Gay marriage charges against New York village mayor dropped News
Gay marriage charges against New York village mayor dropped

[JURIST] A New York prosecutor Tuesday dropped all charges against New Paltz [official website] Mayor Jason West, who could have faced jail time for marrying gay couples on the steps of the village hall. In May 2005, 24 misdemeanor counts were filed against West for violating the state's domestic relations law by marrying couples without licenses, making him subject to fines with a possibility of up to one year in jail. Throughout the series of charges filed and dropped [JURIST report] against West over the past year for failing to uphold the law in New York, he has maintained that he is standing up for the constitutional rights of gay couples. The Boston Globe has more.