LGBT Sports Issue: Focus on flag football PAGE 22
National National LGBT LGBT History History Month Month Project Project
Activist John James
Playright Robert Patrick
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Oct. 3-9, 2014
Since 1976
PGN Philadelphia Gay News HONESTY • INTEGRITY • PROFESSIONALISM
Vol. 38 No. 40
Prosecutor: This was an antigay crime By Jen Colletta jen@epgn.com
LOVE AT LOVE PARK: Despite off and on rain, about 300 people rallied in support of expanded hate-crimes legislation at Love Park Sept. 25. The demonstration was prompted by last month’s attack in Center City on a gay couple. Pennsylvania’s hate-crimes statute does not include protections for sexual orientation or gender identity, and many of the speakers called on legislators to remedy the law. For more coverage of the rally, see page 5. Photo: Jen Colletta
The prosecutor who will bring the case against three people accused of attacking a gay couple in Center City last month told PGN this week that he believes the incident was spurred by antigay animus. “This was a crime motivated against these guys because of their sexual orientation. I have no doubt about that,” said assistant district attorney Michael Barry. Barry is the prosecutor assigned to the cases against Kathryn Knott, Philip Williams and Kevin Harrigan. Attorneys for the three suspects were in court Tuesday for a status hearing, at which Common Pleas Judge Roger Gordon set a
State police will track anti-trans bias incidents in 2015 By Timothy Cwiek timothy@epn.com Beginning next year, Pennsylvania state police will track bias incidents directed specifically against transgender individuals, an agency spokesperson said last week. “The FBI has positioned themselves, and we have positioned ourselves as well, to begin collecting data in gender bias specifically for anti-transgender, beginning Jan. 1, 2015,” said Pennsylvania State Trooper Adam Reed in an email. New federal guidelines encourage the tracking of bias incidents on the basis of race, religion, nationality, ethnicity, gender, gen-
der identity, sexual orientation and disability. About 1,700 law-enforcement and educational agencies across the state, including the Philadelphia Police Department, are expected to track bias incidents against transgender individuals. The agencies provide bias-incident data to state police on a monthly basis, and state police convey the information to the FBI, OF publishes an annual hatewhich crimes statistics report. About a year ago, state police created a bias category called “anti-lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender.” But that category is for incidents directed against LGBTs in general, such PAGE 26
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preliminary hearing date of Dec. 16. None of the suspects, who were released last week on bail, was present. Barry said he supported the hearing being scheduled later than is normal, to ensure that the schedules of all attorneys, witnesses and other parties involved are clear. At a preliminary hearing, a judge hears arguments from both sides to determine if there is enough evidence against the defendants to proceed to trial. At the hearing, Barry said, he will be tasked with presenting a “barebones, minimum” case of the events that took place Sept. 11, when Knott, Williams and Harrigan are accused of punching, kicking and hurling antigay slurs at a gay couple at PAGE 26
City Council moves to add LGBT hatecrimes law By Ryan Kasley ryan@epgn.com
SATURDAY SPLASH: William Way LGBT Community Center executive director Chris Bartlett donned his finest dunking attire for Philly AIDS Thrift’s ninth-anniversary block party Sept. 27 outside the Fifth Street store. Bartlett, pictured with PAT co-founder Christina Kallas-Saritsoglou, was among the guests who took the dunk-tank plunge to raise money for PAT, which donates its proceeds to local HIV/ AIDS causes. The party featured crafts, a magic show, kids’ activities, music, dancing and an array of offerings from local food trucks. Photo: Liz DeMartino
City Councilmembers Blondell Reynolds Brown and James Kenney last week introduced legislation that would extend punishment for hate crimes in Philadelphia to LGBT people. The bill would add a new chapter to the Philadelphia Code to provide additional penalties for hate crimes based on sexual orientation, gender identity and disabilities as defined in the city’s Fair Practices Ordinance. The measure was introduced in direct response to the gay-bashing incident that took place in Philly Sept. 11. Pennsylvania’s hate-crimes law was amended in 2002 to include sexual orientation, gender identity and disability, but those provisions were later PAGE 26
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