The judge whose ruling striking down Kentucky's ban on gay marriage led to an appeal heard this week in the U.S. Supreme Court has died.
U.S. District Judge John G. Heyburn II died Wednesday at his home after battling cancer for several years.
Last year, Heyburn struck down Kentucky's ban on gay marriage and on recognizing same-sex marriages from outside the state. The rulings were reversed on appeal, but the Supreme Court heard arguments on them Tuesday.
U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell released a statement saying Heyburn had delivered opinions in complex cases over more than two decades on the bench but would also be remembered for his devotion to his family. Heyburn was 66.