Coleman was required to register as a sex offender after he impregnated Trista when she was 14 and he was 38 years old. They married soon thereafter. However, when Miranda was born Coleman and Crews were in the middle of a divorce where Coleman asserted that Miranda was the child of another man. Miranda was raised and lived with her maternal grandmother Rita Manning.

However, since Crews died, Coleman has asserted his right to custody of his “daughter” Miranda. Further, since he was married to her mother at the time, he is presumed to be the father of any child born of that marriage. Moreover, the true father has seemingly failed to assert any paternity rights. In a grand twist of irony, Coleman managed to wrest custody of Miranda by asserting that grandmother Manning was a danger to Miranda because she was charged with child neglect in 1997 – for allowing 14 year old Trista to be impregnated by Coleman.

This scenario could not occur in Illinois. Even though a man is presumed to be the father of a child born during his marriage to the mother (750 ILCS 45/5), a father convicted of a sex offense cannot have custody or visitation rights unless the mother or the child’s guardian consents. (750 ILCS 45/6.5).

The article did make clear, however, that when a same-sex couple is applying for a  license in Illinois to enter a civil union under the Civil Union Act, they have a right to the license even though the union may be illegal in their home state. There is a certification that applicants have to sign in order to obtain the license that the union would not be illegal in the home state. However, this certification applies to situations involving age of consent and familial relations (i.e. first cousins marrying, or underage marriages.)

David Voelkert, who sells and installs video and surveillance equipment, also confessed that he placed a tracking/listening device in his ex-wife’s car so he could monitor her. The FBI charged him with illegally installing the device. The charges were later dismissed.