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Kentucky official jailed after gay marriage dispute
4 September 2015 Last updated at 03:21 BST
A
US judge has ordered a Kentucky official jailed for contempt of court
after she repeatedly refused to issue marriage licences to gay couples.
Kim Davis, an elected
official in Rowan County, has said the Supreme Court's ruling conflicts
with her beliefs as a born-again Christian.
The US Supreme Court declared gay marriage legal in June.
Laura Bicker reports.
Image copyrightGetty ImagesImage caption
Kim Davis has said she makes her decisions under "God's authority"
A US judge has
ordered that a Kentucky official be jailed for contempt of court after
she repeatedly refused to issue marriage licences to gay couples.
Kim Davis has said that her Christian faith should exempt her from signing the licences.
The US Supreme Court declared gay marriage legal in June.
After
interviewing her fellow clerks, the judge said Ms Davis could go free
if she allowed her deputies to grant the licences, but Davis refused.
Ms
Davis, an elected official in Rowan County, has said the Supreme
Court's ruling conflicts with her beliefs as a born-again Christian.
"You
can't be separated from something that's in your heart in your soul,"
Ms Davis said. "I promised to love Him with all my heart, mind and soul
because I wanted to make heaven my home."
US District Judge David Bunning said he had "no alternative" but to jail her, because issuing fines would not change her mind.
"Her good faith belief is simply not a viable defence," said Mr Bunning. "Mrs Davis took an oath. Oaths mean things." Image copyrightGetty ImagesImage caption
The judge said religious beliefs do not supersede the court
He added that letting one person's beliefs supersede the authority of the court would be a dangerous example to set.
Ms
Davis' lawyer, Mat Staver, said: "The judge said that he's going to
bring her back out in another week and see if she's changed her mind.
But knowing Kim Davis, she's a woman of strong conviction and conscience
and I don't see her changing her mind."
Ms Davis' lawyer had
claimed that her deputy clerks could only issues licenses under Davis'
authority, but the judge overruled that objection.
Five deputy
clerks told the judge on Thursday they would comply with the court
order. A sixth deputy clerk, Ms Davis' son, Nathan, refused.
The judge decided not to hold Nathan Davis in contempt of court.
Hundreds
of protesters lined up outside of the federal courthouse on Thursday,
chanting and waving signs both of support and opposition.
Local reporters tweeted photos of the two different camps in close quarters outside of the courthouse. Image copyrightGetty ImagesImage caption
Hundreds of protesters showed up for Ms Davis' day in court
Protesters screamed "Love won! Love won!" outside of the courthouse after learning of the decision.
Ms
Davis stopped issuing marriage licenses to all couples in June after
the legalisation of gay marriage, turning couples away repeatedly.
The US Supreme Court on Monday rejected the argument that her faith prevented her from carrying out her duty.
"I
have no animosity toward anyone and harbour no ill will. To me this has
never been a gay or lesbian issue. It is about marriage and God's
word," she said in a statement.
She can only be removed from her position if the Kentucky legislature impeaches her, because she is an elected official.
Various
2016 Republican presidential candidates, like Mike Huckabee, Louisiana
Governor Bobby Jindal, Senator Ted Cruz and Senator Marco Rubio, have
come out in support of Ms Davis' decisions.
Others like Carly
Fiorina, Senator Lindsey Graham and Ohio Governor John Kasich have said
she must do her job and comply with the law
