Controversial county clerk Kim Davis released from jail after refusing to issue same-sex marriage licences

THE Kentucky county clerk who has made global news in the past few weeks for defying the US Supreme Court and not issuing marriage licenses to gay couples has been released from jail.

Kim Davis was jailed for contempt on September 3after several court orders warning her to not refuse to issue marriage licences based on her “religious conviction” in light of same-sex marriage being made legal by the US Supreme Court.

When she was jailed, Davis’ deputy clerks began granting marriage licenses to same-sex couple in her absence with the exception of one: her son.

As Davis walked out Carter County Detention Center overnight, she was met by hundreds of supporters carrying flags, crosses and signs, one of which read “Supreme Court = The new ISIS of America”.

As part of her release, Davis must comply with a ruling that will not allow her to interfere with the duties of her deputy clerks who work under her at the Rowan County clerks office.

In a two-page document, the judge who ordered her release stated that when Davis returns to her job later this week she “shall not interfere in any way, directly or indirectly, with the efforts of her deputy clerks to issue marriage licenses to all legally eligible couples” in Rowan County.

If she does interfere, the court will consider “appropriate sanctions”.

In the lead-up to her imprisonment, critics of Davis — who purports to be a devout believer in the Bible and her Christian faith — labelled her as a hypocrite, as she has remarried four times and has had two children out of wedlock.