MOREHEAD — James Yates and William Smith Jr. paid $35.50 and filled out paperwork early Friday to become the first couple to get a marriage license in Rowan County since the U.S. Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage June 26. Another couple soon followed.
With Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis in jail on civil contempt charges for defying a judge's order to resume issuing licenses, deputy clerk Brian Mason ended the office's two-month license ban by politely serving Yates and Smith on Friday, even congratulating them and shaking their hands afterward.
"Love won!" marriage equality protesters shouted outside the Rowan County courthouse as the men emerged. Across the sidewalk, a crowd of people who support Kim Davis stood mutely, save for one man screaming quotes from the Bible about Sodom and Gomorrah.
Yates and Smith said they were "overwhelmed" by the moment, and now they need to set a wedding date. Together since 2006, they are among the local couples who sued Davis for a marriage license after she repeatedly turned them away.
"This is pretty — uh — unusual for us," said Smith, looking dazed as he elbowed his way through dozens of reporters from around the country and an equal number of well-wishing supporters.
A second couple, Michael and Timothy Long, followed about an hour later.
"I just never thought it would happen," Timothy Long said. "We waited for years and years and years. We had a commitment ceremony in 2008, thinking, you know, this is the best we've got, so let's go with it. And now we're afforded the opportunity to be like everyone else."
U.S. District Judge David Bunning ordered Davis on Aug. 12 to resume issuing marriage licenses, saying that her personal religious objection to same-sex marriage did not supersede her public duty to issue marriage licenses. He jailed her for contempt Thursday because she refused to comply.
Davis, an Apostolic Christian, was elected county clerk last fall. She is expected to remain in the Carter County jail until she agrees to obey Bunning's order or until Bunning changes his mind.
Outside the Rowan County courthouse Friday, Davis' husband, Joe, said he spoke to his wife by telephone late Thursday, and he reported "she's in good spirits."
"She will stay in there for however long it takes," Joe Davis said. "She will not back down. She'll never resign. Nope."
Joe Davis called Bunning a "coward" and a "bully" for not respecting his wife's religious beliefs. He also blamed Gov. Steve Beshear for not calling the legislature into special session to amend the state's marriage laws to protect Kim Davis — and other county clerks — from having to issue marriage licenses they find personally objectionable.
"We don't hate nobody," Joe Davis said. Gesturing to marriage-equality demonstrators nearby, he said, "We just want the same rights they have. They say, 'We're gonna make you accept us whether you want to or not.' Well, we don't want all this forced on us."
Rowan County Judge-Executive Walter "Doc" Blevins passively watched the crowds chanting and singing, and the news crews doing live stand-ups, and said he wished "it would all end soon."
"The portrayal of our community from all of this has not been entirely flattering, frankly," Blevins said. "We'd rather be known for our beauty and Cave Run Lake and our university, not for this."
"If Kim will just agree to come back and do her duty, then she would get out of jail," Blevins said. "The keys to her cell are in her own hands. But I don't think she's going to back down."
Previous coverage
Judge jails Rowan clerk for contempt; 5 deputies pledge to issue marriage licenses Friday morning
Hundreds yell, chant and preach outside courthouse where marriage license case unfolds
Friday updates
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