Trial Begins With Emotional Testimony

In the first day of the Prop 8 trial in federal court in San Francisco, gay couples argued they were second-class citizens without an equal right to wed, in emotional testimonies heard by the court. The case may result in "the civil-rights fight of the modern era," but judges are moving slowly to determine the constitutionality of California's ban on same-sex marriage. At the trial, two gay couples shared their stories in hopes of achieving an emotional appeal, one saying, "I feel like a tiny person in this huge country, and I just want my rights." Lawyers on both sides faced intense questioning from the judges, and although media was present, the U.S. Supreme Court put a temporary halt to broadcasting the trial through YouTube. The trial is expected to last several weeks, and could reach the U.S. Supreme Court.