Politics

Federal lawsuit after policy bars inmates from marrying

KBIA | By Marshall Griffin

Published November 28, 2012 at 8:08 AM CST

The Americans Civil Liberties Union has filed a federal lawsuit against the state prison facility at Jefferson City over a policy they say is barring inmates from getting married.

According to the suit, Gena Fuller, one of the plaintiffs, was scheduled to re-marry her ex-husband on Sept. 24. He’s an inmate at the Jefferson City Correctional Center. ACLU officials say the wedding never took place because of a new policy requiring all visitors to disclose their Social Security numbers to prison staff upon entering. Cole County Recorder of Deeds Larry Rademan refused to give out his Social Security number, and as a result, was not able to witness the marriage license signatures for Fuller and several other couples that day. The lawsuit was filed in the US District Court’s Western Missouri District.

Tags

Marshall Griffin

Missouri Public Radio State House Reporter Marshall Griffin is a proud alumnus of the University of Mississippi (a.k.a., Ole Miss), and has been in radio for over 20 years, starting out as a deejay. His big break in news came when the first President Bush ordered the invasion of Panama in 1989. Marshall was working the graveyard shift at a rock station, and began ripping news bulletins off the old AP teletype and reading updates between songs. From there on, his radio career turned toward news reporting and anchoring. In 1999, he became the capital bureau chief for Florida's Radio Networks, and in 2003 he became News Director at WFSU-FM/Florida Public Radio. During his time in Tallahassee he covered seven legislative sessions, Governor Jeb Bush's administration, four hurricanes, the Terri Schiavo saga, and the 2000 presidential recount. Before coming to Missouri, he enjoyed a brief stint in the Blue Ridge Mountains, reporting and anchoring for WWNC-AM in Asheville, North Carolina. Marshall lives in Jefferson City with his wife, Julie, their dogs, Max and Mason, and their cat, Honey.

See stories by Marshall Griffin