Partner of Fallen State Trooper Fighting for Benefits

[William769]

The American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of Eastern Missouri head to court on Wednesday for Kelly Glossip, who's being denied death benefits after his partner of 15 years, a Missouri state trooper, was killed on duty.

Cpl. Dennis Engelhard died on Christmas Day 2009 after he was hit by a car as he investigated an accident. While spouses and opposite-sex partners of Missouri state troopers can receive an annuity of 50% of the employee’s salary, Glossip is being denied the benefit. Glossip is raising a teenage son, who Englehard considered a stepson.

http://www.advocate.com/News/Daily_News/2011/11/29/Partner_of_Fallen_State_Trooper_Fighting_for_Benefits/

[MADem]

1. This is a sad situation. There apparently is no paperwork, or I'm not seeing any in the article.

They should have gone somewhere where they could have formalized their relationship, and made arrangements for the late Cpl. to have some sort of legal relationship (guardian-ward) with the stepson. Am I mistaken in thinking MO doesn't have marriage equality?

I hope the ACLU can pull something out of the hat on this one. I see a sentence where it says "opposite sex partners can receive an annuity" but what do they mean by that? Is there a paperwork requirement? Does Missouri have civil unions? Anyone know?

[HillWilliam]

2. Kick and Rec 5

This is the kind of shyte we GLBT* folk have to put up with, having to fight for what everyone else takes for granted.

It makes me want to scream when someone says "write a will". Wills are next to useless for us within the current framework of the law. They get overturned routinely when the greedy family of a decedant (who would have NOTHING to do with the couple on life) suddenly swoops in to take everything from the survivor. I've seen it happen time and time over -- and it has happened to me.

First good step: get rid of DOMA.