Two women who staged a sit-in at the Denver Clerk and Recorder’s Office after being denied a license to marry each other were found guilty Wednesday of trespassing.
After the verdict by an all-female Denver County Court jury, Judge James Breese sentenced Kate Burns and Sheila Schroeder to 28 hours of community service each and ordered each to pay $41 in court costs.
Breese said he was imposing no jail time because the women conducted themselves in a “rational and calm” manner when they sought the marriage license last fall.
During testimony, both women said their reason for seeking the marriage license was their deep love for each other and their religious beliefs. The sit-in, they said, was to show they and other committed gay and lesbian couples believe that Amendment 43, passed by 56 percent of Colorado voters in 2006, is unconstitutional. Amendment 43 defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman.
The couple said they would continue to fight Amendment 43.
Howard Pankratz, The Denver Post
