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365Gay.com
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Florida
Prison Guards Disciplined
For
Allowing 'Gay Wedding'
From the
Web, October 25, 2007f
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Gainesville, Florida -- One
prison guard was fired, another resigned and six others were handed suspensions
for allowing what the Florida Department of Corrections calls a gay wedding
between two female inmates at the Lowell Correctional Institution.
The guards allegedly allowed the women to hold the ceremony in a prison common
room on St. Patrick's Day. It came to light when another prisoner
complained and the Department began an investigation.
A copy of the Department's report was obtained by the Gainesville Sun.
The report was based on interviews with guards, inmates and a review of a tape
from a security camera.
The paper says that prisoners in the facility used a prison bed sheet for a veil
for one of the women. Another bed sheet was used to cover a table to
create an altar. Pink prison forms where torn to make bows for decorations
and human hair and dental floss were used to make rings which the two women
exchanged.
The paper does not say who conducted the ceremony.
The "marriage" would have no legal basis in Florida because same-sex marriage is
illegal. In addition prison rules prohibit sex or unauthorized physical
contact between inmates.
"The rule exists for the protection of inmates against communicable diseases,
bartering for sex, jeopardizing the safety of inmates and staff. If
allowed, the department believes sex acts become a commodity and create an
unstable environment," prison spokesperson Jo Ellyn Rackleff told the Sun.
The video shows several guards watching the event.
The paper says that the report concluded that the close-custody inmates to
gather for the event placed officers at risk, although it did not detail any
problems that were created by the "wedding".
The report also concluded that the officers also erred by allowing inmates to
use state property to stage the event.
The couple has since been split up, with one of the women transferred to another
facility.
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