Judge halts order allowing liquor sales

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) - A federal judge has stopped enforcement of a ruling that would allow grocery stores and other outlets to sell liquor.

U.S. District Judge John G. Heyburn II ruled Wednesday that an appeal by state officials and package liquor stores is unlikely to succeed. But Heyburn wrote that allowing sales to go forward immediately would cause legal confusion before lawmakers could act to fix the statute in question.

Heyburn ruled in August that Kentucky's law barring grocery stores, gas stations and other retailers from selling wine and liquor is unconstitutional because it violates the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment to the Constitution.

The state and liquor stores say they plan to appeal the decision to the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati.