NEW ORLEANS, Jan. 8, 01 (CWNews.com) - Homosexual activists have appealed a judge's ruling that a 196-year-old anti-sodomy law doesn't violate the state's constitution.

    The Louisiana Electorate of Gays and Lesbians filed the appeal of the 1999 decision by Judge Carolyn Gill-Jefferson. The gay activists contend the law "denies us the right to have sex under any circumstances," according to John Rawls, their attorney. State attorneys, however, say the law promotes marriage and encourages procreation.

    Arguments are scheduled Monday before the state's 4th Circuit Court of Appeal. If LEGAL loses, the case cannot be appealed to federal court, Rawls said. "We have not raised any federal issues in this case," he said. "It is based entirely on the broad human rights that the people of Louisiana have preserved for ourselves in the state Constitution."

    Also, the US Supreme Court ruled 5-4 in 1985 that the US Constitution does not provide a right to privacy to gays and lesbians, he said.

For other news stories, see

January 9, 2001
volume 12, no. 9
News on the Church in the USA

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