ACLU involved in Gast case
By CONNIE PARISH, Times Staff Writer
The court appearance for a transsexual charged with false swearing in applying for a marriage license last week was continued today because her attorney couldn't be present.
Meanwhile, the American Civil Liberties Union has become involved in Sandy Gast's case because of what executive director Dick Kurtenbach called "civil rights issues."
"I don't know how many people have had to spend six hours in jail" because they were accused of the misdemeanor of false swearing, Kurtenbach said this morning in Leavenworth County District Court. Gast had been scheduled to appear before Judge Frederick Stewart. Kurtenbach said the ACLU will also be investigating Gast's treatment while she was in jail. If what Gast alleged was true, that she was strip searched by a male officer, Kurtenbach said, "that was reprehensible."