Anti-gay Kentucky clerk jailed for contempt of court
Former Kentucky county clerk Kim Davis, who refused to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples. (Ty Wright/Getty)
The anti-gay county clerk who continues to refuse to issue marriage licences to gay couples has been taken into custody.
Update, 4pm local time: Kim Davis remains in jail and rejects a deal to go free if she allows her deputies to stop discriminating.
Found guilty of contempt of court, Kim Davis was remanded in custody by federal marshals.
Plaintiffs in the case asked that Davis be fined as punishment, but the judge in the case said she needed to be taken into custody.
US District Judge Dave Bunning said she should be remanded in custody until she complies with several orders, including one issued by him, that she stop discriminating against same-sex couples.
According to reports, deputy clerks at Davis’ office have been told they should comply imminently with the order, or join her in jail.
Earlier today she said she was “prepared to go to jail” over the issue.
Davis, a County Clerk from Rowan County, claims that her religious belief means she can’t issue licences to gay couples – despite it being her job to do so.
She was previously caught on camera refusing to provide a same-sex couple with a marriage license, and has continued to refuse to marry gay couples – despite a federal court ordering her to.
Davis had appealed to the Supreme Court, arguing that religious freedom means she doesn’t have to do her job – but this week the highest court in the US also refused to issue her a stay
The one-line ruling means that Davis she has likely exhausted her avenue of legal challenges to stall on the issue – and could now face repercussions if she continues to refuse to marry same-sex couples.
Joe Davis, Kim’s husband, earlier this week went to check on her as protesters remained on the steps of her courthouse after several days.
He said they had changed their phone number after continually receiving threats, but suggested they would not hesitate to bear arms.
“I’m an old redneck hillbilly, that’s all I’ve got to say,” Davis told the Associated Press. “Don’t come knocking on my door.”
