Posted on 05/28/2005 2:00:55 PM PDT by RWR8189
ALBANY, N.Y. -- The village mayor who challenged New York law by attempting to marry gay couples will face trial, the state's highest court ruled Friday.
New Paltz Village Mayor Jason West faces 24 misdemeanor counts of violating the state's domestic relations law by marrying couples without marriage licenses last year. West's defiance of a law that state officials say forbids gay marriage made the little Hudson Valley village a flashpoint in the national gay marriage debate.
The state Court of Appeals on Friday refused West's request to hear the case first, avoiding the usual process of hearing cases in town, county, and state appellate courts before they are considered by the state's highest court. West had sought a "leave application" because he argued the case was unique, novel and critical to the state.
Assistant District Attorney Joan Lamb said the court held a telephone conference on the issue Thursday. She said she argued that other cases brought by gay couples are wending through the court system now. She said the gay couples have better legal status to contest the law because it affects their rights, rather than West who allegedly defied the law as a public official.
"The mayor will stand trial on the charges," she said.
West, however, continues to have a motion to dismiss the charges "in the interest of justice" pending. The town court judge could dismiss the case.
"Mayor West stood up for the constitutional rights of people being treated unfairly and unconstitutionally," said West's attorney, E. Joshua Rosenkranz of New York City.
(Excerpt) Read more at newsday.com ...
Hang em high!
There's nothing novel about a local mayor who thinks he can take the law into his own hands.
Jesus said: "And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? Wherefore, they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder." -from THE BIBLE: Matthew 19:4-6
the funny part is, eventually the leftists ALWAYS get caught, jailed or killed...
anyone else notice this? With the exceptions of Castro, when do these guys ever win?
I don't think this guy would have a choice if he ends up there......
and the Clintons, and Berger, and .....................
He should be tarred and feathered.
and Kennedy and Jane Fonda and Former President Johnson ....
ping to self for later pingout.
There's nothing novel about a local mayor who thinks he can take the law into his own hands.
This isn't going to stop him, and he'll break the law again and get re-elected.
A couple of my friends went to college with him.
He's a kook who only wins his election because this town (idiotically) allows college kids who attend there to vote (even if they don't really live there).
I.E. He is essentially the college students guy who got elected by them.
He's also kind of nuts in some of his other ideas, though something (medication?) has kept him from trying to implement them.
My friends can't believe the guy who painted there house once is now the mayor of that town.
Berger was caught...
Clinton was impeached, of course they didnt convict, but impeached none the less....
It might be Hillary's turn next, you never know....
They've all been caught and the punishment?
it varies to the extent of our laws....
Clinton was disbarred, Berger lost his clearance....their egos took hits. Something which jail time wouldn't have solved.
jail time for crime is justice and egalitarian. Basic principles.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.