Judge orders man to marry girlfriend or go to jail

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Judge Orders Man To Marry His Girlfriend And Write Down Bible Verses Or Go To Jail

MITH COUNTY, TX (KLTV) -

An East Texas couple says their choice to marry when they wanted to was taken away by a criminal court judge.

In July, a Smith County judge sentenced Josten Bundy to get married to his 19-year-old girlfriend as part of his probation, which also included writing Bible verses and getting counseling.

The court case stemmed from a February altercation between Bundy and the ex-boyfriend of his girlfriend, Elizabeth Jaynes.

“[The ex-boyfriend] had been saying disrespectful things about Elizabeth, so I challenged him to a fight,” said Bundy. “He stepped in and I felt like it was on and I hit him in the jaw twice.”

Bundy said the ex-boyfriend did not require medical attention, but pressed assault charges.

“I took matters into my own hands and I know that’s wrong,” Bundy said. “I know I was raised better, but it happened.”

At his sentencing hearing, Judge Randall Rogers asked Bundy about the fight.

“Is she worth it?” Judge Rogers asked Bundy, according to court transcripts.

“I said, well to be honest, sir, I was raised with four sisters and if any man was talking to a woman like that,” recalled Bundy, “I’d probably do the same thing.”

Judge Rogers asked Bundy if he was married to Jaynes and then said, “You know, as a part of my probation, you’re going to have to marry her…within 30 days.”

If Bundy declined to do the probation, he would be sentenced to 15 days in jail.

“He offered me fifteen days in jail and that would have been fine and I asked if I could call my job [to let them know],” said Bundy. “The judge told me ‘nope, that’s not how this works.’”

Jaynes, who was in the courtroom said the proposal from the judge embarrassed her.

“My face was so red, people behind me were laughing,” said Jaynes. “[The judge] made me stand up in court.”

Afraid of Bundy losing his job if he spent two weeks behind bars, the couple applied for their marriage license and scheduled a date with the justice of the peace to get married.

“It just felt like we weren't going to be able to have the wedding we wanted,” said Jaynes. “It was just going to be kind of pieced together, I didn't even have a white dress.”

The pair said a summer courthouse wedding was nothing like what they pictured when they imagined their future nuptials while they were dating.

“I used to watch Say Yes to the Dress and all those shows and all the dresses and think about what kind of dress I would have,” said Jaynes. “I would have liked a spring wedding when it’s not too hot and not too cold.”

Bundy said they talked about getting married just six months after they started dating.

“We were strung over each other and really were in love,” Bundy said. “[At our wedding] I would have worn a black tux with some yellow under it because I’m a Steelers fan.”

But with only 18 days to plan, even the people most important to them were missing.

"My father didn’t get to go, and that really bothers me, I know he would have liked to be there,” said Bundy. “None of my sisters got to show up, it was such short notice, I couldn’t get it together."


http://www.kltv.com/story/29721876/j...face-jail-time

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How long before he wishes he took the 15 days do you reckon?

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[Griffin]

Amanda woke to an empty bed. Alarmed, she put on her gown and headed downstairs to look for her husband. She found him sitting at the kitchen table with a cup of hot cocoa in front of him, staring vacantly at the wall.

"What's the matter, dear?" she asked, stepping into the room. "Why are you down here at this time of night!?"

Her husband looked up suddently, "Oh, hello Amanda. Did you know that it's the 20th Anniversary of the day we met?"

She couldn't believe he had remembered and started to well up with tears.

Her husband continued, "Do you remember, twenty years ago, when we started dating? I was eighteen and you were only fifteen."

She nodded, unable to speak.

Her husband paused. The words were not coming easily. "Do you remember when your father caught us in the back seat of my car?"

"Yes, I remember," said Amand, smiling as she lowered herself into a chair beside him and took his hand tenderly into her own.

He continued, "Do you remember when he shoved the shotgun in my face and said, 'Either you marry my daughter or I will make sure you spend the next twenty years in prison?'"

"I remember that too," she replied softly.

Her husband sighed, wiped a tear from his cheek, and said, "I would have gotten out today."