Family Portrait: Fred Hersch gets jazzed up PAGE 31
Fall into the autumn arts scene with our annual preview PAGE 5
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Sept. 12-18, 2014
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Vol. 38 No. 37
Death penalty not off table in trans slaying
PA among states pressing SCOTUS for pro-marriage ruling
By Timothy Cwiek timothy@epgn.com
By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com Top legal officials from more than half of the country’s states — including Pennsylvania — have joined in the chorus calling on the U.S. Supreme Court to make a pronouncement on whether same-sex couples have the fundamental right to marry. Attorneys and solicitors general from 15 states with marriage equality, including Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane, signed a brief Sept. 4 asking the nation’s top court to uphold the ruling invalidating Utah’s ban on same-sex marriage and extend it nationwide. The same day, 17 states without marriage equality urged the court to take two Oklahoma cases, yet did not advocate for a specific finding. SCOTUS is expected to announce Oct. 6 if it will consider a marriage-equality case this term. Kane’s office did not respond to a request for comment as of presstime. The pro-marriage equality brief was authored by Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley, who was joined by officials from California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Vermont and Washington. Pennsylvania, Iowa and New Mexico are the only states among the brief signatories whose governors oppose same-sex marriage, yet whose attorneys general support it. Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett did not respond to a request for comment. The brief details the “substantial deprivation” that results from excluding same-sex couples from marriage, noting that, as marriage lies at the forefront of a vast array of laws, barring some couples from access creates “second-class families.” The filing went on to describe the legal uncertainties that have abounded PAGE 18 from states’ refusing to honor the
A local prosecutor this week said a death-penalty request is possible in the grisly slaying of transgender woman Diamond Williams. “It’s too early in the process to make that decision,” said Assistant District Attorney Geoffrey W. MacArthur. In July 2013, Charles N. Sargent allegedly stabbed and decapitated Williams, then deposited her body parts in a vacant lot in Strawberry Mansion. Sargent reportedly said he became upset with Williams after bringing her to his residence for a sexual encounter, then realizing she was transgender. Sargent was arrested in July RAPPELLING FOR CHARITY: State Rep. Brian Sims rappelled down four stories on the side of the Commerce Square building Wednesday morning at a preview event of the Philadelphia Outward Bound School’s annual fundraiser, Building Adventure 2014. “In a city that knows more creative ways to raise support for great causes like this, if I can utilize some of the attention my job receives and focus it at this, why not!” Sims told PGN. The main event will take place from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Oct. 24 at One Logan Square. Participants can register as individuals or form teams to rappel down 31 stories. All money raised from the event will directly benefit POBS’ experiential-education programs. The event has raised more than $91,000 this year towards its goal of $250,000. For more information, visit www.buildingadventure.org. Photo: Scott
Mazzoni Center announces new legal director By Ryan Kasley ryan@epgn.com Thomas Ude, Jr., former senior staff attorney and counsel for Lambda Legal, will assume the legal and public-policy director position at Mazzoni Center, effective Sept. 30. The position was previously held by David M. Rosenblum, who died suddenly in May of a heart attack. He had been in the position for three years. Ude, 51, brings more than 20 years of high-level advocacy and litigating experience to Mazzoni
2013, and his preliminary hearing was scheduled for Sept. 9. But due to a scheduling conflict of defense attorney J. Michael Farrell, the hearing was postponed. Outside the courtroom, MacArthur said a decision about the death penalty will be made after a preliminary hearing. “There are only a limited number of situations where the death penalty is applicable, as proscribed by state law,” he said. “After the preliminary hearing, we’ll evaluate whether this case fits within those parameters.” Input from Williams’ surviving relatives will be sought prior to a final decision, he added. “Family input is always valuable, along with many other factors,” PAGE 18 MacArthur
Center’s legal-services department — the only program that provides direct legal assistance to lowincome LGBT individuals in Pennsylvania, with a wide range of areas including discrimination law, family law, advanced planning, insurance matters and transgender-specific legal issues. “I am excited to be joining the staff of Mazzoni Center,” Ude said. “I look forward to the opportunity to contribute to its strong and vibrant history of identifying and addressing the needs of LGBT people. I am humbled to be succeeding David PAGE 21 Rosenblum, whose experience,
RIDING THE STORM: Jack (from left), Thomas, Mattais, Frank, Corey, Machian, Theonlyshow and Andrew pose under the threatening sky near the shut-down El Toro before heading off for shelter at Six Flags’ Out at Night event. They were among the handful of LGBTs who took advantage of this year’s perk allowing entry to the park during the afternoon prior to the annual nighttime party. Lightning in the area shut down most of the park between 4-6 p.m., which effectively cleared out most of the day visitors and left the rides an open bonanza. Around 10 p.m., a strong thunderstorm charged into the area and left thousands first scrambling for cover and, as it let up to a light rain, scurrying to the parking lot. Organizer Chris Wright said the threatening forecast definitely contributed to lower attendance, but it was still higher than anticipated. This was the first time in the event’s 11-year history in which bad weather played a factor. Photo: Scott A. Drake