Anti-Gay Bakery Finally Pays Court-Ordered Damages

In 2013, Gresham-base bakery Sweet Cakes by Melissa refused to bake a wedding cake for a same-sex couple, and the fallout ultimately led to the bakery's closure. Then this July, the owners of the bakery Aaron and Melissa Klein were ordered by the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries to pay the same-sex couple $135,000 in damages, and the Kleins defied the court order. Today, the Oregonian reports that the Kleins have not only paid the court-ordered quantity, but $136,927.07, a total that includes accrued interest.

This does not mean the case is closed. The Kleins' lawyer Tyler Smith tells the O the Kleins will continue to appeal the Bureau of Labor and Industries' ruling, which could result in the funds being returned to the Kleins. Smith explains the payment made by his clients this way: He says his clients were being charged nine-percent interested on the court-ordered amount, which equated to $35 a day, and since the Kleins' appeal won't likely be heard until later in 2016, it made sense to pay the amount now.