to be issued. Later on Friday, the Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee said he planned to meet Davis next week, and hold a rally to express support. A planned demonstration on Friday by Davis’ supporters outside the Clark County detention center, where the clerk is being held, fell flat when no one turned up. | |
| By 10am, a second couple had obtained a license. | |
| Barry Hager drove from Chicago to Moreland last night with friends Alan Kong, 36, and Tomas Mateos, 42, to show support for the couples seeking licenses. | Barry Hager drove from Chicago to Moreland last night with friends Alan Kong, 36, and Tomas Mateos, 42, to show support for the couples seeking licenses. |
| “This was the next step in the cause,” said Hager, 44, who married his husband two years ago. | “This was the next step in the cause,” said Hager, 44, who married his husband two years ago. |
| Mateos said Davis should not be allowed to skirt her job duties because of her religion. “That’s what gets me the most,” he told the Guardian. | Mateos said Davis should not be allowed to skirt her job duties because of her religion. “That’s what gets me the most,” he told the Guardian. |
| Kevin Casteel, 30, turned out to support same-sex couples throughout the week at Davis’s office because he married his husband in July “without a problem”. | Kevin Casteel, 30, turned out to support same-sex couples throughout the week at Davis’s office because he married his husband in July “without a problem”. |
| To witness other couples obtain a license in Rowan county showed that justice prevailed, he said. “That’s what we needed,” Casteel told the Guardian. | To witness other couples obtain a license in Rowan county showed that justice prevailed, he said. “That’s what we needed,” Casteel told the Guardian. |
| More couples were expected to arrive at the clerk’s office on Friday to obtain licenses, supporters said. | More couples were expected to arrive at the clerk’s office on Friday to obtain licenses, supporters said. |
| The issuing of the first same-sex marriage licences came a day after a federal judge placed defiant clerk Davis into the custody of US marshals for denying an order to issue marriage licences. | The issuing of the first same-sex marriage licences came a day after a federal judge placed defiant clerk Davis into the custody of US marshals for denying an order to issue marriage licences. |
| In a five-hour hearing on Thursday, five of six Rowan County deputies at Davis’s office told US district judge David Bunning they would comply with his order – grudgingly, in some cases, with one saying it was the “hardest thing” to have to do. | In a five-hour hearing on Thursday, five of six Rowan County deputies at Davis’s office told US district judge David Bunning they would comply with his order – grudgingly, in some cases, with one saying it was the “hardest thing” to have to do. |
| The judge said they were free to follow the law despite the contention of Davis’s attorneys that they could not act without Davis’s consent. Only the clerk’s son, Nathan, refused to comply. | The judge said they were free to follow the law despite the contention of Davis’s attorneys that they could not act without Davis’s consent. Only the clerk’s son, Nathan, refused to comply. |
| The judge then ordered her to remain in custody. | The judge then ordered her to remain in custody. |
| Despite the spotlight in recent days on the lifelong bureaucrat and Morehead resident, the incarceration of Davis doesn’t cap her intense legal battle. The clerk’s handling of marriage licenses has put her at the center of a firestorm surrounding an issue that divides not only her hometown of Morehead, but the state of Kentucky. Davis is one of three clerks in Kentucky who have refused to issue marriage licenses despite the supreme court’s 26 June order legalizing same-sex marriages. | Despite the spotlight in recent days on the lifelong bureaucrat and Morehead resident, the incarceration of Davis doesn’t cap her intense legal battle. The clerk’s handling of marriage licenses has put her at the center of a firestorm surrounding an issue that divides not only her hometown of Morehead, but the state of Kentucky. Davis is one of three clerks in Kentucky who have refused to issue marriage licenses despite the supreme court’s 26 June order legalizing same-sex marriages. |
| Rand Paul, the US senator from Kentucky and 2016 presidential hopeful, said it was “hard to argue that government’s involvement in marriage has made it better, a fact also not surprising to those who believe government does little right”. | Rand Paul, the US senator from Kentucky and 2016 presidential hopeful, said it was “hard to argue that government’s involvement in marriage has made it better, a fact also not surprising to those who believe government does little right”. |
| But no public official – including Davis – was above the law, said Josh Earnest, the White House press secretary. “Certainly not the president of the United States, but neither is the Rowan County clerk. | But no public official – including Davis – was above the law, said Josh Earnest, the White House press secretary. “Certainly not the president of the United States, but neither is the Rowan County clerk. |
| “On principle, the success of our democracy depends on the rule of law.” | “On principle, the success of our democracy depends on the rule of law.” |