Family Portrait: M. Asli Dukan is out of this universe PAGE 29
One Voyeur lawsuit settled, the other gets trial date PAGE 2
Joseph, and a show of many colors PAGE 23
Queer voices join at William Way PAGE 5 Dec. 18-24, 2015
Since 1976
PGN Philadelphia Gay News HONESTY • INTEGRITY • PROFESSIONALISM
Vol. 39 No. 51
Kathryn Knott takes case to court More than 20 witnesses testified over Knott’s four-day trial for her alleged role in last year’s attack on a gay couple in Center City. As of presstime, the jury was still out. If convicted, Knott could face several years in jail. By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com There were several hours of painfully slow silence in Courtroom 304 in the Criminal Justice Center on Wednesday. Dozens waited as eight women and four men spent about five hours deliberating the innocence or guilt of accused gay basher Kathryn Knott. The jury didn’t reach a verdict on its first day in deliberations and was set to resume talks Thursday morning (PGN goes to press Wednesday evening; for up-to-date information on this case, visit www.epgn. com). Knott, 25, was charged with aggravated and simple assault, conspiracy and reckless endangerment in connection with the 2014 attack on gay couple Andrew Haught and Zachary Hesse. Prosecutors said Knott was part of a group that physically and verbally attacked Haught and Hesse at 16th and Chancellor streets Sept. 11, 2014. The melee started, they said, when Kevin Harrigan, a friend of Knott, made a derogatory comment about the men being a couple. Harrigan and co-defendant Philip Williams accepted plea deals this fall and will receive no jail time; Knott rejected a similar plea deal. More than 20 witnesses were presented over the four-day trial. Assistant District Attorney Mike Barry and defense attorney Louis Busico delivered closing statements Tuesday afternoon and the jury started deliberations at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, after Judge Roxanne Covington spent about an hour instructing them on the law. The jury periodically submitted requests for information on Wednesday, including asking to see all eight video clips used as evidence twice and police statements from the victims, three prosecution witnesses and a defense witness. While throughout PAGE 16
BANKERS HOLIDAY: Business leaders and members of the community listen to brief comments during the Independence Business Alliance holiday gathering Dec. 15 at Radisson Blu. Borgata representative Joe Lupo spoke briefly about the resort becoming a nationally recognized member of the IBA and the latest Out at Borgata efforts, while board president Rich Harrow announced the annual party was the most-attended in its history. About 150 members and guests enjoyed a pasta station, cheese and charcuterie table and open bar and were treated to a copy of Mark Segal’s “And Then I Danced,” courtesy of PNC Bank. Discounted drink specials were also offered after the party around the corner at Stir. Photo: Scott A. Drake
D.A.’s Office agrees to mediation in Morris dispute By Timothy Cwiek timothy@epgn.com The Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office has agreed to participate in mediation with PGN, in order to resolve a dispute involving access to records pertaining to the Nizah Morris incident. Earlier this month, the D.A.’s Office accepted PGN’s offer to participate in mediation. The mediation is sponsored by the state Office of Open Records. The session will be non-binding and closed to the public. All discussions during the session will be confidential. But if a settlement is reached, that outcome will be publicly acknowledged by the OOR. Deadlines in the dispute have been postponed for at least 30 days, to allow time for the mediation to take place. If an OOR mediator feels that more than one session will be productive, both sides can participate in multiple sessions. Morris was a trans woman found with a fatal head wound in 2002, shortly after a Center City “courtesy ride” from Philadelphia police. Her homicide remains unsolved, and advocates are pushing for state and/or federal probes. PGN is seeking a certified copy of all Morris 911 recordings in the D.A.’s possession. But so far, the office has declined PAGE 20 to comply with the
N.J. town limits hours of gay-oriented adult bookstore By Timothy Cwiek timothy@epgn.com The Berlin, N.J., township council unanimously adopted an ordinance Dec. 14 limiting the hours of operation of Red Barn Bookstore. But Thomas Sherwood, owner of the gay-oriented adult establishment, vowed to fight the measure in court. The ordinance requires Red Barn, located on Route 73, to close on Sundays and between midnight-9 a.m. Monday through Saturday. It also imposes the same hours of oper-
ations on another adult-oriented establishment in the township, Berlin News Agency, which caters to the non-LGBT community. S h e r wo o d s a i d h e h a s a F i r s t Amendment right to operate his store 24 hours a day, seven days a week. “My First-Amendment rights don’t stop at midnight and start again at 9 a.m.,” he said. He said Red Barn pays about $14,000 annually to the township in real-estate taxes. “We support this community. I should be allowed to be open 24 hours a day. Don’t
treat me any differently. Treat me the same.” He said being open throughout the night actually makes the township safer, because staffers monitor the area for crime and accidents on the highway. Sherwood emphasized that Red Barn doesn’t cause adverse effects sometimes associated with adult establishments — such as decreased property values, increased crime, drug trafficking, prostitution, traffic congestion or the spread of diseases. PAGE 20 He said homophobia