The late Tyrone Garner (left) and the late John Geddes Lawrence
The remaining plaintiff in the landmark 2003 gay rights case Lawrence v. Texas has died, the Houston Chronicle reported Tuesday. However, John Geddes Lawrence, 68, succumbed to a heart condition in November.
Lawrence and his partner Tyrone Garner were arrested for having sex, while police responded to reports of an alleged gunman. Lawrence and Garner sat in a Houston jail for hours, before paying a $200 bond. The arrest led to a case, which went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Reversing a 1986 decision allowing states to prohibit gay sex, Supreme Court justice ruled 6-3 that gay and lesbian Americans deserved privacy rights. Lawrence’s attorney, Mitchell Katine, believes Lawrence v. Texas could play major role in gaining marriage equality nationwide.
“It has implications throughout the country for marriage, for employment issues, for a wide range of opportunities for GLBT people to become equal in our society,” Katine said.
Photo: freerepublic.com
