(AP) — A Louisiana couple filed a federal civil rights lawsuit Tuesday against a justice of the peace who refused to perform their marriage ceremony because they were of different races.Beth Humphrey and Terence McKay claim Keith Bardwell violated their civil rights when his office refused to perform the ceremony because they were of different races. The suit seeks financial penalties because of mental anguish and emotional distress.”The U.S. Supreme Court has long recognized that interference with marriage rights solely upon the basis of race is a violation of constitutionally protected rights,” the suit says.Bardwell, a justice of the peace in Tangipahoa Parish, said that he routinely “recuses” himself from marrying interracial couples because he believes such marriages cause harm to the couples’ children.- – – -Contact The Daily Reveille’s news staff at [email protected]