ASHEVILLE (AP) — North Carolina prosecutors are dropping trespassing charges against five people involved in a sit-in to press for same-sex marriage rights in Asheville.
The Asheville Citizen-Times reported that Thursday’s decision to drop charges comes a day after three co-defendants were found not guilty of second-degree trespassing.
The eight were arrested May 11 at the Buncombe County Register of Deeds office after same-sex couples repeatedly applied for marriage licenses and were rejected.
Their protest came two days after President Barack Obama publicly endorsed same-sex marriage, and three days after North Carolina voters overwhelmingly passed a constitutional amendment that defines marriage as solely between a man and a woman.