Civil Rights

Justice of Peace Who Refused to Marry Interracial Couple Resigns

  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
  • Print.

A justice of the peace in Louisiana who originally defended his views that an interracial couple shouldn’t marry and refused calls to resign reversed course today and stepped down.

Gov. Bobby Jindal said Keith Bardwell’s resignation from his elected post in a small town north of New Orleans was “long overdue,” reports the Associated Press.

Bardwell, who is white, refused several weeks ago to marry a “mixed couple,” Beth Humphrey and Terence McKay. They have since filed a federal civil rights lawsuit over the incident.

Earlier coverage:

ABAJournal.com: “Complaints Mount Against JP Who Refused Marriage License to Interracial Couple”

Give us feedback, share a story tip or update, or report an error.