Two Men Marry, Illegally
posted 11:25 am Tue June 24, 2008 - Norfolk, VA
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A Norfolk couple walked into a courthouse back in March, exchanged vows, and became "husband and wife." But it turns out they were really husband and husband. 18-year-old Justin McCain dressed up as a woman and changed his name to Justine so that he and his partner, 31-year-old Antonio Blount could get married. Along the way, they had many people fooled.
"We just went through the ceremony and at the end of the ceremony I pronounced them man and wife."
Pretty routine stuff for marriage counselor Al Coward. This week, though he'd find out the I Do's he presided over in March at the Norfolk Circuit Courthouse were a big to-do with a call coming from the clerk of Circuit Court in Newport News.
"And he says 'Do you realize that that was two men? And I said, I won't tell you what I said but I said 'No, I certainly did not know that they were two men. If I had known that I wouldn't have done it.'"
Keep in mind no one in Newport News picked up on it either. Same day as the wedding ceremony, Antonio Blount and Justin, pronouced Justine McCain, showed up in Newport News to get a marriage license. Clerk of Court Rex Davis says they took the required oath, swearing their info was accurate, showing the required photo IDs. 18-year-old Justine appeared to be a woman in person and in his picture. License in hand, they headed to Norfolk.
"They had all the proper paperwork. They fit the description of what the marriage license said, so there was no red flag anywhere."
The only one that flew up was this month, back where everything started. A Newport News deputy recognized the couple when they returned to the courthouse so McCain could apply for a name change that stood out. His choice: Penelope Skye Ariana Goldberry. No one was at the apartment the couple they gave as their address when we stopped there Thursday. Neighbors say they didn't know either one, both seeming to blend into the background, just as they did in March.
"I can't describe them. Cannot describe them. Nothing unusual, just street clothes. Had their marriage license."
Lying on a marriage license application is a crime. McCain and Blount could be charged with a misdemeanor.
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