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U.S. NEWSSaturday 5 September 2015
Jailed clerk’s attorney: Marriage licenses for gays are void
ADAM BEAM James Yates, right, hugs his partner William Smith Jr., after receiving their marriage license at the received marriage licenses
Associated Press Rowan County Judicial Center in Morehead, Ky., Friday, Sept. 4, 2015. Deputy clerk Brian Mason Friday from one of Davis’
MOREHEAD, Kentucky (AP) issued the license, congratulating the couple and shaking their hands as he smiled. deputies, embracing and
— A jailed Kentucky clerk celebrating after repeat-
asserted that marriage li- (Alton Strupp/The Courier-Journal via AP) edly being turned away
censes issued without her before Davis was jailed
authority Friday to gay cou- Meanwhile, Staver said he’s The vast majority of offi- had turned away couples on Thursday. Marriage li-
ples in Rowan County are preparing to appeal U.S. cials across the U.S. have again and again in defi- censes in Kentucky usually
void and “not worth the District Judge David Bun- agreed to issue licenses ance of a series of federal have the elected clerk’s
paper they are written on” ning’s contempt finding as since the U.S. Supreme court orders, citing her reli- signature on them; those
because she didn’t autho- one of several legal chal- Court legalized gay mar- gious beliefs. handed out Friday lacked
rize them, her attorney said. lenges on her behalf. riage in June. But Davis At least three gay couples any signature. The Rowan
Kim Davis now wears an County attorney and law-
orange jumpsuit and “has yers for the gay couples
already been doing Bible said they are legal and
studies with herself” in jail, valid nevertheless. When
her attorney Mat Staver of the judge was asked if the
Liberty Counsel told report- licenses will be considered
ers after meeting with her valid without Davis’ autho-
behind bars. He said Davis rization, he said it was up
is in very good spirits, and to the gay couples to take
is prepared to stay as long that chance.
as it takes to uphold her re- William Smith Jr. and James
ligious freedoms. Yates, a couple for nearly
“She’s not going to resign, a decade, were the first
she’s not going to sacrifice through the door. Deputy
her conscience, so she’s clerk Brian Mason congrat-
doing what Martin Luther ulated the couple, shook
King Jr. wrote about in his their hands and accepted
Letter from the Birmingham their fee of $35.50. Yates
Jail, which is to pay the then rushed across the
consequences for her de- courthouse steps to hug his
cision,” Staver said. mom.q
Ex-son-in-law of John Gotti pleads not guilty to conspiracy
CLEVELAND (AP) — A reput- day in what authorities say of Bentleyville, entered the about why more stolen cars violence, racketeering, wit-
ed member of New York’s is a multimillion- dollar scam pleas in Cuyahoga County weren’t being recovered. ness intimidation and jury
Gambino crime family and involving scrap metal and Common Pleas Court to Prosecutors on Friday had tampering while a member
former son-in-law of John stolen cars. charges including conspir- sought to have his bond of the Gambino crime fam-
Gotti pleaded not guilty Fri- Carmine “The Bull” Agnello, acy, theft and money laun- increased to at least $1 mil- ily.
dering. lion, but the judge kept it at Agnello was married 17
Authorities said an $100,000. Agnello, 56, has years to reality TV star Vic-
18-month investigation un- been free on bond since toria Gotti, the daughter of
covered how Agnello put two days after his arrest in the late crime boss. They
sand into cars, many of mid-July.“We’re grateful divorced in 2002. Victoria
them stolen, to add weight that the judge saw today Gotti starred in a short-lived
and to increase their scrap that the state’s position reality show with her and
value before crushing the was absurd and continued Agnello’s three sons called
vehicles and selling them him on the same bond,” “Growing Up Gotti.”
to a metals processing attorney Roger Synenberg Synenberg said Agnello
company. said. “His is a legitimate pleaded guilty 15 years
A deputy Cleveland police business.” ago to federal charges
chief said Agnello would Prosecutors said the high- of racketeering and con-
pay people small amounts, er bond was needed be- spiracy to defraud the In-
usually less than $50, to cause of the serious charg- ternal Revenue Service but
bring stolen cars to him. es. served his sentence and
The investigation began af- They also said Agnello is a started over. The prosecu-
ter police became puzzled flight risk with a history of tion disputed that.q
