A US judge has ordered a Kentucky official jailed for contempt of court after she has repeatedly refused to issue marriage licences to gay couples.
Kim Davis, an elected official in Rowan County, has said that her Christian faith should exempt her from signing the licenses.
The US Supreme Court declared gay marriage legal in June.
Ms Davis, who has said she is obeying “God’s law,” has been escorted out of the courtroom.
“You can’t be separated from something that’s in your heart in your soul,” said Ms Davis to US District Judge David Bunning, and said the Supreme Court’s ruling conflicts with her beliefs as a born-again Christian. “I promised to love Him with all my heart, mind and soul because I wanted to make heaven my home.”
The judge said he had “no alternative” but to jail her, because issuing fines would not change her mind.
“Her good faith belief is simply not a viable defence,” said Mr Bunning. “Mrs Davis took an oath. Oaths mean things.”
