* In her final dispatch on the Buttman trial, porn director and performer Aurora Snow claims that LAPD Det. Michael Ozaki, a witness for the prosecution, is a fan:

[Ozaki] looked all too familiar to me. I heard the detective explain how he had to attend the AVN Expo for the last five years in a row “undercover” in order to research the new material being put out by adult companies. I was surprised to hear how the LAPD spends tax money so consistently on porn related materials in the name of “research” when the city is reeling from recent budget cuts. But mostly, as the LAPD detective answered questions under oath, I began to realize why I was recognizing him; I am almost sure that I have signed autographs for him at adult conventions. That is one dedicated undercover officer! I wonder if somewhere in a police evidence folder is a signed photo of me or if the detective kept that for his personal collection. I hope the latter. I don’t want to be in a file and even detectives should have fun with their porn collections.

* When Maryland man Aaron Burroughs was convicted of "sexually exploiting a minor" for an offense involving child prostitution and child pornography, he was sentenced to 16 years in prison—plus extra restrictions "that required him to keep a daily log of his computer use and to permit the authorities to monitor that use." Last week, a federal appeals court struck those restrictions, as Burroughs' offense wasn't conducted via computer.

* GLAA Forum updates us on the NOM bus tour for hetero marriage, declares it an "epic fail. As it turns out, holding rallies at noon on weekdays isn't the smartest way to drum up support for opposite marriage after all. The tour hits D.C. Aug. 15.

* Figleaf 0n how sex work obscures assault in the Lawrence Taylor case:

the word “prostitution” magically washes away all traces of “statutory rape,” “sexual assault of a child,” “sex offender registry,” “corruption of a minor,” and every other offense prosecutors, judges, and juries are usually (and, I think, correctly) willing to throw at people who have sex with minors

* Via Metro Weekly: Victim of hate crime plans to leave D.C.

Photo via State Library of Queensland.

Last week's column on ANC commissioners' bad words, 5C Commissioner Gigi Ransom Censured Over "Potential Hate Crime", has inspired even more incendiary speech, courtesy of the comments section.

Matt Corrigan, on why ANC personality problems should be checked at the door:

I’m in 5C and do the neighborhood walks with John Salatti. He cannot stand to be around people and not hear his own voice chattering along. When it comes to documenting, looking at things from the neighborhood’s view, keeping drains free of debris, John’s the MAN! I Encourage the public to go on the walks Thursdays @ 7pm. You can learn much about our community. John knows many homeowners by name and is demonsterably saddened when they move. Personally I can’t stand him, but as my ANC he rocks!

pacnwjay proposes a final solution to the ANC problem:

When will the good people of DC rise up and force the city (congress?) to rid them of the ANC system??? They are not only embarrassing, but constantly hinder any useful community action in the city.

Bloomingdale Resident pities the fools:

Meetings of advisory neighborhood commission 5C are among the most scrupulously documented affairs in the city. Debbie Smith, a Ward 5 resident and former commissioner, has taken to filming the meetings in full from the back of the room, citing “crazy stuff that has been going on lately.” Edgewood resident Michael J. Henderson publishes PDF documents of laptop notes he takes at each monthly meeting. Commissioner Gigi Ransom now sits behind a tape recorder in order to preserve every comment exchanged between commissioners.

Ransom knows the importance of catching comments on the record. On June 5 [PDF], five of Ransom’s fellow commissioners voted to censure her [PDF] regarding a variety of charges—from attempting to order surplus government furniture for her home office to displaying “erratic outbursts and outlandish behavior.” The most incendiary charge, however, concerned an e-mail Ransom sent to fellow commissioner Barrie Daneker on May 6. The e-mail contained the following critique:

Please know, I really don’t appreciate a white man, especially one who is gay, who gained his civil rights on the back of slaves & those of color who fought in the civil rights movement trying to control me or devalue my efforts. I am not a slave.

The censuring of Ransom is only the latest ANC 5C spat to come from a commissioner’s use of speech. ANC 5C—which represents Bloomingdale, Edgewood, Eckington, and Pleasant Hills—is distinguishing itself for generating never-before-contemplated issues of English usage and criminal law.

THE “POTENTIAL HATE CRIME”

In censuring Ransom, the ANC described her note as “racist and bigoted…possibly violating the Vice-Chairman’s civil and human rights; potentially committing hate crime.”

Acting Lt. Brett Parson, who heads up the D.C. Police Department’s Special Liaison Unit, discounts the possibility that Ransom’s note constituted any “threat” in violation of D.C. Code. “There’s no hate crime here,” he says. “It could—and I underline could—be construed as a hate-bias related incident, but it does not rise to the level of a criminal threat. This falls under freedom of speech. You’re allowed to hate whomever you want.”

In his reply, Daneker denounced Ransom’s e-mail as racist: “As for my civil rights, I am still waiting! How very dare you state that the civil rights of any group has been place on the backs of slaves and people of color, disgraceful!…I hope you find some happiness in your life and stop the hate and hurt that you apparently are feeling and spreading in our great city!”

Then, 5C Chairman Anita Bonds replied to the e-mail by dropping the possibility of a lawsuit against Ransom and adding: “Some say ‘we got you’ others say ‘we are going to get you.’”

Finally, the ANC made its words official. At that month’s ANC meeting, held on May 19, a coalition of commissioners came to get Ransom, distributing the “Resolution of Censuring and No Confidence Vote” and blindsiding Ransom with the allegations. If anything, the censuring of Ransom has only inspired more indecorous speech in the ANC 5C. The scene that erupted following the reading of the resolution was captured in Henderson’s monthly notes [PDF]:

Commissioner Ransom said you being white and gay means got your rights on the backs of slaves and there is nothing racist about that; I am a strong black woman and I don’t need anyone to validate me; I did not come back to serve to be subservient to anyone… Commissioner Ransom said she was told she could not read, and she was called the “B” word by Commissioner Day in a church.…Commissioner Ransom spoke at great length in defense of her integrity…the debate became rather heated; Debbie Smith stood up and began shouting loudly…at that point the meeting abruptly ended, at 9:50 p.m.

THE “MZ.” THING

Ransom’s upset about more than just Daneker’s free ride to civil rights. Another sticking point for Ransom was Daneker’s insistence on referring to Debbie Smith in correspondence as “Mz. Smith,” instead of the more traditional salutation “Ms.” Smith—the one with the video camera—has often popped up in official correspondence for her habit of raising neighborhood concerns with the body.

After fielding several e-mails from Daneker referring to Smith as “Mz,” Ransom asked Daneker to explain his strange usage in an e-mail: “Comm. Daneker, has there been an official change to the DC Manual of Styles in which now the correct way to address a female to whom we are communicating is ‘Mz.’, as opposed to ‘Ms.’?”

Daneker replied by providing an etiquette lesson courtesy of his Rhode Island prep school education. “[I]t is proper to use Mz. for a lady who’s the martial status is unknown, and who’s age appears to be more than 25 years old.… I was educated at the Wheeler School for my secondary education, and a whole course in etiquette was required. So I thank you for your question, and I hope you have found this information useful, you never know when you might need those skills.”

Ransom wasn’t buying it. “Daneker continued to address her as Mz.,” says Ransom. “Well, I’ve heard that term used by bloggers, rapper types like that, and sometimes it’s used for prostitutes, and we’ve seen it used in the gay community. But the real thing that bothered Deborah and me is that the term is used for a very popular animated character called Mz. Gorilla.”

Sarah Baak, the director of admissions for the Protocol School of Washington, a local authority on business etiquette, says she’s not familiar with Mz. in a business context. “The appropriate and most formal way to refer to a woman in the business world is by ‘Ms.,’” explains Baak. “I’ve never heard of Mz. It seems very informal.”

There is one context where “Mz.” is standard usage to refer to a woman, however—when she’s competing in a drag show alongside female impersonators. “Some organizations have a Miss, a Mr., and a Mz.,” Andre Hopfer, a veteran local drag performer, wrote in an e-mail. “They created the Mz. to differentiate between a real woman and a drag queen.”

Professing ignorance of the drag connection, Daneker says that he’s now stopped referring to Smith as “Mz..”

THE “B” WORD

In her response to the reading of the charges against her, Ransom noted that she’s not the only commissioner to have used incendiary language in the course of official business. Ransom claims that at one ANC meeting, “she was called the ‘B’ word by Commissioner Day in a church.”

Since ANC 5C meetings are often held in local houses of God, the church in question would have been operating in a civic capacity. Besides, nothing was caught on the record. “Yes, she did reference that in that meeting,” Commissioner Tim Day says. Day, who voted to censure Ransom for her comments against Daneker, issued the following nondenial to her accusation against him: “You know what—if there were any name-calling during any meeting, no one can validate that there was name-calling. This is just a desperate attempt to lash out at anyone she possibly could have.”

Debbie Smith, too, has repeatedly complained about commissioners’ use of “the ‘B’ word.” At the beginning of most 5C meetings, Smith uses the open “community comment” period to complain that Commissioner Marshall Phillips used the term to describe her more than five years ago. At the most recent ANC meeting, Smith claimed that Phillips had never been held accountable for calling her a “dirty black whatever”—in 2004.

Phillips denounced Smith’s dated accusation with a rumination on the word bitch.

“I have never called Ms. Smith the bitch word,” says Phillips. “I haven’t had any need. I might have thought that—that she was becoming difficult—but I know that she’s a human being, and a bitch is a female dog. Now, some people have used that word to stand as a hard task to communicate with. The Golden Girls used to use it on the TV, and The View uses the words as ‘The Bitch,’ almost now like it’s a diva. And I would never give Ms. Smith the credit to call her a diva.”

Photo by Darrow Montgomery

Durval Martins (right), with twin brother Pedro.

Durval Martins, a 35-year-old gay man, was murdered in Logan Circle last December. Martins was found, dead in the intersection, with his wallet in his hand. He had been shot multiple times in the head. He had not been robbed. No arrests have been made in Martins' case.

On Tuesday May 19, Gays and Lesbians Opposed to Violence co-chairs Chris Farris and Todd Metrokin will hold a vigil to raise awareness about potential hate crimes in Washington, D.C., and to "renew focus" on Martins' murder. Farris and Metrokin submitted the following companion piece detailing the progression of Martins' case.

On a cold and drizzly night this past December, Durval Martins, a 35-year-old gay man and one of nine children, said good-bye to his friends on 17th Street and started his walk home. He never made it. He was shot to death at the intersection of 11th and Q.

Here is what we know about Durval’s murder:

* He was shot multiple times in the head

* He was shot while still in the intersection—just before stepping up onto the sidewalk

* He still had his wallet in his hand—nothing was stolen from him

* Two men were seen by police running from the scene of the shooting

* No arrests have been made, despite laudable efforts by the Metropolitan Police Department and community members to draw attention to the case

At this point in the investigation, we can’t be sure that Durval’s murder was related to his sexual orientation, but we do know for certain that he was not a victim of a robbery and that no other credible motive has been put forth. We also know it occurred against a backdrop of unsettling statistics on hate crimes based on sexual orientation in DC: hate crimes based on sexual orientation increased from a reported 26 in 2007 to 32 in 2008. In 2007, the percentage of hate crimes based on sexual orientation was 68 percent of all hate crimes reported in DC—in 2008, that percentage increased to 74 percent. This compares to a national average of 15 percent.

In addition, Durval’s murder occurred just 7 blocks from the murder of Tony Hunter, who was beaten to death as he walked to BeBar with a friend two months before Durval’s murder.

A crime in our community strikes fear in all of us because it could happen to any of us, any of our friends, any of our family members. An attack against someone because they are a part of our cmmunity is a crime against all of us because it is meant to intimidate us. If Durval was targeted because he was gay, then any person perceived to be gay could have been attacked, or may be targeted next. If they so violently executed him because he was gay, then their motive was clear: to terrorize all gay people in the neighborhood and send a message that we are not welcome here, and we are not safe.

We need to take a stand. We need to raise awareness and help the police solve this case—failure to do so keeps every one of us at risk. The killers who targeted Durval are, after all, still out there. And they very well may feel that they are beyond capture—that they have literally gotten away with this murder.

GLOV, DC’s GLBT Anti-Violence Task Force, is organizing a vigil and march to raise awareness of hate crimes against the GLBT community and to renew focus on Durval’s murder so the police can get new leads and solve this case. Durval’s identical twin brother, Pedro, will be there to join us. We ask that you come, too—bring friends, neighbors, colleagues, and families—and please wear white to show your support. Take a stand and send a message back to the killers that says that they are the ones who are not welcome in our neighborhoods. And we will be safe in our city.

It's feast or famine over at the Gay Crime Log. The Sexist isn't sure what she did to anger the Gay Crime Gods, but for the past two weeks, her D.C. police crime report e-mails have been barren. Today, her inbox was blessed with a mammoth three weeks of anti-trans hate crimes, costly club hook-ups, and anti-Fred Phelps action.

DOUBLE MOTIVE. "On Sunday, March 15, 2009, at approximately 2 a.m., two adult male victims reported they were robbed at gunpoint by three suspects. During the robbery, one of the suspects referred to one of the victims using a homophobic epithet. The victims received minor injuries. The suspects were described as black males, in their early 20’s. Two of the suspects wore their hair in plaits."

YOU HAVE TO GO HOME, AND YOU CAN'T STAY HERE. "On Tuesday, March 17, 2009 at approximately 5 p.m., members of the Second District were dispatched to the area of Dupont Circle for a possible assault. Upon arrival, officers located an elderly male at the nearby bus stop. He was disoriented and possibly intoxicated. He was accompanied by another male, who advised he was attempting to get his friend home from the local bar. The two began to argue. The elderly male was transported home."

JAIL CELL PHONE. "On Wednesday, March 18, 2009, at approximately 11 p.m., members of the Fourth District were dispatched to the 7700 block of Georgia Avenue, N.W. for the call of an assault. Upon arrival, officers located the victim, a male-to-female Transgender individual, suffering minor injuries to her face and lip. According to the victim, she was in an argument with her former boyfriend, when he punched her a stole her cell phone."

THE COUPLE DETAINED TOGETHER ... "On Saturday, March 21, 2009 at approximately 10:30 p.m., members of the GLLU and Deaf and Hard of Hearing Unit (DHHU) responded to Gallaudet University for the report of a domestic assault. Investigation was unable to determine which individual was the initiator and/or aggressor and both males were arrested. Both received minor injuries."

HEAD CASE. On Sunday, March 22, 2009, at approximately 2:30 a.m., members of the Third District responded to Howard University Hospital for the report of a victim of a domestic assault. Upon arrival, offices located the adult male victim, who was suffering from a serious laceration to his head and possible concussion. According to the victim, he was assaulted by his boyfriend inside their shared residence near 4th and V Street, N.W.

CLUB CLUSTERFUCK. "On Sunday, March 22, 2009, at approximately 3 a.m., members of the First District were monitoring the closing of a club in the 1100 block of 8th Street, S.E., when they observed a large fight outside the club. Three adult males were arrested and all were treated for minor injuries."

IDLE THREAT. "On Tuesday, March 24, 2009, an attorney representing a local GLBT Rights organization contacted the GLLU to report possible hate/bias threats via the internet on an internet blog. A member of the GLLU and the Federal Bureau of Investigations responded to the organization and reviewed the postings with the attorney. It was determined no threats were made and the organization did not want to pursue any further action against the individual who posted the comments. Also at that meeting, the attorney made the GLLU aware of an employee at the organization being harassed via email by a known individual. Members of the GLLU will be investigating this complaint."

HOW ARE THREATS NOT "CRIMINAL ACTIVITY"? "On Thursday, March 26, 2009, at approximately 3 p.m., members of the Third District were dispatched to the Metro Station at 7th and S Streets, N.W. Upon arrival, the adult male caller advised officers he was threatened by several juveniles inside a nearby business and the caller believed he was going to be robbed. The caller also heard the juveniles using homophobic language outside the business. Although the juveniles were stopped and identified, it was determined no criminal activity occurred, so the incident was documented as a hate/bias related incident."

FUCKED AND ROBBED. "On Friday, March 27, 2009, at approximately 5:30 a.m., members of the Third District responded to a residence in the 600 block of Irving Street for a report of an armed burglary. According to the victim, an adult male, he met the suspect at a business located in the 3500 block of Georgia Avenue, N.W. and agreed to allow the suspect to return to his home to engage is sexual activity. When the two arrived at the victim’s residence, a dispute arose over payment and the victim demanded the suspect depart. The suspect returned to the residence, kicked in the door, and while armed with a knife, robbed the victim of U.S. currency. The suspect fled the scene prior to officer’s arrival. The victim was not injured. The suspect is described as a black male in his 30’s wearing all black clothing."

M I.S.O T. "On Friday, March 27, 2009, at approximately 4:30 p.m., a female caller paged the on-call member of the GLLU to complain about officers harassing a member of the Transgender community. According to the caller, officers had visited the Transgender individual’s home, which is located in the 5200 block of 3rd Street, N.W. on four occasions, in the attempt to locate the Transgender individual. According to the caller, the Transgender individual no longer resides at that address. This information was passed along to the Warrant Squad, as they were attempting to locate the individual pursuant to an arrest warrant."

SEX-NEGATIVE "On Saturday, March 28, 2009, at approximately 3:30 a.m., an adult male contacted the GLLU to report his ex-boyfriend was advertising as a male prostitute in Baltimore, MD, but not disclosing he is HIV positive. The information was forwarded to the Baltimore City Police Department’s Gay and Lesbian Liaison Officer for their investigation and follow-up."

GETTING SPECIFIC. "On Sunday, March 29, 2009, at about 8 p.m., an adult male victim responded to the Third District to report he had been the victim of a sexual assault. According to the victim, he met the suspect, an adult male, inside a bar in the 1500 block of 17th Street, N.W. After engaging in conversation, the victim and suspect walked to the victim’s apartment, which is located in the Logan Circle neighborhood. Once at the victim’s apartment, the two men engaged in consensual sexual activity, up to the point the victim refused to engage in specific sexual acts. The suspect then forced the victim to engage in the unwanted sex act. The victim was examined at a local hospital, but did not have serious injuries. This case is being investigated by members of the Metropolitan Police Department’s Sexual Assault Unit."

DISAPPEARING GUN. "On Monday, March 30, 2009, at approximately 2:30 a.m., members of the Sixth District responded to the call for a man with a gun in the area of 900 Division Ave, NE. Upon arriving on the scene, officers located the 9-1-1 caller, a male-to-female Transgender individual, who stated she was robbed by the suspect. No weapon was mentioned and the victim was not injured. The suspect, an adult male, was located and arrested. The case is being considered a potential hate/bias crime based upon the victim’s actual or perceived sexual orientation and/or gender identity, based upon comments made by the suspect at the time of the robbery."

BAD CONNECTION. "On Monday, March 30, 2009, at approximately 3 a.m., members of the Sixth District responded to an apartment in the 1700 block of Minnesota Avenue, N.E. for the report of threats. Upon arrival, the victim, a male-to-female Transgender individual, advised her boyfriend had threatened to kill her and pull the phone cord out of the wall when she attempted to call 9-1-1. The suspect was arrested later that day."

FUCK FRED PHELPS. "On Monday, March 30, 2009, members of the GLLU, working with members of the United States Secret Service Uniformed Division, United States Park Police and Metropolitan Police Department’s Intelligence Division, monitored a counter-protest of the Westboro Baptist Church. The demonstrators moved about the city, culminating their demonstration in the 1600 block of Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. There were no incidents or arrests."

UNWANTED ADVERTISEMENT. "On Wednesday, April 1, 2009, at approximately 3 p.m., a citizen found a brochure on the windshield of her vehicle, which was parked in the 1800 block of Massachusetts Avenue, N.W. Handwritten on the brochure were homophobic, racist and anti-Semitic remarks."

DEEP LOVE. "On Thursday, April 2, 2009, at approximately 2:30 a.m., members of the Fourth District responded to the call for a stabbing inside a residence in the 5300 block of 8th Street, N.W. Upon arrival, the officers located the adult female victim suffering from a stab wound to her hands and arms. The victim was uncooperative and refused to provide officers with any information regarding who attacked her. A witness advised officers the victim was stabbed by her former girlfriend, but the witness did not know the suspect's identity. The victim refused medical attention."

POLICE ASSISTED BREAK-IN REQUESTED. "On Friday, April 3, 2009, at approximately 4:30 a.m., members of the Third District responded to a call for assistance at an apartment in the 1500 block of Ogden Street, N.W. Upon arrival, the officers were met by the caller, a male-to-female Transgender individual, who desired assistance getting back into her apartment. Further investigation revealed the caller did not live at that address and was heavily intoxicated. She was escorted from the building."

GUNS AND GROCERIES. "On Friday, April 3, 2009, at approximately 3 a.m., members of the Seventh District responded to a call for threats in the area of Good Hope Road, S.E. Once on the scene, officer located the victim, a juvenile male, who advised he was walking home from a nearby grocery store, when a male suspect began to call him homophobic names and threaten to shoot him. No weapon was displayed. Although the suspect had fled the scene prior to the officer's arrival, he was located later that night and arrested."

UNDERCOVER PROSTITUTE. "On Saturday, April 4, 2009, at approximately 3:30 a.m., a male contacted the GLLU's on-call member to report he had been the victim of a theft. According to the victim, who was visiting from New England and staying at a hotel in the 1500 block of New Hampshire Avenue, N.W., he met a black male online and invited him to his hotel room. Upon the departure of the guest, the victim realized he was missing a significant amount of U.S. currency from his wallet. The suspect is described as a black male, approximately 40 years old, 6'2" tall, 225 pounds, wearing blue jeans and a white sweatshirt."

Photo by k763

The GLLU, MPD’s Gay and Lesbian Liason Unit, serves the District’s Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender communities. Last week in police activity related to the GLBT community—including a domestic violence victim who takes refuge in a bus, and a man who clubs his boyfriend while in da club—below.

SURPRISE VISIT. MONDAY, MARCH 9 AT 11:40 PM. Members of the Fifth District responded to a hotel located in the 600 block of New York Avenue, N.E. for a destruction of property complaint. Upon arrival, the officers discovered a large window had been shattered and identified the individual who did the damage. He was arrested. Further investigation revealed the incident was motivated by a domestic dispute between the arrest subject and two other men staying at the hotel.

SLOW GETAWAY. MONDAY, MARCH 9 AT at 11:30 PM. Members of the Third District responded to the area of the 1500 block of 9th Street, N.W. for the report of an assault. Upon arrival, they located the victim on a Metro bus. According to the victim, he was inside a residence in that area, when he became involved in a verbal altercation with his boyfriend. At some point, his boyfriend punched him in the face, causing a minor injury. The victim fled outside to the bus, where MPDC was summoned. The suspect was located and arrested.

HOT NIGHT. TUESDAY, MARCH 10 AT 12:30 PM. A member of the GLLU was on routine patrol when he observed an unconscious individual in the area of 18th and T Streets NW. DC Fire/EMS responded and transported the adult male to a local hospital, where he was treated and released for intoxication.

LOVERS' BRAWL. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 11 AT 6 PM. Members of the Sixth District responded to the area of the 4100 block of Gault Place NE. for the call for a large fight. Upon arrival, officers saw several juvenile females fleeing from the area. A victim advised officers the fight began at a nearby school and the juvenile females were fighting over their ex-girlfriends. There were no injuries and members of the Metropolitan Police Department’s School Resource Unit are following up. One hour later, officers were summoned back to the location for another assault. At that time, they located a female victim suffering from minor injuries to her head and face. A female suspect was arrested.

GET OUT. THURSDAY, MARCH 12 AT 2:15 AM. Members of the Seventh District responded to a residence in the 200 block of Savannah Street SE for the call for an assault. Once on the scene, officers were advised by the adult female victim that she was attempting to get her ex-girlfriend out of the house, but she was refusing. Officers were unable to determine if an assault actually occurred and documented the complaint without further action being taken.

CANE JOB. SATURDAY, MARCH 14 AT 2:30 AM. Members of the Second District were dispatched to Massachusetts Avenue and 21st Street NW for the report of a robbery. Upon arriving on the scene, the officers located an elderly male victim, who advised he had just been robbed by a male he met at a nearby club. The suspect was described as a black male in his 30’s, wearing all black and using a cane. The victim was not injured.

TALK TURNS PHYSICAL. SATURDAY, MARCH 14 AT 3 AM. Members of the Sixth District responded to an apartment in the 2300 block of Good Hope Road SE for a shooting. Upon arrival, the officers discovered the victim was not injured, but was the victim of an attempted robbery. According to the victim, he met the suspect on a telephone chat line and invited him to his apartment. Once there, the suspect attempted to rob the victim with a handgun. During the struggle, the gun discharged and the suspect fled the scene. The suspect is described as a black male, about 24 years old, 5'7” tall, 200 lbs., with a medium skin complexion. He was wearing a black shirt and black pants.

FOUR-ON-ONE. SATURDAY, MARCH 14 AT 2:50 PM. Members of the Second District responded to the 2000 block of K Street, N.W. for the call for an unconscious individual. Upon arrival, officers located the victim, a male-to-female Transgender individual, suffering from injuries to the head and face. A witness advised that four suspects punch the victim repeatedly, eventually knocking the victim to the ground. The victim was transported to a local hospital in serious but stable condition. The suspects were only described by the witness as being black males, with no further information.

CLUB CLUBBING. SATURDAY, MARCH 14 AT 2:15 AM. Members of the Third District responded to 11th and V Street NW for the report of an assault. Upon arrival, they located a male victim, who was suffering from a cut to his head. The suspect, his boyfriend, was also on the scene. The investigation revealed the two men were inside a club located in the 2000 block of 8th Street, N.W. when they began to argue. At some point, the suspect struck the victim in the back of the head with an unknown object. The victim refused medical attention and the suspect was arrested.

GRAND STAB. SATURDAY, MARCH 14 AT 2:30 AM. Members of the Second District responded to the outside of a club located in the 2100 block of P Street NW. for a large fight. Upon arrival, officers located several victims who had been stabbed. None of the injuries was life threatening. No arrests were made and the victims were too intoxicated to provide any usable lookout for the suspect(s).

NO-CALL LIST. SUNDAY, MARCH 15 AT 10 AM. A homeless male contacted the on-call member of the GLLU to report a violation of a Temporary Protection Order (TPO) that he had obtained against his former boyfriend and his former boyfriend’s current boyfriend. According to the victim, despite being ordered by a judge not to contact the victim, the suspects left a voicemail message on the victim’s cell phone. An affidavit in support of an arrest warrant will be presented to the United States Attorney’s Office seeking the arrests of both suspects.

FIRE HIM! MONDAY, MARCH 16 AT 3 PM. A male contacted the GLLU’s on-call member to report that he was being threatened by one of his employees. While on the phone with the on-call member, the victim reported the suspect was at the front door of his residence, which is located in the 1000 block of Massachusetts Avenue NE. Members of the First District and the GLLU responded and located apprehended and arrested the suspect, who was charged with stalking and felonious threats to do bodily harm.

WITHIN FEET. MONDAY, MARCH 16 AT 4 PM. Members of the Fifth District responded to a hotel located in the 600 block of New York Avenue NE for the report of a suspect violating a protection order. Upon arrival, officers discovered the suspects had departed the scene prior to their arrival. According to the victim, the suspects were under order of a Temporary Protection Order (TPO) to stay at least 100 feet away from the victim. An investigation revealed the suspects were not within 100 feet, however the incident was documented, so the victim can make representation in court during future court proceedings.

NO FUNNY BUSINESS. TUESDAY, MARCH 17. A male contacted the GLLU by email to request assistance regarding an allegation of sexual activity in a public restroom. According to the individual, he is being accused by his employer of engaging in “inappropriate activity” in the public restroom at his place of employment. The individual was referred to an attorney for legal advice.

Photo by Coradia1000

When Mitch Graffeo entered Dupont’s Fab Lounge shortly before closing on Feb. 28, he hadn’t been to a lesbian club in more than a decade. Graffeo, 40, was only stopping in to pick up a friend, 29-year-old Jamie, at the conclusion of the gay bar’s weekly lesbian night. Graffeo and Jamie, both transgender men, were two of only a handful of men in a club full of women. As the lights went up, a group of women took a sudden interest in Jamie. Slim and boyish, Jamie had only recently begun to transition from female to male, and they wanted to know what he was.

Graffeo watched the women surround Jamie. “They were grabbing him, saying, ‘What are you, a boy or a girl?’” Graffeo says. “They were very interested and excited, grabbing his crotch and his chest,” says Graffeo. When Jamie asked the women to leave him alone, they closed in tight around him. Jamie “wiggled his way out,” and the two men funneled toward the door with the rest of the last-call crowd.

Once outside, one of the women refused to let her curiosity subside. “She jumped on his back a bit and put him in a headlock,” says Graffeo. Then, she reopened the line of questioning. “She was saying, ‘What are you, come on, tell me, what the fuck,’” Graffeo says. Jamie wiggled out again. The woman persisted.

When Graffeo stepped between them, the woman “tried to punch around” him. Graffeo pulled out his cell phone and announced he was calling the police. The woman grabbed the phone from his hand and used it to pound Graffeo in the head and neck. “She said, ‘You’re not calling anybody,’” Graffeo says. Meanwhile, “a second gal was just pummeling Jamie, hitting him on his head, his neck, his arms.” Soon, a car pulled up, and the women jumped inside. Jamie was left with bruises and a concussion. A week later, “he’s still purple,” says Graffeo. “He’s not black and blue, he’s purple all over.”

Graffeo had good reason to skip out on lesbian bars over the past decade—he hasn’t identified as a lesbian since he underwent his physical transition to male almost seven years ago. Jamie, on the other hand, only recently began the shift between outward identities—and social groups. To the group of women who attacked the pair, Jamie was a lesbian on his way to becoming a heterosexual man, and a prime target for ridicule. Graffeo, who is readily recognizable as male, was just a heterosexual man who got in the way.

The many transgender men who identified with the lesbian community before living as heterosexual men are introduced to a range of societal prejudices. As women, they are discriminated against for their masculinity. As transitioning men, they are harassed for their androgyny. But when society finally accepts them as men, they can be afforded social privilege. Last year, the B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis & Policy published a study that found that post-transition, transgender men ended up earning more in the workplace, while transgender women saw their earnings fall by almost a third.

“From my experience—and I know a lot of trans guys who say this—it is pretty easy for us to slip into society, as easy as that type of thing can be,” says Graffeo. “And we hear that criticism a lot. But never has anybody ever said they transitioned in order to improve their status in life. That’s just how it happens sometimes.”

The social shift can breed resentment in the circles trans men leave behind. Rebecca Trinite, 27, a graduate student who raised the incident for discussion on local blog the New Gay, says the sentiment is a familiar one. “I think there is a general discomfort with gender ambiguity in any sense—especially with transitioning,” she says. “There are some women who think that trans men are trying to gain some type of privilege by becoming men, and there’s a big misunderstanding and ignorance there.” Trinite says she posted Graffeo’s and Jamie’s story in order to “let community members know that this sort of behavior was unacceptable.” A Washington Blade story on the attack was met with less constructive criticism. Wrote one commenter: “If you are so ashamed of being gay that you have to change your gender so that you can be ‘straight’ then why not go to ‘straight’ clubs? If you no longer identify as gay then why continue going to gay clubs? Lesbians are attracted to other women, not men who used to be women.”

Before transgender men can enjoy resentment over their male privilege, they sometimes endure more classic anti-gay harassment. Jamie, a man who looked too much like a woman for his assailant’s taste, fits the typical victim profile of violence against the GLBT community; Graffeo now passes as masculine enough to escape a hate-motivated beating. According to Chris Farris, co-founder of Gays and Lesbians Opposing Violence, “the attack on Jamie was a hate crime. From my communications with Mitch, the case on him was probably not,” he says. “A hate crime is based on whether the motivation behind the attack is based on a victim’s actual or perceived inclusion in a protected group. The attackers probably assumed that [Graffeo] was not trans, so his assault was probably not motivated by any antipathy against the trans community. That doesn’t mean they weren’t attacking him for being a man, or because they perceived him as heterosexual, but that’s too soon to say.”

The scenario is unlikely. In 2007, the FBI recorded 690 bias-motivated assaults based on sexual orientation nationwide. Of that number, 422 were committed against gay men, 85 were against lesbians, and only eight were against heterosexuals. Though the FBI does not collect data on assaults based on gender expression, Farris says that in D.C., violence against gay women and transgender individuals is more likely to slip under the media and activist radar. “Most of the victims that have come to our attention and reached out to GLOV have been gay men,” he says. “GLOV has no way of knowing who a victim is unless we see a name in print or unless someone contacts us directly.”

But the skewed data do not mean that GLBT women are less likely than their male counterparts to be the victims of violence. Less sensational forms of violence within the community—domestic violence, verbal abuse, prostitution, and institutionalized discrimination—are more likely to affect gay or transgender women, and less likely to be reported in the newspaper.

Nobody knows the double standard better than Graffeo. Before transitioning, Graffeo says he endured 33 years of gender discrimination—as a woman. “I had a lot of experience with people being prejudiced against me because I was female,” says Graffeo. “I was told I wouldn’t be hired because they thought I was going to run off and get pregnant. I was denied loan applications for a house because I was female,” he says.

The discrimination began in childhood—“nobody likes a little girl who doesn’t act like a little girl”—and lasted up until seven years ago, when he transitioned with the full support of his co-workers and social circle. At that point, Graffeo re-applied for the home loan “with a male name and worse credit,” and was accepted. “Women are just given the raw end of the deal,” he says.

The Fab Lounge incident marks the first time that activists and media outlets have shown an interest in harassment he’s faced. “When I transitioned, I really didn’t change, but the world changed toward me,” says Graffeo. “I’m not particularly privileged now. Nobody’s throwing money at me. But the world does not dislike me anymore,” he says. “Now, I’m not expected to be a female, so people are satisfied with my behavior. It’s a bit boring and anticlimactic, when it’s all over.”

Photo by Charles Steck

The GLLU, MPD’s Gay and Lesbian Liason Unit, serves the District’s Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender communities. A round-up of the past week's crime reports—including missing victims, fraudulent sexual partners, and a couple club fights—below.

GRABBED, ONE MONTH LATER. FEB. 3, 2009. A man contacted the GLLU to report an assault from way back on Jan. 16, 2009. At 16th and K Sts. NW, the man says, "he was grabbed in a sexual manner by another male." Despite the time lapse, "the suspect has been identified and an affidavit in support of an arrest warrant will be presented to the United States Attorney’s Office."

MISSING VICTIM. FEB. 4, 2009, AT 8 P.M. A female called the GLLU "seeking assistance with retrieving her personal property from her former residence." She had broken up with her girlfriend, she said, and was moving out. When the GLLU arrived however, "the victim was not present and has not returned phone calls attempting to reschedule a time to retrieve her property and interview her regarding any violence in the relationship."

TRANSGENDER FEMALE: PLEASE CALL ME. FEB. 5, 2009, AT NOON. The GLLU was contacted on the behalf of a "Transgender female" who claims she "is being photographed without her consent, while at work in Maryland." The photographs, she says, "are being posted on the Internet."

INAUGURAL DAMAGE: FEB. 9 2009. A "mental health professional" contacted the GLLU to report the "victimization of one of his clients." The man had been "involved in an argument with his former boyfriend" on inauguration day, when the boyfriend "threw the victim’s personal property out of a second floor window, causing some of the property to become destroyed." The victim fled. The GLLU helped locate "emergency shelter for the victim." For the boyfriend? "A warrant."

PUNCHING VICTIM: FEB. 9 2009 at 3 A.M. A "Transgender individual" reports that while walking in Northeast, "two individuals approached the victim and punched the victim in the face, causing minor injury." The attack, the victim says, was "unprovoked." SUSPECT: "a black male, with a medium brown facial complexion, about 5’8” tall and 180 lbs. . . . having shoulder length dreadlocks in his hair."

GET YOUR FRAUD, METH, ASS OUT OF MY CONDO. FEB. 13 2009. A man contacted the GLLU for help "having someone removed from his condominium." That "someone" was a former lover, and not a friend: "According to the victim, he met the suspect five days prior and the two engaged in a brief intimate relationship. The victim allowed the suspect to stay in his condominium for several days. When the victim asked the suspect to leave, he refused.: Two days later, police arrived on the scene and "arrested the suspect for possession of methamphetamines and drug paraphernalia. He also had a pending arrest warrant in Georgia for Identity Theft, Fraud and Theft of Credit Cards." GLLU HEART-TO-HEART: "The GLLU reminds members of the community to not invite strangers to their homes for the purpose of sexual liaisons. Additionally, it is ill-advised to allow individuals, about whom you know very little, to stay in your home with access to your valuables and other belongings."

SEXTING: NOT JUST FOR TEENS! FEB. 14 2009 AT 8 A.M. A man contacted the GLLU to report some photo trouble. The man had "engaged in consensual sexual activity with [a group of] other men and allowed digital photographs to be taken of himself with the other men." When he left the orgy, however, "he decided he did not want the photos distributed and demanded they be deleted." GLLU reports that a member of its team "accompanied the male to the event location, in Southwest Washington, D.C. and negotiated the deletion of the photos from the digital camera." Oh, also, duh: "All parties appeared to be under the influence of alcoholic beverages or other drugs."

ASSAULT IN DA CLUB. FEB 15, 2009, at 12:30 A.M. Officers responded to a club in the 1800 block of Half Street SW. Inside, they "located a male victim, suffering from a minor injury to his face and nose. The suspect was located and arrested."

ASSAULT AGAIN IN DA CLUB. FEB 16 2009 AT 2 A.M. The GLLU was helping with "the closing of a club in the 1800 block of Half Street SW" (HMM!) when "an employee summoned assistance regarding an assault inside the club." Again. "Officers located the combatants upstairs and the investigation revealed the two women assaulted each other. Both were heavily intoxicated. Both were arrested. There were no injuries."

Photo by Calc-tufa

Chibbaro writes that Abdulgader "faces a maximum sentence of five and a half years in prison" for the assault and weapon charges—the weapon in question was a "glass vodka bottle." Usually, an assault of this kind has a maximum penalty of three years in prison. But Abdulgader admitted that the crime was committed "based on his prejudice against the victim’s actual or perceived sexual orientation”—meaning the sentencing can be heightened under D.C.'s hate crime legislation. In the District of Columbia, hate crimes can result in penalties one-and-a-half times stronger than non-bias related crimes.

More details from Chibbaro:

In appearing before Judge Harold Cushionberry, Abdulgader acknowledged a statement by prosecutors that he used a glass vodka bottle to strike a 23-year-old man in the face while making anti-gay remarks, knocking him unconscious in an unprovoked attack Oct. 3.

Police said the incident occurred about 3 a.m. along the C&O Canal in Georgetown after Abdulgader and co-defendant Saad Elarch, 22, approached the gay man and the man’s friend.
According to a statement released by the United States Attorney’s office, Abdulgader admitted in court that he and Elarch asked the gay man and his friend about their sexual orientation and “subjected them to homophobic remarks.”

“After the victim and his friend tried to leave, Abdulgader moved ahead of them and pretended to apologize,” says a statement by the U.S. Attorney’s office. “In the middle of making an apology, with no warning or provocation, Abdulgader hit the victim in the left side of his face with a glass vodka bottle.

“The victims, who state they were walking through a group of 6 black males, were punched and called homophobic names,” [Special Liason Unit Commander Brett] Parson said in an e-mail alert.

“No robbery was announced and there was no altercation prior to the attack. Neither victim suffered visible injuries,” he said.

He said the attackers fled north on 7th Street. No arrests have been made in the incident and police have no suspects, Parson said.

Unlike the Tony Hunter case, which also concerned an assault near a D.C. gay bar, this incident is being classified by MPD as a hate crime.

On the books, it's "Voluntary Manslaughter." To activists, it's a "Hate Crime."

D.C. didn't know much about Tony Randolph Hunter when police found his body, "lying supine on the ground" with a "laceration on the back of his head," near Shaw's BeBar on the night of Sept. 7. When police initially classified the 37-year-old Maryland man's beating as a potential hate crime, they did so based on the few details they could ascertain about the victim: who he was and where he was going. The assailants, police reasoned, may have been acting on the same basic information—that Hunter was gay and headed to a gay bar—in an attack that had no immediately apparent motive.

In police reports, descriptions of suspects similarly lack specifics. In the case of Tony Hunter, the report identified the suspects as four black males between the ages of 19 and 22, dressed in blue jeans and T-shirts. Other recent attacks against gays produce similar descriptors. In the July 13 beating of Todd Metrokin, the assailants were described as black men between the ages of 17 and 21. In a Sept. 27 incident in Dupont, a gay couple dodged the word "faggot"—and a heaved brick—from a black man they later identified as a security guard at the Metropole.

As cases progress, however, assumptions of type give way to particulars. Unlike the cases of Metrokin and the Dupont couple, which police investigators identified as hate-bias motivated, Hunter's assault was missing one telltale sign of a hate crime: There was no evidence that "faggot" or any other epithet was uttered. Shortly into the investigation of Hunter's case, police began referring to the beating as an apparent robbery, citing car keys and cash that appeared to be missing from Hunter's body. By the time Hunter died, succumbing to what the medical examiner described as "Blunt Impact Head Trauma" 10 days after the attack, police had abandoned the suspected motive of anti-gay prejudice. "There is nothing to indicate at this time that this crime was motivated by hate or bias," wrote police department spokesperson Traci Hughes the day after Hunter's death. Later that day, Matt Ashburn of the police department's Gay and Lesbian Liason Unit supported Hughes' statement, writing: "[T]he crime is NOT classified as a hate/bias crime."

The hate-crime declassification by police investigators came several days before they had the chance to interview the alleged assailant in the case: Robert "Rob" Hannah, the most wanted of the suspects cited in the police report. Several members of the GLBT community similarly decried the incident as a "hate crime" before Hannah's identity was made public. Dana Fonville, identifying himself as a friend of Hunter's, told the Washington Blade, "The police tell us they don't have evidence that this was a hate crime and that it was a robbery. But the person or persons who did this committed a senseless and hateful act." During a vigil in Hunter's honor, the Rev. Abena McCray of D.C.'s Unity Fellowship Church prayed for a victim of hate. "We ask you for a healing, Lord, at this space where someone's head was beaten for no real reason other than ignorance," the Blade reports McCray as saying.

Prosecutors, however, have their own standards for determining hate crimes; after reviewing the facts, the U.S. Attorney's Office chose not to pursue the hate-crime enhancement in Hannah's case. Special Liaison Unit commander Brett Parson noted that "hate crime" often means different things to police, prosecutors, and the community they serve. "It depends if you're asking from a legal perspective or a general person's perspective," says Parson. "Once the facts become public, the people will draw their own conclusions from it." In the Hunter case, lack of the legal hate-crime tag has left community members to classify the incident themselves as a type of "unofficial" hate crime. Police and prosecutors could find no hard evidence to pursue a hate-crime investigation; the community, meanwhile, could find no other explanation as to why a gay man was dead.

Last week, police arrested Hannah and charged him with voluntary manslaughter in Hunter's death. In an affidavit filed in D.C. Superior Court, the motive in the case was again modified; in place of the robbery scenario, the incident was now being described as an "altercation." Despite the previous abandonment of the hate-crime motive, Hunter's sexual orientation arose again in the affidavit as a potential basis of the attack. In a police interview, Hannah and one other witness claimed that the "altercation" was incited when Hunter sexually assaulted Hannah, coming up behind him, groping his ass and touching his testicles. The witness, an acquaintance of Hannah's, noted that the victim "appeared to be 'Gay.'" A different witness on the scene, though, claims a group of men approached Hunter and proceeded to beat him; yet another witness claims to have seen Hannah standing over Hunter's body and chanting the name of his crew, the Terrace, before leaving the scene. Neither of those witnesses mentions the alleged come-on.

With the lines in the case already drawn, Hannah's version of events has incited new calls of "hate crime" from the gay community. Todd Metrokin and Chris Farris—who together led the charge to resurrect D.C.'s Gays and Lesbians Opposing Violence (GLOV) group last month–say that the suspect's very defense in the case is enough to support a hate-crime investigation. "It looks like they're going with manslaughter because of something we call the 'gay panic' defense," says Metrokin. It's a defense Farris calls both "familiar" and "repugnant." "The fact that the suspect is pointing to gayness as an excuse shows the requisite bias," Farris says. "That the defendant is even coming up with this story shows that it's a hate crime."

More pressing than the abandonment of the hate crime classification, Farris and Metrokin say, is the charge of voluntary manslaughter. Farris says the charge indicates that prosecutors have neglected to look beyond Hannah's "gay panic" story to other possible motives in the case. "It is hard for me to imagine how randomly coming upon somebody and punching them to the point where he falls over and becomes unconscious and then dies is anything short of murder," says Farris. "I'm not a criminal law expert, but if this is legally not considered murder, we're going to have to change the law."

While the determination between manslaughter and murder comes down to discerning the intent to kill, classifying hate crimes means dealing in murkier psychological territory. The District of Columbia passed its hate-crime legislation, the Bias-Related Crime Act of 1989, nearly 20 years ago. According to D.C. code, a hate crime is defined as "a designated act that demonstrates an accused's prejudice based on the actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, personal appearance, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, family responsibility, physical disability, matriculation or political affiliation of a victim."

A mental bias against homosexuals can be almost impossible to prove without a more concrete expression of it—written or verbal epithets, for example, or membership in an organized anti-gay group. Even the Dupont couple, who say they dodged a very real brick along with verbal epithets and threats of future intimidation, were told there wasn't enough evidence to prosecute the offender. The U.S. Attorney's office dismissed the couple's case; in an e-mail, spokesperson Channing Phillips told Metro Weekly, "as unpleasant and demeaning as 'name-calling' may be, words alone are not a crime." The couple's validation is also of the unofficial type: According to the Washington Blade, the suspect has been removed from his security post at the Metropole.

Official statistics under-represent crimes within the GLBT community in many ways: According to FBI crime stats, only a female can be raped, for example, and transgender persons are officially ignored. The hate-crime motive is so difficult to determine that reports are nothing if not woefully inaccurate; Farris and Metrokin say their crusade for the hate crime classification is more to make sure crimes against gays go reported than to allow for harsher sentencing of the accused. Still, enough crimes satisfy the necessary criteria to make D.C. a statistical anomaly among states that report hate crime data. As local gay rights activists are quick to point out, the majority of the District's reported hate crimes are based on sexual orientation bias. In 2006, 60 percent of the 57 hate crimes in D.C. reported to the FBI were biased against sexual orientation; the national average is just over 15 percent. The most recent Police Department stats for 2008 show nearly 75 percent of hate crimes in D.C. to be based on sexual orientation. Less reported, though, is the other strange truth of D.C. hate crime stats: While most hate crimes nationwide are committed by whites, in D.C.—a city with a 60 percent black population—many hate-crime offenders are minorities, too.

It is in borderline cases like Hunter's that this fact—that hate crimes in D.C. amount to one minority group attacking another—becomes most complicated. Like Hunter, little is publicly known about Robert Hannah beyond his initial description in the police report. Most can be inferred from Hannah's photograph on the wanted flyer announcing the warrant for his arrest: Hannah is a black man; at 18 years old, he is slightly younger than the report imagined. The only other info on Hannah, whose name in official reports is spelled with and without the final "h," is that he's last known to have resided in a Shaw apartment complex, and that he is connected with the Terrace, which the affidavit describes as "a group of subjects who live in or frequent the areas of 6th & N Street, 7th & N Street, as well as the area of 8th & N Street NW." In short, we know little more about Hannah than who he was and where he was going.

When BeBar opened in 2006, it situated itself at a borderline of District gentrification, only a few blocks from both Hannah's apartment and the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. The little we know about Tony Randolph Hunter indicates that he also represented an intersection of D.C. culture—Hunter was both black and gay. A Blade piece on the Sept. 30 vigil for Hunter nodded to the divide. "Following a memorial service for Hunter at the church, participants walked about five blocks through the heart of the city's Shaw neighborhood to the site where Hunter was attacked at 8th and N Streets," wrote Blade reporter Lou Chibbaro Jr. "Before reaching their destination, participants walked past public housing projects that city officials say are home to some of the youth gangs, or crews, that have been implicated in a rash of violent muggings and shootings in the neighborhood."

Such casual neighborhood glances point to the complicated intersection of biases that comes to play in these unofficial hate crimes. Absent the epithet, hate-group card, or admission of guilt, the importance of a victim's "actual or perceived" sexual orientation in a crime comes down to the suspect's perceived bias. Is an after-the-fact excuse—an invocation of the gay panic defense—enough to prove prejudice? Or was it always enough that Hunter was a gay black man, and Hannah a straight one? Both sides, in absence of specifics, return to type. "What they're asking us to believe is that a man from Maryland parked his car to go into a gay bar and on his way walked up to a group of strangers and reached out to one of them and grabbed him below the waist. This is not believable," Farris says. "Here's what they know: That a thug says he killed somebody because a guy grabbed his crotch. The bias there is evident."

Photo by Darrow Montgomery.

Metrokin and Farris list five outstanding questions they have with the city's handling of the case, including the police's change of the classification of the crime from "robbery" to "altercation" and the lack of charges filed against a second victim in the attack:

1) The police report classifed this as a bias crime based on sexual orientation, It also stated robbery was a motive, and listed a cellphone, car keys, and cash that was stolen. Now, the police claim that this was an "altercation." Why the change?

2) The arrest warrant identifies two witnesses who claim that there was a sexual advance that preceded the attack. One is the defendent, and the other is someone who knows him. Is that all they have? The charge – voluntary manslaugher, instead of murder – seems to be based on this account (otherwise, it would be at least second-degree murder). Why would a case precede on that testimony, which is obviously suspect? The arrest warrant identifies another witness who confirms the second victim's account, so it is baffling as to why the version put forth by the defendant and his friend seems to be guiding this case.

3) Why have no charges been filed in the attack on the second victim? The police report clearly indicates that there was a second vicitm with bruises.

4) Why hasn't the DA's office contacted the second vicitm, either about charges in his case or as a witness in Tony Hunter's case?

5) Why have charges been filed against only one suspect, when the police report says there were 4, as does the second victim?

Full press release after the jump.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Charges in Tony R. Hunter Case Raises More Questions Than Answers

WASHINGTON DC, October 17, 2008 – As more facts are unveiled in the recent arrest and manslaughter charge in the death of Tony Randolph Hunter, members of GLOV are left searching for answers and concerned about the path the city's case seems to be taking."

"Part of GLOV's mission is to monitor cases to ensure that the rights and dignity of glbt victims are respected and protected," says co-chairman Chris Farris. "That's why we're shocked at the apparent "gay panic" defense and subsequent charge of manslaughter in Tony's murder which don't seem to support the facts of this case. So many questions remain that we're wondering how CAREFUL the MPD and District Attorney are being."

We encourage the media to uncover the truth about this murder. GLOV is pursuing answers to the following questions:

1) The police report classifed this as a bias crime based on sexual orientation, It also stated robbery was a motive, and listed a cellphone, car keys, and cash that was stolen. Now, the police claim that this was an "altercation." Why the change?

2) The arrest warrant identifies two witnesses who claim that there was a sexual advance that preceded the attack. One is the defendent, and the other is someone who knows him. Is that all they have? The charge – voluntary manslaugher, instead of murder – seems to be based on this account (otherwise, it would be at least second-degree murder). Why would a case precede on that testimony, which is obviously suspect? The arrest warrant identifies another witness who confirms the second victim's account, so it is baffling as to why the version put forth by the defendant and his friend seems to be guiding this case.

3) Why have no charges been filed in the attack on the second victim? The police report clearly indicates that there was a second vicitm with bruises.

4) Why hasn't the DA's office contacted the second vicitm, either about charges in his case or as a witness in Tony Hunter's case?

5) Why have charges been filed against only one suspect, when the police report says there were 4, as does the second victim?

In a Wednesday press conference, Metropolitan Police Department Chief Cathy Lanier stated that as far as MPD and the U.S. Attorney’s Office is concerned, the Hunter case is not a hate crime. In a statement, Gay and Lesbian Liaison Unit (GLLU) Community Outreach Specialist Matt Ashburn wrote, "Of particular interest to members of the GLBT community, Chief Lanier stated the case was thoroughly reviewed by prosecutors at the United States Attorney's Office and there is no evidence to support a hate crime enhancement."

Lanier also noted that investigators in the case have ruled out another suspected motive: robbery. MPD is now describing the events leading to Hunter's death simply as an "altercation between Mr. Hunter and Mr. Hanna."

But with the robbery motive abandoned, how is it decided whether or not an “altercation” is motivated by hate?

According to Brett Parson, acting lieutenant of the MPD's Special Liaison Unit, the hate-bias determination is made at three levels: First, by the officers who respond to the scene; second, by the police investigators assigned to the case; and third, by the District Attorneys who prosecute the accused.

In this case, says Parson, “the initial officers that responded to the scene did indicate that it was a potential hate bias crime,” Parson explains, emphasizing the term “potential.” Officers “based that [determination] on the geographic location and the lack of any other evidence,” he says. “They felt that they should raise the issue and that it should be looked into.” Parson says that the MPD Homicide Dept. investigators assigned to the case, Detectives Jacqueline Middleton and Jed Worrell, did look into the hate/bias issue—and found there wasn’t sufficient evidence to support the classification. “Homicide did in fact look into it,” says Parson. “They found that it did not reach that level. It did not pass that threshold.”

The hate crime enhancement can be difficult to satisfy, as it applies to a specific aspect of a suspect’s motive: their “prejudice.” In the District of Columbia, hate crimes are classified under the "Bias-Related Crime Act of 1989" (22 D.C. Code 3701). According to the statute, a hate crime is: “a designated act that demonstrates an accused’s prejudice based on the actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, personal appearance, sexual orientation, family responsibility, physical handicap, matriculation or political affiliation of a victim of the subject designated act.” A factsheet released by MPD's Gay and Lesbian Liason Unit (GLLU) clarifies that a hate crime "is motivated, in whole or in part, by an offender’s bias.”

Parson says that in this case, investigators and prosecutors failed to uncover substantial evidence that bias played a role in the altercation. Though he says he “cannot discuss any statements made by any witnesses,” he does say that MPD has no evidence that Hanna used “any overt words or epithets” during or leading up to the altercation with Hunter, and that Hanna does not appear to have any pattern of attacks against gays.

Still—shouldn't police wait to determine a subject's "prejudice" until after the suspect is found? Police mouthpieces began insisting against the hate crime classification as early as Sept. 18, the day after Hunter’s death (Hunter died ten days following the altercation with Hanna). "There is nothing to indicate at this time that this crime was motivated by hate or bias," wrote MPD spokesperson Traci Hughes, on Sept. 18. Later that day, GLLU’s Ashburn supported Hughes’ statement, writing: “the crime is NOT classified as a hate/bias crime.”

The statements came nearly a full month before Hanna’s arrival into police custody, and 20 days before the warrant was issued for his arrest. [UPDATE: The Blade reported today that Hannah "spoke with homicide investigators Sept. 22."]

Parson said yesterday that he was unfamiliar with the time-line of MPD statements on the issue, but did insist that the hate crime possibility was fully investigated at the level of both the police department and the U.S. Attorney's Office. Parson did caution that "hate crime" can mean different things to the police and to the community they serve. “It depends if you’re asking from a legal perspective or a general person's perspective,” says Parson. “Once the facts become public, the people will draw their own conclusions from it. The U.S. Attorney's Office has come to the conclusion that this case did not reach the criteria to charge as a hate/bias crime. Whether or not that’s the same conclusion that the public will make will have to wait until after they’ve heard all the facts.”

Of particular interest to members of the GLBT community, Chief Lanier stated the case was thoroughly reviewed by prosecutors at the United States Attorney’s Office and there is no evidence to support a hate crime enhancement. Furthermore, Chief Lanier indicated the initial suspected motive of robbery was eventually determined by investigators to not be correct and that the death of Mr. Hunter resulted from an altercation between Mr. Hunter and Mr. Hanna, during which Mr. Hunter suffered injuries which lead to his death.

Mr. Hanna will be presented in the District of Columbia Superior Court, at which time a judge will determine if he will be released or jailed pending the judicial process.

Note: I've seen different spellings of the suspect's name, re: Hanna/Hannah, from MPD documents. Will update when I get word from MPD.

Full statement after the jump.

From GLLU Community Outreach Specialist Matt Ashburn:

On October 15, 2008, members of the Metropolitan Police Department’s (MPDC) Joint Fugitive Task force located and arrested 18 year old Robert Hanna, who was being sought pursuant to a District of Columbia Superior Court arrest warrant charging him with Voluntary Manslaughter, related to the death of Tony Randolph Hunter.

Members of the MPDC's Homicide Branch, particularly Detectives Jacqueline Middleton and Jed Worrell, along with members of the Joint Fugitive Task Force, worked tirelessly to ensure the capture of Mr. Hanna. Chief Lanier held a press conference this afternoon, during which she thanked members of the community who had cooperated with investigators and also the countless tips that were forwarded to investigators using the MPDC’s TIP line.

Of particular interest to members of the GLBT community, Chief Lanier stated the case was thoroughly reviewed by prosecutors at the United States Attorney’s Office and there is no evidence to support a hate crime enhancement. Furthermore, Chief Lanier indicated the initial suspected motive of robbery was eventually determined by investigators to not be correct and that the death of Mr. Hunter resulted from an altercation between Mr. Hunter and Mr. Hanna, during which Mr. Hunter suffered injuries which lead to his death.

Mr. Hanna will be presented in the District of Columbia Superior Court, at which time a judge will determine if he will be released or jailed pending the judicial process.
–
Matt W. Ashburn, Auxiliary #1314
Special Liaison Unit
Executive Office of the Chief of Police
Washington, DC Metropolitan Police Department
1369-A Connecticut Avenue N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036
E-mail: matthew.ashburn@dc.gov

It's been over a month since Tony Randolph Hunter, a gay man, was assaulted near BeBar on the evening of Sept. 7. After a stay in the hospital, Hunter was pronounced dead on Sept. 17. A day after Hunter's death, police announced that the crime was not being classified as a "hate crime."

Now, D.C. police have secured a warrant for the arrest of a Robert Hannah (pictured) in connection with Hunter's death. About an hour ago, MPD sent out an "urgent bulletin" announcing that Hannah, who is known as "Rob," is wanted for "Voluntary Manslaughter in connection with the beating death of Tony Hunter." Hannah is described as "a 18-year-old black male (DOB: 8/11/1990), 5'7" in height, and 148 lbs." Police released this "Wanted" flier, which citizens are directed to distribute. Download the flier here [PDF].

Those with information about the case are directed to contact Detective Jed Worrell at (202) 645-9618 or 202 486-1596 (cell); Detective Jackie Middleton at (202) 645-5501 or 202 497-4606 (cell); or the MPD Command Information Center at (202) 727-9099. Anonymous tips can be called in to 1-888-919-CRIME, or texted to 50411.

* On September 19, GLLU responded to a call from a Maryland man who claimed that his ex-boyfriend had stalked him, and in the process caused "damage to the victim’s personal and work vehicle, the vehicle of a friend and also the victim’s home."

* On September 18, an intoxicated person was arrested in Adams Morgan after yelling "racial and homophobic epithets at pedestrians, as well as making physical threats towards them."

* On September 19, police responded to a complaint from a 15-year-old student at the Model Secondary School for the Deaf, who "was complaining he was sexually assaulted by another male student three weeks prior to reporting the incident to his mother."

* On September 20, police responded to reports of an assault in the Dupont Circle area. The victim claimed to have been "attacked by his former boyfriend at a local bar," suffering injuries that "did not require medical attention."

* Later that day, police arrived at a hospital in response to sexual assault claims from a 21-year-old male. The patient claimed that the night before, he "was rendered unconscious by an unknown means and ended up in the rear of a residence," where he "believes he may have been the victim of a sexual assault."

* On September 21, a "semi-conscious" man was found at the corner of 8th St and Florida Ave. NW., the apparent victim of a hit-and-run. There is no description of the suspect, whose vehicle is described as a "brown or burgundy Mazda."

Read the complete GLLU blotter after the jump.

On 9/17/08, a resident of Maryland contact the GLLU to seek advise regarding the stalking behavior of his ex-boyfriend. According to the male caller, the suspect had caused damage to the victim’s personal and work vehicle, the vehicle of a friend and also the victim’s home. Since all offenses occurred in the state of Maryland, the victim was referred to the Maryland States Attorney’s Office and his local police department for assistance.

On Thursday, 9/18/08, at approximately 11:30 p.m., members of the Third District were summoned to a disorderly person in the 2400 block of 18th Street, N.W. Upon arriving on the scene, they located the suspect, who was highly intoxicated. The suspect was yelling racist and homophobic epithets at pedestrians, as well as making physical threats towards them. The suspect was arrested and the crime was classified as a potential hate/bias crime based upon race and sexual orientation.

On Friday, 9/19/08, members of the Fifth District responded the Model Secondary School for the Deaf, on the campus of Gallaudet University, for the call for a sexual assault. Upon arriving on the scene, the learned that a 15 year old male student was complaining he was sexually assaulted by another male student three weeks prior to reporting the incident to his mother. Members of the Youth Investigations Branch and Deaf and Hard of Hearing Liaison Unit are investigating.

On 9/20/08, at approximately 2 a.m., members of the Second District responded to the area of 33rd and M Streets, N.W. for the report of an assault. Upon arrival, they located the victim, who stated he was attacked by his former boyfriend at a local bar, in the area of 22nd and P Streets, N.W. The suspect was no longer on the scene and a warrant for his arrest will be obtained. The victim suffered minor injuries and did not require medical attention.

On 9/20/08, at approximately 3 p.m., members of the Second District responded to a local hospital for the complaint of a sexual assault. Upon arrival, a 21 year old male complained that on 9/19/08 sometime between 1 a.m. and 3:30 a.m., he was rendered unconscious by an unknown means and ended up in the rear of a residence in the 1700 block of R Street, N.W. The victim believes he may have been the victim of a sexual assault. Members of the Metropolitan Police Department’s Sexual Assault Investigations Unit are investigating his allegation.

In the early morning hours of 9/21/08, a male was located in a semi-conscious state at the intersection of 8th Street and Florida Avenue, N.W. The investigation revealed the male was crossing outside the crosswalk, when he was struck by a vehicle traveling eastbound in the 800 block of Florida Avenue, N.W. The vehicle fled the scene without the driver making his/her identity known or rendering assistance to the injured pedestrian. The vehicle is described as a brown or burgundy Mazda. There is not a description of the operator or a license plate number. The victim was treated and released from a local hospital.