Kentucky clerk to be jailed; 5 deputies agree to issue licenses

Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis, right, is greeted by supporters outside the U.S. Federal Courthouse in Covington, Ky., on Monday, July 20, 2015.
Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis, right, is greeted by supporters outside the U.S. Federal Courthouse in Covington, Ky., on Monday, July 20, 2015.

ASHLAND, Ky. — A federal judge has ordered a defiant Kentucky clerk to jail after she refused to issue marriage licenses to gay couples.

U.S. District Judge David Bunning told Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis she would be jailed until she complied with his order to issue the licenses. Davis said "thank you" before she was led out of the courtroom by a U.S. marshal. She was not in handcuffs.

Davis has refused to issue marriages licenses for two months since the Supreme Court legalized gay marriage. She argues that her Christian faith should exempt her from signing the licenses.

The couples who originally sued in the case had asked Bunning to punish Davis with fines but not jail time.

Later Thursday, five of the six deputy clerks in the county said they will issue marriage licenses to gay couples, despite their boss' refusal to do so.

The lone holdout among the deputy clerks is the clerk's son, Nathan.

Read Friday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.

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