106:
marriage license, he has emphasized that he has no authority to "issue" a marriage license and that he simply "recused" himself from officiating the ceremony. When interviewed, Bardwell said that he had refused applications to four couples over a period of 2½ years before the news of his refusals was publicized.
228:"a clear violation of constitutional rights and federal and state law" and urged that "isciplinary action should be taken immediately—including the revoking of his license". In response during an interview, Bardwell pointed out that he was an elected official and that it was not a licensed position. The
118:
as based on his concern for the children of such marriages, as he believes they are fully accepted neither by black nor white society. Bardwell said, he "came to the conclusion that most black society does not readily accept offspring of such relationships, and neither does white society", and, "I
105:
signed. His wife Beth
Bardwell reportedly told them that the justice "does not do interracial marriages". Justice Bardwell referred the couple to a justice of the peace of a neighboring ward, who performed the wedding. Although the news media frequently alleged that Bardwell had refused to issue a
178:, claiming their civil rights were violated. The suit named Beth Bardwell, Keith Bardwell's wife, as co-defendant and sought a monetary settlement, including restitution for emotional distress and mental anguish. Lawyer Laura Lanier Catlett filed the suit on behalf of the plaintiffs.
136:. Bardwell apologized to the couple for offending them. He maintained that he did not deny the couple from being married but only recused himself from performing the ceremony. As he referred them to another justice to be married, he did not see a problem.
119:
don't want to put children in a situation they didn’t bring on themselves. In my heart, I feel the children will later suffer." Bardwell asserted that he was not a racist. According to the reporter Tara
Bennett, Bardwell was advised by an
84:
and that he did not prevent the couple from obtaining a license from another justice of the peace. His action was widely criticized, and many public officials in
Louisiana called for his resignation. He resigned on November 3, 2009.
242:
Bardwell, who had another five years in what he had said would be his last term as a justice of the peace, resigned his post on
November 3. Bardwell's resignation was a one-sentence statement to Louisiana Secretary of State
175:
162:
of
Louisiana (ACLU), via attorney Katie Schwartzman, cited that ruling and said that Bardwell knowingly violated judicial precedent by his action. Calling for Bardwell's removal, the ACLU requested that the
234:
editorialized that "Bardwell's personal beliefs are his own, but his responsibility as an elected official is to provide services to the public" and called on him to resign. Front-page articles in the
705:) both objected to Bardwell's refusal, Vitter's statement being that judges "should follow the law as written and not make it up as they go along" (quoted in Bruce Alpert & Jonathan Tilove,
603:
255:
Bardwell continued to face a federal lawsuit, which in 2010 continued with the court's determination of pertinent witnesses. In
November, 2010, the lawsuit was dropped by the McKays.
123:
to say that he was "busy" on days when he was requested to officiate interracial weddings, "but
Bardwell refuses to lie and says he will step down" if obliged to change his policy.
928:
478:, 28 October 2009, Saint Tammany Edition, p. B7. Gill also observed that Louisiana officials universally disapproved of Bardwell's behavior, with the exception of attorney general
416:
1026:
1036:
1016:
967:
1011:
864:
845:
786:
863:, 20 October 2009, Saint Tammany Edition, p. B5). On 20 October 2009, Don Ellzey summarized the television networks' attention to the Bardwell story as
728:
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810:
1041:
748:
629:
1031:
888:
454:
306:
924:
834:
761:
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482:; Gill noted the AG's office would be obligated to provide defense council to Bardwell as a public official if the case went to court.
149:
43:
535:
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reported the disavowal of
Bardwell by state, parish, and municipal officials and summarized the worldwide attention to the story.
706:
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On
October 6, an interracial couple, Beth Humphrey and Terence McKay, inquired of Bardwell, the justice of the peace for the 8th
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Bardwell...said he has been a JP for 34 years and has never had opposition, but this is his last term. According to the
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called for
Bardwell to be fired: Jindal's office released a statement calling Bardwell's refusal to officiate the
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247:. Bardwell offered no explicit explanation and did not immediately respond to requests for elaboration.
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31:
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Deslatte's article, augmented with local contributions by Lil Mirando & Don Ellzey, appeared as
659:"Landrieu: Keith Bardwell Should Be Dismissed For Denying Marriage Licenses To Interracial Couples"
358:
JP Refuses Marriage License To Interracial Couple: Keith Bardwell claims such marriages don't last
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A number of state and local public officials criticized Bardwell's actions. Louisiana Governor
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Groups call for JP's resignation: Organizations upset man wouldn't marry interracial couple
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396:"Interracial couple denied marriage license in Tangipahoa Parish | NOLA.com"
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386:
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357:
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518:"Interracial Couple Denied Marriage License By Louisiana Justice Of The Peace"
17:
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of an interracial couple because of his personal views, in spite of a 1967
912:
elected officials database, his current term will expire on Dec. 31, 2014.
822:
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said that they had reason to believe a biracial child could do well.
120:
81:
829:
of respondents preferred that no action be taken against Bardwell (
725:"Governor calls for firing of justice in interracial marriage case"
378:, 15 October 2009; and Carlotta Bradley (of the Associated Press),
356:(Baton Rouge), 16 October 2009. Early television news reports were
167:
investigate the justice's conduct. The interracial couple filed a
338:"Interracial couple denied marriage license in Tangipahoa Parish"
176:
United States Federal Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana
171:
57:
The story was first publicized by newswriter Don Ellzey of the
455:"JP Bardwell resigns: ACLU, NAACP say bigotry not tolerated"
614:, 21 October 2009, Saint Tammany Edition, p. A2. See also
686:(Hammond), 17 October 2009, pp. 1A, 3A. Louisiana's
811:"Tangipahoa draws attention from global media, bloggers"
67:). Within a day the story was on the front page of the
875:
measured responses on whether Bardwell should resign (
817:, 17 October 2009, pp. 1A, 2A. On 20 October 2009, a
344:, 16 October 2009, Saint Tammany Edition, pp. A1, A2.
533:
Tara Bennett, "Interracial couple denied marriage",
193:, the son of an interracial marriage, was at nearby
787:"* - WWL - AM870 | FM105.3 | News | Talk | Sports"
762:"* - WWL - AM870 | FM105.3 | News | Talk | Sports"
205:disaster. When asked about Bardwell's statements,
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298:
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428:
426:
415:: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (
825:discussed an informal internet poll in which a
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672:
547:
545:
968:"Lawsuit dropped against controversial judge"
622:, 19 October 2009, Metro Edition, p. B3, and
8:
114:Bardwell justified his refusal to officiate
925:"Justice of peace in marriage flap resigns"
680:"City, parish officials disavow connection"
472:"Motives this clear make it easy for court"
927:. United Press International. 2009-11-03.
713:, 25 October 2009, Metro Edition, p. A11).
539:, 20 October 2009, p. 2 (not online).
398:. Archived from the original on 2012-09-08
380:Interracial couple denied marriage license
1027:Interracial marriage in the United States
552:Bardwell's CBS interview with Harry Smith
213:) and White House Deputy Press Secretary
80:. Bardwell has asserted that he is not a
1037:October 2009 events in the United States
1017:History of African-American civil rights
871:, pp. 1A, 2A. An internet survey by the
126:On October 19, Bardwell appeared on the
857:When prejudice wears the mask of reason
590:(Hammond), 16 October 2009, pp. 1A, 3A.
461:(Hammond), 4 November 2009, pp. 1A, 3A.
292:
645:Christi Parsons & Richard Fausset
408:
1012:African-American history of Louisiana
895:(Hammond). 2009-10-15. Archived from
707:"Tangipahoa justice still under fire"
647:"Obama assures New Orleans of relief"
201:" concerning local recovery from the
140:Legal status of interracial marriages
7:
931:from the original on 4 November 2009
731:from the original on 17 October 2009
586:See also "ACLU urges ouster of JP,"
577:from the original on 17 October 2009
499:from the original on 5 November 2009
444:from the original on 7 November 2009
434:"Justice who told couple no resigns"
48:restrictions on interracial marriage
950:"Judge denies Bardwell witnesses".
148:were ruled unconstitutional by the
27:In October 2009, Keith Bardwell, a
865:"TV networks interview JP, couple"
571:"Anger at US mixed marriage 'ban'"
493:"US judge in mixed-race row quits"
348:Mary Foster & Eileen Sullivan
150:Supreme Court of the United States
25:
211:Center for Constitutional Rights
146:prohibiting interracial marriage
601:"Couple sue Tangipahoa justice"
1042:History of racism in Louisiana
165:Louisiana Judiciary Commission
160:American Civil Liberties Union
132:, where he was interviewed by
1:
440:(Metro Edition). 2009-11-03.
109:
1032:Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana
974:. 2010-11-01. Archived from
889:"JP refuses to marry couple"
723:Samira Simone (2009-10-17).
559:site for the same interview.
307:"JP refuses to marry couple"
186:On the day the story broke,
44:United States Supreme Court
34:, refused to officiate the
1063:
855:. Jarvis DeBerry's column
751:on 17 October 2009, p. 3A.
76:and was circulated by the
1002:2009 in American politics
956:. 2010-09-17. p. 1A.
877:Should Bardwell resign?).
842:related story by Jay Vise
305:Don Ellzey (2009-10-15).
275:Race in the United States
195:University of New Orleans
749:"Inappropriate decision"
627:District Court Complaint
573:. BBC News. 2009-10-16.
495:. BBC News. 2009-11-04.
209:(Legal Director for the
110:Bardwell's justification
616:"Just abide by the law"
265:Anti-miscegenation laws
948:Heidi Rogers Kinchen,
848:July 16, 2011, at the
837:July 16, 2011, at the
678:Heidi Rogers Kinchen,
1047:Marriage in Louisiana
197:for a much-heralded "
116:interracial marriages
1022:History of Louisiana
910:Secretary of State's
625:Humphrey v. Bardwell
270:Multiracial American
32:Justice of the Peace
663:The Huffington Post
632:2016-03-03 at the
606:2012-10-15 at the
524:, 16 October 2009.
363:2011-09-27 at the
155:Loving v. Virginia
101:, about getting a
65:Hammond, Louisiana
1007:2009 in Louisiana
831:WWL Bardwell poll
203:Hurricane Katrina
199:town hall meeting
152:in the 1967 case
99:Tangipahoa Parish
46:which prohibited
29:Robert, Louisiana
16:(Redirected from
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599:Doug Simpson,
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516:Elyse Siegel,
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476:Times-Picayune
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18:Keith Bardwell
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980:. Retrieved
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933:. Retrieved
919:
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901:. Retrieved
897:the original
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819:talk program
814:
806:
795:. Retrieved
791:the original
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770:. Retrieved
766:the original
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733:. Retrieved
718:
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699:David Vitter
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579:. Retrieved
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501:. Retrieved
487:
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470:James Gill,
466:
458:
446:. Retrieved
400:. Retrieved
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321:. Retrieved
317:the original
310:
279:
254:
245:Jay Dardenne
241:
236:
229:
222:Bobby Jindal
219:
207:Bill Quigley
191:Barack Obama
185:
169:civil rights
153:
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127:
125:
113:
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71:
58:
56:
26:
389:Channel 9 (
387:Baton Rouge
372:New Orleans
215:Bill Burton
144:State laws
134:Harry Smith
69:New Orleans
996:Categories
982:2011-10-17
953:Daily Star
935:2009-11-04
903:2009-11-04
893:Daily Star
873:Daily Star
869:Daily Star
815:Daily Star
797:2009-10-20
772:2009-10-20
735:2009-10-18
684:Daily Star
588:Daily Star
581:2009-10-16
503:2009-11-04
459:Daily Star
448:2009-11-04
402:2009-10-16
374:Channel 6
323:2009-10-17
312:Daily Star
288:References
237:Daily Star
231:Daily Star
60:Daily Star
827:plurality
188:President
182:Reactions
174:with the
972:WBRZ.com
929:Archived
846:Archived
835:Archived
729:Archived
630:Archived
604:Archived
575:Archived
497:Archived
442:Archived
411:cite web
361:Archived
354:Advocate
259:See also
121:attorney
384:WAFB-TV
369:WDSU-TV
251:Lawsuit
172:lawsuit
158:. The
89:Refusal
42:by the
697:) and
82:racist
40:ruling
417:link
95:Ward
867:in
859:in
709:in
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382:on
376:NBC
367:on
346:Cf.
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