United States Supreme Court, in New Jersey, has ruled that siblings have the legal right to marry and build a family. In a landmark ruling delivered by the Supreme Court, A New Jersey siblings, James and Victoria Banes won the right to marry each other, after a prolonged legal battle with the United States Government.
In a 5-to-4 ruling, five judges unanimously granted the appeal by James Banes, 41, and Victoria Banes, 38, today after a ten-year-long battle.
James and Victoria Banes said they did it for the “millions of Americans who have consensual incestuous relationships and who are living in fear”.
James Banes blasted the Government for wasting ‘taxpayers’ money fighting their challenge.
“Incest has been practised by humans since the dawn of time. If Adam and Eve hadn’t done it, the human race would not be here today,” James Banes told reporters after his historic victory at the Supreme Court.
Lawyer to Banes family, Julianne Grey, said that “criminalizing incestuous marriage while first-cousin marriage was legal in the state of New Jersey was a nonsensical and discriminatory measure”.
“Why am I allowed to bang my cousin but not my sister? It just doesn’t make any sense,” James Banes criticized outside of court.
“We’ve always dreamed of having a big family, now this dream will become a reality” added Victoria Banes, who also told reporters she is pregnant and expecting twins.
Recall that, New Jersey state laws only allowed first-cousin marriages but since the landmark ruling, New Jersey is now the only state in the USA to also allow incestuous marriages.
The couple that was currently facing up to 15 years in jail said that they were now planning to start a large family and enjoy their newly found freedom.
