A judge accused of refusing to perform a same-sex marriage ceremony in Syracuse last month is recusing herself from certain cases because she is under investigation by the Onondaga District Attorney’s Office, according to Syracuse.com.
Deborah Karalunas, the Administrative Judge for the Fifth Judicial District, told Syracuse.com that Judge Fecilia Pitts Davis — the one accused of ghosting a same-sex couple as they were about to tie the knot — is “temporarily” recusing herself from cases pertaining to the Onondaga County District Attorney’s Office. Syracuse.com reported that a grand jury was hearing evidence from the district attorney’s office to determine whether to issue charges, though District Attorney William Fitzpatrick has not confirmed the grand jury probe because grand juries are not public in New York State.
Pitts Davis allegedly officiated the first wedding slated for Nov. 16 at Syracuse City Court. That wedding involved a straight couple. After that, 33-year-old Shawntay Davis and 29-year-old Niccora Davis were next on the schedule — but Pitts Davis refused to marry them and left the courtroom. Instead, out city court judge Mary Anne Doherty performed their wedding after Pitts Davis told Doherty she did not want to marry the couple due to her religious beliefs, according to Syracuse.com.
“The way [Pitts Davis] got up and left the courtroom was rude, then all of a sudden another judge came in, and that’s when we got married,” Shawntay Davis told Syracuse.com. “It was real weird.”
In addition to the district attorney’s office, the state’s Commission on Judicial Conduct is also looking into the incident.
