Tuesday, August 16, 2011

STAGE COLLAPSE UPDATE: Coroner Tells Lesbian She Can't Have Partner's Body

from Joe. My. God. by Joe
Bilerico reports that an Indiana coroner cited DOMA in his refusal to release the body of Christina Santiago to her lesbian partner. Santiago was one of five killed at Saturday's stage collapse at the stage fair.
The Marion County coroner's office is refusing to release Santiago's body to her partner; the office cited the Defense of Marriage Act as the reason why they've turned down Brennon's request to pick up her loved one's remains. DOMA allows states to refuse to recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states. Indiana has its own version of DOMA that outlaws same-sex marriage. Since Indiana law requires the next-of-kin to pick up Santiago's body, but the state won't recognize Brennon as the surviving spouse, Santiago's body is still laying in the morgue awaiting a solution. It's unclear whether or not Santiago has other family available to claim her corpse and take it home for burial.
Santiago's partner was herself injured in the incident.



Love Ya Bunches
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