Kim Davis, the Kentucky clerk locked up for refusing to issue marriage licenses to gay couples, was released from jail on Tuesday — as her case also drew the personal attention of two presidential candidates.
Davis was greeted by a crowd of singing and cheering supporters as she exited the jail. They sang “Amazing Grace” and “God Bless America,” as her attorney vowed Davis would be back to work “this week.”
The order for her release came from U.S. District Judge David Bunning, the same judge who initially jailed the Rowan County clerk last Thursday on a contempt of court charge.
But Bunning lifted that order Tuesday.
He said the court is “satisfied” that since last week, the clerk’s office has been issuing marriage licenses “to all legally eligible couples” — those licenses have been handled by Davis’ deputy clerks.
At the same time, Bunning directed Davis not to “interfere in any way” with the marriage licenses now being issued by her office.
“If Defendant Davis should interfere in any way with their issuance, that will be considered a violation of this Order and appropriate sanctions will be considered,” he said in the order. Bunning is the son of former Kentucky Sen. Jim Bunning.
