On Wednesday, September 12th three individuals – Laura Blackley, Cindy Jordan and Craig White – were found not guilty on second-degree trespassing charges in Buncombe County District Court, stemming from their acts of peaceful civil disobedience in the Buncombe County Register of Deeds office on May 11th. As part of the WE DO Campaign a total of eight individuals were arrested that day when they conducted a sit-in at the Buncombe County Register of Deeds office after LGBT couples were denied marriage licenses.
Although legally wed in California in 2008, Ms. Blackley and Ms. Jordan were denied a marriage license in Buncombe County on May 11th. During testimony in their trial, Ms. Blackley and Ms. Jordan, who have a young daughter, stated that they requested a marriage license and then participated in the sit-in after being denied in order to seek legal recognition of their marriage in North Carolina and thus gain vital protections for their family. Mr. White, a friend of the couple, testified that he took part in the sit-in because he believes it is unjust that he and his wife are granted over 1,138 rights granted through marriage, while these same rights are denied to same-sex couples. They refused to leave the office until LGBT couples were granted marriage licenses.
In finding the three not-guilty, the presiding judge said that the individuals were exercising their Constitutional right to petition public officials for equal protection under the law. Attorney Meghann Burke, who leads CSE’s volunteer Legal Team and who represented the three said, “We are pleased the Court recognized that Laura, Cindy, and Craig were conducting legitimate business when they engaged the Register of Deeds in a dialogue after he denied of Laura and Cindy’s request for a marriage license. All eight defendants were peacefully exercising rights protected by the Constitution in a public building yet were arrested for trespass during business hours. We respect the District Attorney’s decision to dismiss charges against the remaining defendants.”
On Thursday, September 13th, second-degree trespassing charges were dismissed for five individuals who also participated in the sit-in on May 11, 2012 – Rev. Amy Cantrell, Lauren White, Cathleen Johnstone, Sue Walton and Rich Walton.
A total of eight individuals participated in the May 11 sit-in in Asheville. Rich and Sue Walton, who have been married for almost 55 years, took part in the sit-in to express their belief that LGBT couples have a fundamental right to marry. Asheville attorney Diane Walton, a member of CSE’s Legal Team, represented Rev. Cantrell, Ms. White and Ms. Johnstone. On May 11th, Ms. White and Rev. Cantrell an LGBT couple also applied and were denied a marriage license.
Since the WE DO Campaign launched in October 2011, more than 35 LGBT couples have requested – and been denied – marriage licenses in ten towns across North and South Carolina. To date, twelve individuals in Asheville and Winston-Salem, NC, have participated in peaceful sit-ins as acts of civil disobedience during WE DO actions. The next stage of the WE DO Campaign, which calls for full equality under federal law for LGBT people, will take place across the South in January 2013.
During Stage One of the WE DO Campaign Elizabeth Eve and Kathryn Cartledge, a couple of 30 years, engaged in civil disobedience after they were refused a marriage licensed. They were charged with second-degree trespassing and found guilty resulting in a $10 fine and court costs.
Mary Bradford and Mary Lee Jamis were also arrested on trespassing charges during Stage Three of WE DO in Winston-Salem on May 10th, 2012. Their charges were later dismissed.
Media coverage of the not guilty charges has included:
Asheville Citizen-Times – Charges dropped in same-sex marriage sit-in
WLOS TV 13 – Charges Dropped In Same-Sex Marriage Demonstration (Great interview footage)
