Family Portrait: Bill Egan sets the stage for GayFest! PAGE 29
EQPA hires transrights organizer PAGE 5
Sand-blasting the Jersey shore
Toomey votes against student bullying protections
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July 17-23, 2015
Since 1976
PGN Philadelphia Gay News HONESTY • INTEGRITY • PROFESSIONALISM
Vol. 39 No. 29
Fired teacher speaks out amid growing controversy By Ryan Kasley ryan@epgn.com The Catholic school teacher who was recently fired for her same-sex marriage spoke with PGN this week about the ongoing controversy. It was made public last week that Waldron Mercy Academy in Merion terminated Margie Winters, a longtime teacher and director of religious education at the elementary school, because a parent reportedly complained to the school and the Archdiocese of Philadelphia about Winters’ marriage. Winters, who married her wife in Boston in 2007, taught at Waldron Mercy for eight FILM IN FOCUS: The stars were out July 12 for closing night of qFLIX. Those acceptyears. Waldron Mercy Principal Nell ing awards included Daniel Sickles, co-director of “Mala Mala” (from left); Kamoga Stetser knew of Winters’ sexual orientation Hassan, director of “Outed: The Painful Reality,” who came from Uganda for the world premiere of the film; and Jonathan Gordon, star of “Those People.” Dozens of LGBT and marriage when she was hired — even films, ranging from documentaries to dramas to shorts programs, screened at area recommending to her that she remain theaters during the six-day festival. More photos on page 33. Photos: Scott A. Drake closeted to parents and students. While the archdiocese has emphasized that the decision to terminate Winters came from the school itself, Winters said she suspects the Archdiocese played a role. “I can’t be certain, but it is interesting that I was a beloved member of the Waldron Mercy community for so many years, and back. The defendants were not present. By Jen Colletta Another bring back was scheduled for 9 loved and accepted for who I am,” she told jen@epgn.com a.m. Aug. 13 in Room 905 of the Criminal PGN. “This stance of inclusion was called into question once the PAGE 20 The District Attorney’s Office confirmed Justice Center, 1301 Filbert St. The suspects could decide to take the this week that plea agreements have been offered to each of the three suspects accused agreements at any time, Kline said. If they reject the agreements, the case of physically and verbally attacking a gay could head to trial. Kline declined to say if couple in Center City this past fall. By Timothy Cwiek “We have made an offer,” DA spokesper- the DA’s Office will negotiate with the sustimothy@epgn.com pects’ attorneys if they reject the initial deals son Cameron Kline told PGN this week. Kline said plea deals have been offered to offered. PGN is urging the state Office of Open “Right now the case is awaiting a trial Records to hold a public hearing in its Kathryn Knott, Kevin Harrigan and Philip Williams but declined to give specifics on date. We’re preparing for that trial,” he said. appeal for certified records in the Nizah what the agreements entail. He also declined “As part of that process, which is in the early Morris case. stages, we would work with the defense to say if the deals were all the same. In May, PGN asked the Philadelphia “That we have to keep confidential,” he attorneys to set the right dates, make sure District Attorney’s Office to provide the everyone shares evidence and information records, in order to gain more transparency said. The three face aggravated assault, simple and move forward until the judge says, ‘OK and accountability in the Morris case. But assault and conspiracy charges in connec- here’s date.’ We’re still in prep phase.” in a June 29 denial letter, the D.A.’s Office Kline said he anticipates a fall trial if the declined to comply with the paper’s request. tion with the Sept. 11 beating of Zachary Hess and Andrew Haught. The couple was suspects reject the plea deals. On July 9, PGN filed an appeal with the Pennsylvania lacks an LGBT-inclusive OOR and requested a public hearing. walking near 16th and Chancellor streets when the three suspects allegedly taunted hate-crimes law but the incident prompted Morris was a transgender woman found them about their sexual orientation and then Philadelphia City Council to enact such with a fractured skull in 2002, shortly after a measure. Knott, Harrigan and Williams a “courtesy ride” from Officer Elizabeth physically assaulted them. Attorneys for the trio were in court last couldn’t be charged under the law because it Skala. Her homicide remains unsolved. Thursday for a scheduled pre-trial bring was adopted after the incident took place. n Inexplicably, Skala initiated an unre-
Plea deals on the table for gaybashing suspects
STANDING IN SOLIDARITY: Margie Winters (right) and wife Andrea Vittori listened to Waldron Mercy Academy community members speak in support of them at a prayer vigil in General Wayne Park in Lower Merion Township Sunday night. About 100 supporters gathered for the event, organized in response to the Catholic school’s firing of Winters, its former director of religious studies, because of her same-sex marriage. School officials reportedly knew about the marriage when Winters was hired in 2007, and moved to terminate her after two parents complained to the school and archdiocese. Photo: Jason Landau Goodman
Public hearing requested in Morris case lated vehicle stop while assigned to handle Morris, who was intoxicated. The vehicle stop contributed to a three-hour delay before Skala responded to Morris after her head injury. After Skala’s delayed response, another officer wrote a police report that treated the entire incident as a “hospital case,” with no mention of the courtesy ride and subsequent crime. Detectives didn’t begin investigating the incident until several days later, when Morris was already dead. PGN is seeking certified copies of dispatch records pertaining to Skala’s vehicle stop from the D.A.’s Office. The state’s open-records law allows a requester to seek certified records from an agency. Certification verifies that an agency is providing accurate copies of records. PGN’s request for a PAGE 22