ASHEVILLE, N.C. — A Washington state great-grandmother, who was ordered to pay $1,001 to the state for refusing to create a flower arrangement for a long-time customer’s same-sex wedding, has raised more than $100,000 from supporters.
Barronelle Stutzman, 70, reportedly raised the funds in a crowdfunding campaign through gofundme.com that was set up in February. As of April 6, the total had risen to reportedly more than $100,000. The donated money is intended for potential legal bills, a note for Stutzman on the gofundme.com site said.
Stutzman sold flowers to Robert Ingersoll and Curt Freed for more than nine years. But when Ingersoll asked her to create the flower arrangements for the couple’s wedding in 2013, Stutzman said she couldn’t because of her “relationship with Jesus Christ.”
The Washington state attorney sued Stutzman for sexual orientation discrimination under the state’s Consumer Protection Act (CPA). Ingersoll and Freed then filed their own lawsuit against her. A ruling Feb. 18 settled both suits by summary judgment in the plaintiffs’ favor.
On March 27, Stutzman was ordered to pay a $1,000 “civil penalty” to the state and $1 in attorneys’ fees.
(BP)
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