Jordan Palmer (social activist)

Jordan Palmer is an American social activist, politician, and the founder of the Kentucky Equality Federation. Palmer is from Hazard, Kentucky.

Gay rights

In early 2006 Jordan founded Kentucky Equal Rights (later renamed Kentucky Equality Federation by a majority vote of its members) to advance the interests of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Palmer also served as Vice President of Development of Marriage Equality USA based in San Francisco, California.[1]

On September 10, 2013 the Kentucky Equality Federation sued the Commonwealth of Kentucky in Franklin Circuit Court claiming Kentucky's 2004 Constitutional Amendment banning same-sex marriage violated sections of the commonwealth's constitution.[2] Case # 13-CI-1074 was assigned by the Franklin County Court Clerk[3] (the location of the Kentucky State Capitol). The lawsuit was conceived by President Jordan Palmer[4], written and signed by Vice President of Legal Jillian Hall, Esq.

Palmer stated to the media that:

Kentucky added a facially unconstitutional amendment to its constitution via a ballot initiative process. Thus, the attempt to abrogate constitutional sensibilities in favor of a ballot initiative, as was done for Section 233A of the Kentucky Constitution in 2004, is against the very notion of equal protection as guaranteed to each and all of Kentucky's population. This should be held as true as a matter of law by the Courts, regardless of the ballot's outcome.[5]

Ruling

On April 16, 2015, Kentucky Equality Federation v. Beshear also known as Kentucky Equality Federation v. Commonwealth of Kentucky was ruled on by Franklin County Circuit Court Judge Thomas D. Wingate. Judge Wingate sided with Kentucky Equality Federation against the Commonwealth and struck down Kentucky Constitutional Amendment banning same-sex marriages. Judge Wingate also struck down all laws passed by the Kentucky General Assembly. At the request of Governor Steve Beshear's legal representation, the Judge also placed a stay on the order pending a ruling from a Kentucky appellate court (such as the Kentucky Court of Appeals or Kentucky's court of last resort, the Kentucky Supreme Court) or the U.S. Supreme Court.[6] The lawsuit was a significant victory for the Kentucky Equality Federation and the same-sex marriage civil rights movement.

Kentucky's statutory and constitutional bans on same-sex marriage void and unenforceable for violating Plaintiff and Plaintiff's Members Constitutional Rights", ruled Judge Wingate.[7]

First Hate Crime Convictions

When Kevin Pennington was attached in the Appalachian mountains, Palmer demanded the U.S. Department of Justice prosecute his assailants under the U.S. Matthew Shepherd and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act[8]. Palmer succeeded and was active in the preparation of the trail. David Jason Jenkins, of Cumberland, and Anthony Ray Jenkins, of Partridge, was indicted and convicted in U.S. District Court in London, KY.[9][10]

Politics

Palmer stepped down in 2012 from the Kentucky Equality Federation. In 2014, he is running for Kentucky State Senate.[11] Palmer lost to the incumbent and returned to lead the Kentucky Equality Federation and its member organizations.

References
  1. "#MarriageEquality: Special Statement on U.S. Supreme Court and marriage equality in Kentucky". Retrieved 2019-05-24.
  2. "Group files lawsuit challenging Kentucky's ban on same-sex marriage". Lexington Herald-Leader. 2013-09-12. Retrieved 2014-01-01.
  3. "Kentucky Equality Federation v Commonwealth of Kentucky digital copy" (Press release). Lez Get Real. 2013-09-13. Archived from the original on 2013-12-25. Retrieved 2014-01-01.
  4. "Kentucky Equality Federation sues the Commonwealth of Kentucky for marriage equality". Retrieved 2019-05-24.
  5. "Kentucky Equality Federation sues the Commonwealth of Kentucky for marriage equality (digital copy listed on press release)" (Press release). Kentucky Equality Federation. 2013-09-12. Retrieved 2014-01-01.
  6. "Kentucky Judge rules in favor of Kentucky Equality Federation and gay marriage". Kentucky Equality Federation Official Facebook Page. 2015-04-16. Retrieved 2015-07-14.
  7. "Kentucky Circuit Judge rules in favor of Kentucky Equality Federation" (Press release). Kentucky Equality Federation. 2013-09-12. Retrieved 2015-07-14.
  8. "Two plead guilty in Kevin Pennington case. Kentucky being the first in the United States to use to federal hate crimes law". Retrieved 2019-05-24.
  9. "Kevin Pennington Hate Crime Trial Official Statement". Retrieved 2019-05-24.
  10. "First federal hate crime indictment handed down based on sexual orientation due to Kentucky Equality Federation president Jordan Palmer". Retrieved 2019-05-24.
  11. "Jordan Palmer's Biography". Project Vote Smart. Retrieved 16 August 2014.
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