Oprah show on Baker-McConnell marriage Oct 27

Jack Baker was unable to attend a recent event honoring his law triumph re gay marriage rights.
However the related email below explains his recent illness and gives a hint about the legal victory involved.
Oprah Winfrey is scheduled to do a related three-hour program Sunday October 27, 2013, primetime.



From Jack Baker

To Dale Carpenter II

Oct 15 at 10:57 AM

 

Dale Carpenter II, Editor
Constitutional Commentary
Earl R. Larson Professor of Civil Rights & Civil Liberties Law
University of Minnesota Law School

I hope the October 4th event celebrating the 125th anniversary of the U of M Law School was a great success. Missing it was my misfortune. I will look forward to its report in the Law School's next bulletin.

I'm delighted to be able to report that I've made a much faster recovery from my recent surgery than even my doctor anticipated. So I would be open - schedule permitting - to attend another of the anniversary events. Please do keep me informed about these as times and speakers are finalized, etc.

I've regained enough energy to continue my self-imposed task of organizing records from the past. In doing so, I came upon The Family Law Reporter's 1974 analysis [attached] of the legality of our marriage. We forwarded a copy to the Oprah Winfrey Network to confirm their inquiry about the first lawful same-sex marriage.[1]

This excerpt,[2] in particular, affirms your conclusion that the first lawsuit to challenge the denial of marriage to same-sex couples originated at the U of M Law School, thanks to good teaching. It justifies assertions by news outlets that our lawful marriage has withstood the test of time.--
Jack Baker, Esq.
Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA

[1] Oprah's Next Chapter, a three-hour, primetime special, will appear on Sunday, 27 October 2013.
[2] [T]he "federal constitution prohibition against ex post facto laws, U.S. Constitution Article l, Section 9(3), forbids the imposition of punishment for past conduct lawful at the time it was engaged", and hence the Minnesota high court's decision does not reach back to Baker and McConnell since the two were married "a full six weeks" before that decision. Donald A. Thigpen, Jr., Editor. The Bureau of National Affairs, 10 December 1974, vol. 1, no. 5, 2103.