Finding that children are not harmed by living with gay or lesbian parents, an Arkansas court struck down a state regulation that banned gay people and anyone living in a household with a gay adult from being foster parents in the state, according to an American Civil Liberties Union ( ACLU ) press release. The ACLU brought the lawsuit against the state in 1999 on behalf of three prospective foster parents. Among Circuit Court Judge Timothy Fox's factual findings was that being raised by gay parents does not increase the risk of psychological, behavioral, or academic problems for children.
The Montana Supreme Court ruled that the gay and lesbian partners of Montana university system employees have the same right to health insurance benefits as their unmarried heterosexual counterparts, the Helena Independent Record reported.
California began granting sweeping, marriage-like rights to thousands of gay and lesbian couples beginning Jan. 1, the Sacramento Bee reported. The state's new law will require courts to treat domestic partnerships just as they would marriages in settling disputes over dissolution, financial support, community property, inheritance, child custody, debt assumption and other matters.
In Los Angeles, a Marine who led city police on a high-speed chase after allegedly killing a transgender prostitute in Hollywood was shot to death by officers, the Desert Sun reported. Patrick Edward Vallor, 22, allegedly pointed a gun at officers in a McDonald's restaurant parking lot. The Marine apparently picked up a prostitute he believed was a female, investigators said. When he discovered the prostitute was transgender [ M-to-F ] , the Marine allegedly killed her and dumped the body near Melrose Avenue. The coroner's office could not release the identity of the victim.
A lawyer for the City of San Francisco has warned that a decision by the judge in the suit challenging the state's ban on same-sex marriage could impair its ability to appeal, 365Gay.com reported. Legal arguments in the case wrapped up but San Francisco County Superior Court Judge Richard Kramer has asked to see additional written arguments by Jan. 14. However, Kramer has told the city it cannot include arguments countering the assertions made by conservative groups opposing same-sex marriage that gays can be cured and that children are better off with opposite-sex parents.