A beat of silence followed.
State admits HB 1523 doesnt protect all
By Larrison Campbell
U.S. District Judge Carlton Reeves asked lawyers for the state in court Friday if its controversial "religious freedom law" would protect Mississippians with sincerely held religious beliefs against straight marriage, just as it protects those with sincerely held religious beliefs against gay marriage.
A beat of silence followed.
Paul Barnes, who is defending the attorney general and the registrar of vital records in a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of House Bill 1523, cleared his throat. Judge Reeves looked at him.
"I'm trying to parse it out," Barnes said.
Almost a minute of silence followed. The other attorneys for the defense, Douglas Miracle and Tommy Goodwin, checked their notes. Someone coughed. Finally, Barnes leaned into his microphone.
http://mississippitoday.org/2016/06/24/state-admits-hb-1523-doesnt-go-both-ways/