An image that could easily be mistaken for coming out of St. Petersburg, Russia has emerged from Dallas, Texas, where a couple was arrested for attempting to obtain a marriage license. Details follow.
Mark "Major" Jiminez and Beau Chandler were lead out of the Dallas County Clerk's Office on Thursday in handcuffs. The couple applied for a marriage license and refused to leave the office after being denied based on their sexual orientation.
Once in the license bureau on Thursday afternoon, Chandler and Jiminez filled out the paperwork. Chandler crossed out the word “bride” and wrote “not applicable.”
Before being called to the counter, the couple sat waiting next to a straight couple also applying for a license. Jiminez explained to them why they were there, and the couple wished them luck.
“God bless you,” Regina Johnson said to Jiminez and Chandler. “Good luck. You’re in our prayers.”
Clerk’s assistant Melinda Saavedra called Jiminez and Chandler and asked for their IDs. She checked to make sure one wasn’t there as a proxy.
“We pointed out subsection B that invalidates all marriages,” Chandler said. He was referring to the constitutional amendment that bans same-sex marriage in Texas. “She got teary-eyed when I said we love each other and want to get married.”
The couple then handcuffed themselves to each other and took a seat on the floor of the office where the reminded journalists about the many rights heterosexual couples receive with marriage that are denied to same-sex couples.
"This is about not being treated equal," Jiminez told reporters on hand.
The couple was then lead out of the office by police and arrested.
While the exact charges the men face are unclear, if prosecuted for criminal trespassing they risk 180 days in jail and a hefty fine.
(Source, video and image: Dallas Voice)
Comments (2)
... written by Confused,
July 06, 2012
I don't understand "criminal trespassing" in a public place that is paid for by their tax money. I'm not a lawyer, but cannot see any violation of Texas Penal Code - Section 30.05. Criminal Trespass.
+0
... written by the unconfuser,
July 09, 2012
maybe you didn't read this.
"§ 30.05. CRIMINAL TRESPASS. (a) A person commits an offense if he enters or remains on or in property, including an aircraft or other vehicle, of another without effective consent or he enters or remains in a building of another without effective consent and he: (1) had notice that the entry was forbidden; or (2) received notice to depart but failed to do so."
