fEBfiUAflY k MM juStjOUtjlg
When Turner asked him
about her right to appeal his
decision, he informed her
that she had no such right
and that he was the ultimate
decision maker.
sex domestic partners of city
employees does not violate
state laws restricting mar­
riage to one man and one
woman. “The extension of
health care benefits does
The chief judge did not
not afford a legal status,
issue a written order explain­
‘identical or substantially
ing his decision, as required by
similar to that of marriage,’
state law. Without either an
nor does it in any way tram­
official case file or a written
ple on any purported public
Actor
Heath
Ledger
was
found
dead
order, Turner was left in legal
policy favoring marriage
Jan. 22 in his SoHo apartment.
limbo, with no ability either to
over unmarried cohabita­
proceed with her name change or to appeal the chief tion,” Ramsey wrote in her judgment.
judges decision.
Lambda Legal’s complaint argues that the circuit
NEW YORK
court clerk and the chief judge failed to follow prop­
Heath Ledger Dies
er procedure by refusing to allow Turner to proceed
Actor Heath Ledger was found dead Jan. 22 in
with her name change while her request for a fee
an apartment in Manhattan, according to the New
waiver was pending and by refusing to issue a writ­
York City police. He was 28.
ten order explaining the reasons for denying the fee
According to the police, a masseuse discovered
waiver.
Ledger when she arrived at the fourth-floor apart­
ment of the building, in the SoHo district. His
LOUISIANA
housekeeper and masseuse found him naked and
New Orleans Offers
unconscious on a bed, with sleeping pills—both
Partner Benefits
prescription medication and nonprescription—on
The Civil District Court for the Parish of Orleans
a night table. They attempted to revive him, but he
ruled Jan. 24 that the city of New Orleans was with­ did not respond. They immediately called the
in its authority when it granted health benefits to
authorities.
domestic partners of city employees and established
The police said they did not suspect a crime.
a domestic partner registry for city residents.
Ledger was said to be suffering from insomnia
“This lawsuit needlessly jeopardized the health
and possibly pneumonia. He had just traveled from
and well-being of city employees and their families
Australia and London, returning Jan. 21 to New
by threatening to take away their health insur­ York.
ance," said Lambda Legal senior staff attorney
Heathcliff Andrew Ledger was bom April 4,
Brian Chase.
1979, to Sally Ledger, a French teacher, and Kim
The city of New Orleans extended health insur­
Ledger, an engineer. Named for a character in
ance benefits to same-sex partners of city employees
Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights, he and his older
in 1997, and in 1999, the City Council created
sister, Katherine, grew up in Perth, Australia.
a domestic partner registry that allows couples to
The role for which Ledger was probably best
make a public declaration to care for and support
known was in 2OO5’s Brokeback Mountain, in which
each other. Those policies came under attack in 2002
he played a gay cowboy. The film won critical
from the Alliance Defense Fund, on behalf of a group
acclaim. Ledger was nominated for an Oscar for
of city taxpayers claiming a right to challenge the
Best Actor in January 2006.
laws. At the city’s request, Lambda Legal joined the
Ledger met actress Michelle Williams while
lawsuit, representing city employee Peter Sabi and his
filming Brokeback Mountain. They became roman­
partner, Philip Centanni Jr. Sabi and Centanni lat­
tically involved and moved to Boerum Hill,
er left Louisiana, and city employee Brian Barbieri
Brooklyn, where they lived with their daughter,
and his partner, Howard Lees, joined the lawsuit.
Matilda Rose, who was born Oct. 28, 2005. The
Chief District Court Judge Nadine Ramsey ruled
couple separated last year.
Jan. 15 that the state constitution does indeed grant
Ledger had been cast as the Joker in the latest
the city of New Orleans the authority to offer bene­
Batman installment, The Dark Knight, which is
expected
to be released this summer. ©
fits to the domestic partners of city employees and
maintain a registry of domestic partners. She also
Compiled by JAYMEE R. CUTl
ruled that extending health care benefits to the same-
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