GETTING Kinky WITH IT
Family Portrait: Micah Rodriguez is a young HERO
“Kinky” boots it out of the park
LGBT history: Sit-ins at Dewey’s
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PGN photographer wins national award PAGE 5
Apr. 24-30, 2015
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PGN Philadelphia Gay News HONESTY • INTEGRITY • PROFESSIONALISM
Vol. 39 No. 17
D.A.: No evidence in Morris case to file charges
Judge moves gay-bashing case forward
By Timothy Cwiek timothy@epgn.com
By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com The trio accused of attacking a gay couple in Center City this past fall was back in court last Thursday in an attempt to get the charges against them dropped. Attorneys for Kathryn Knott, Kevin Harrigan and Philip Williams submitted a motion to quash to Court of Common Pleas Judge Frank Palumbo, essentially asking he dismiss all charges against the three. Palumbo denied the requests and set another court date next month for continued review of the evidence in the case. The three are charged with aggravated assault, simple assault, conspiracy and recklessly endangering another person in connection with the Sept. 11 attack on Zachary Hesse and Andrew Haught. The couple was walking in Center City when they encountered Knott, Harrigan and Williams at 16th and Chancellor streets. The couple says the three used antigay slurs and
physically attacked them, leaving Haught with multiple broken bones. Pennsylvania does not have an LGBT-inclusive hate-crimes law and Philadelphia has since adopted such a measure, but the three cannot be charged under it since it was passed after the incident. Palumbo scheduled another pretrial “bring back” for 9 a.m. May 21 in Room 902 of the Criminal Justice Center, 1301 Filbert St. Once the discovery phase is complete, a trial date will be set, pending no plea deal. ■
BELLES’ BELLS: PGN editor Jen Colletta (right) and Ashlee Turturro enter the reception hall to cheers and applause April 18 at Spring Mill Manor. Family and friends joined the couple for a gorgeous afternoon outdoor wedding followed by congratulations and much revelry. The two are currently in Aruba on their honeymoon. Photo: Scott A. Drake
The Nizah Morris case has been thoroughly investigated and there’s no evidence to charge anyone with a crime, Philadelphia District Attorney Seth Williams said last week. Williams conveyed that message at an April 15 forum sponsored by the Justice for Nizah committee, entitled “Trans Lives Matter.” About 35 people attended the event, which was held at the William Way LGBT Community Center. Morris was a transgender woman found with a fatal head wound in 2002, minutes after entering a police vehicle for a “courtesy ride.” Her homicide remains unsolved. At the forum, concerns were expressed that police used excessive force on Morris, then made her out to be a slip-and-fall victim. But Williams said there’s no evidence to support that scenario. If there were such evidence, he would prosecute police, he said.
“I don’t have a problem charging police with use of excessive force,” he said. “I don’t give any police officer a free ride.” Throughout his career, he’s prosecuted 52 police officers for use of excessive force, due to sufficient evidence, he added. But Williams declined to say whether he would try to locate missing evidence in the Morris case. Missing evidence includes video-surveillance tapes, police-radio transmissions, medic-radio transmissions, cell-phone records, search warrants, dispatch records and Morris’ clothing and jewelry. Williams also declined to specify measures he would enact to prevent future losses of evidence, nor would he agree to compile a list of evidence misplaced by the D.A.’s Office. But the D.A. said his office would interview Daniel Coll, who was outside the old Key West Bar when Morris was placed inside the police vehicle for the courtesy ride. Williams’ willingPAGE 17
Out candidates receive Liberty City endorsement By Ryan Kasley ryan@epgn.com The Liberty City Democratic Club announced its endorsements for the 2015 primary election. Among the most notable candidates it endorsed were Jim Kenney for mayor and out candidates Sherrie Cohen and Paul Steinke, and outspoken ally Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown, for City Council-at-Large. Chris Mallios, Daniel Clifford and Court of Common Pleas Judge Abbe Fletman — all openly gay — were also endorsed for the judicial races. “Philadelphia is the most LGBT-friendly city in the nation and that is due in large part to the hard work and leadership of Jim Kenney,” said Liberty City co-chair Sara Jacobson. “Liberty City members overwhelmingly voted to endorse Jim Kenney and look forward to hitting the streets, neighborhood by neighborhood, to elect
Kenny mayor of Philadelphia.” LCDC also endorsed candidate Helen Gym and current City Councilman Bill Greenlee for Council-at-Large, as well as current councilmembers Kenyatta Johnson (2nd Dist.) and Maria Quinones-Sanchez (7th Dist.). For Philadelphia City Commissioner, LCDC
endorsed Lisa Deeley and Carol Jenkins. LCDC also endorsed Kevin Dougherty and Anne Lazarus for Pennsylvania Supreme Court; Alice Beck Dubow for Pennsylvania Superior Court; R. Todd Eagan for Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court; James Berardinelli, Daine Grey, Anthony Kyriakakis, Brian Ortelere, Rainy Papademetriou, Kenneth Powell, Mia Roberts-Perez, Stephanie Sawyer, Kai Scott and Stella Tsai for the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County; and Joffee Pittman and Dan Sulman for Philadelphia Municipal Court. “We had a spirited and robust discussion on which candidates to endorse for such important elected positions — many of which will have a direct impact on the hundreds of thousands of LGBT Pennsylvanians across the Commonwealth,” said Liberty City co-chair Tony Campisi. “We will now begin to impleENDORSEMENT VOTE DURING THE LIBERTY ment an aggressive GOTV operation on behalf CITY MEETING APRIL 16 Photo: Scott A. Drake of all our endorsed candidates.” ■
PGN Spring 2014 Youth Supplement
CENTER SPREAD PAGES 29-36