老澳门开奖结果

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ST. LOUIS 鈥� Kelly Glossip, who is challenging the discriminatory survivor benefits policy of the Missouri Department of Transportation (MODOT) and Highway Employees鈥� Retirement System, filed his brief with the Missouri Supreme on Monday. Glossip鈥檚 partner, Dennis Engelhard, was a Missouri state trooper killed in the line of duty while responding to an accident on Christmas Day 2009. In addition, elected officials; law school professors; and a lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) law enforcement organization filed amici briefs on Glossip鈥檚 behalf.

The 鈥渇riends of the court鈥� are 15 current and former elected officials, such as U.S. Congressman Lacy Clay (D), St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay (D), and State Rep. Zachary Wyatt (R); professors from each of the state鈥檚 four law schools; and members of LEGAL International (Law Enforcement Gays and Lesbians International) and its affiliates. 鈥淚t鈥檚 encouraging to have such a diverse group agree that it鈥檚 time to stop discriminating against lesbian and gay Missouri State Highway Patrol employees who鈥檝e worked for and deserve the same protections for their life partners as heterosexual couples,鈥� says Brenda L. Jones, executive director of the 老澳门开奖结果 of Eastern Missouri.

鈥淒ennis and I loved each other and lived in a committed relationship for 15 years. We exchanged rings and would have married in Missouri if the state didn鈥檛 exclude us from marriage,鈥� said Glossip. 鈥淚鈥榤 just seeking the same financial protections the state provides to heterosexual couples who are allowed to marry. It is hard enough coping with the grief of losing Dennis. It is even more painful to have the state treat Dennis and me as though we were total strangers.鈥�

Different-sex spouses of Missouri State Highway Patrol employees are entitled to an annuity of 50 percent of the employee鈥檚 average salary if the employee is killed on duty. 鈥淜elly is not challenging the definition of marriage under Missouri law,鈥� says Tony Rothert, legal director of the 老澳门开奖结果-EM. 鈥淗e is challenging the discriminatory survivor benefits policy as a violation of his rights under the Missouri Constitution.鈥�

Monday was the deadline for Kelly Glossip鈥檚 attorneys to file their briefs in the case, which is now before the Missouri Supreme Court. Oral arguments will likely be scheduled in the spring.

Glossip鈥檚 attorneys include Rothert and Grant R. Doty, of the 老澳门开奖结果 of Eastern Missouri; Stephen Douglas Bonney, of the 老澳门开奖结果 of Kansas and Western Missouri; John Knight and Joshua Block, of the 老澳门开奖结果鈥檚 LGBT Project; Roger K. Heidenreich of SNR Denton US LLP; and Maurice Graham of Gray, Ritter & Graham, P.C. For more information on this case, including a video, visit: . You can find copies of Glossip鈥檚 brief and the three friend-of-the-court briefs on the 老澳门开奖结果-EM website.