John Arthur who challenged same-sex marriage ban has died

Source: The Cincinnati Enquirer

John Arthur, who flew to Maryland in July to marry his longtime partner Jim Obergefell, touching off a legal battle to force the state of Ohio to recognize their marriage and those of other same-sex couples, died Tuesday at the age of 48.

Mr. Arthur was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in 2011, and his terminal illness played a prominent role in the couple’s decision to marry and in the ensuing legal battle. He and Obergefell had been a couple since 1992 but decided to marry after the U.S. Supreme Court’s June 26 decision striking down portions of the federal Defense of Marriage Act.

“We had talked about getting married, and we never ever felt it would be anything more than symbolic because of the nature of our country,” Mr. Arthur said in an interview shortly before the wedding.

But as they watched coverage of the Supreme Court decision from Mr. Arthur’s medical bed in the couple’s Over-the-Rhine condo, they decided that the potential for federal recognition was enough to pursue a legal marriage. Because Ohio has a constitutional ban on same-sex weddings, they had to travel to one of the 13 states that allow gay couples to marry. But their decision was complicated by the fact that Mr. Arthur was bedridden and unable to travel except on a medical transport plane. They settled on Maryland because his partner could obtain a marriage license by himself, requiring Mr. Arthur to travel just once....


Read more: http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20131022/NEWS0104/310220031/John-Arthur-who-challenged-same-sex-marriage-ban-has-died