Anti-Hate Crime Rally: Queers Speak Out - 7/26

[on-reserve.livejournal.com]

ACTION ALERT!

QUEERS SPEAK OUT!
ANTI-HATE CRIME RALLY

SATURDAY, JULY 26
2 PM @ MAVERICK STATION (ON THE BLUE LINE)
RALLY @ PIERS PARK (95 Marginal St., East Boston)
We will gather at Maverick and march to Piers Park.

On July 4th, a woman was the victim of a gay bashing at Piers Park. She was punched to the ground and kicked repeatedly in the head, as her partner and children watched. She has had two surgeries to relieve bleeding in her brain and more than 200 stitches.

She was attacked because she is a lesbian.

WE WILL NOT BE SILENT!

Anti-GLBT violence is used to silence our community, to keep us hidden, scared and ashamed.
We will be VISIBLE and PROUD at Piers Park. Join us!!

Why were the perpetrators only told to leave and not arrested by Massport Police at the scene?
Why is the charge only aggravated assault and battery, not attempted murder?
Why have civil rights violations not been added to the charges?
We want answers!

There is power in numbers. Please join us and show your support. Allies welcome.

Please email firegrrl@fastdial.net for more information.

Brought to you by:
The Lesbian Avengers of Boston
www.lesbianavengers.org

Comments

[enmascarado.livejournal.com]

Last I heard, civil rights violations were part of the charges.

-Dan

Re:

[on-reserve.livejournal.com]

last i heard, they're not. they're debating whether or not to add them but it hasn't been determined. and the fact that there was any delay (i.e. "we're still determining if this was a hate crime ..." when it OBVIOUSLY was) also merits questioning.

[lidiya6.livejournal.com]

I also heard civil rights charges were being CONSIDERED.

Here are the first few articles I read about it.

warning – there are pictures in the first link that are very upsetting but important to see.

http://www2.bostonherald.com/news/local_regional/bash07112003.htm

http://www.boston.com/dailyglobe2/193/metro/July_4th_assault_on_woman_eyed_as_antigay_hate_crimeP.shtml

http://365gay.com/NewsContent/071103bostonAttack.htm

[enochs-fable.livejournal.com]

Unfortunately, as far as the charges (assault & battery rather than attempted murder), they rest on the question of intent. Without clear evidence that the assailants intended from the start to kill the victim, it's not attempted murder.

Re:

[on-reserve.livejournal.com]

i dunno, i think it's pretty clear that they wanted her dead. i'm really tired of giving all of this benefit of the doubt to gaybashers. i suspect that her being working class has something to do with her abysmal treatment by the police. i wonder what it would be like if she were rich and straight ...

[enochs-fable.livejournal.com]

How is it "pretty clear"? I'm not talking about 'benefit of the doubt' to anyone, but rather how the law works.

The fact is that the prosecution has to make it's case based on what it is most likely to get a conviction on. It's not at all clear to me that the attackers intended to kill the woman from the get-go - they grabbed her purse and fled, when they could have chosen otherwise. Make no bones about it, it was horrible, but the prosecution would have to prove beyond a reasonable doubt by evidence that the girl meant to kill the woman - not just badly injure her. Otherwise if they went with 'attempted murder' they are on much shakier ground - ie having to prove intent.

I'm hoping the kids involved get the maximum appropriate penalties for what they did.

Re:

[on-reserve.livejournal.com]

dude, it was a HATE CRIME. they yelled slurs and then proceeded to kick her repeatedly in the head. they didn't steal anything. they wanted her dead because she's queer. her partner had to hold her head together (literally, her brain was falling out of her skull) until emergency medics came. she has over 200 stiches in her head and has had 3 brain surgeries. it doesn't take a gang of some 20+ teenagers to steal a purse. this wasn't a robbery gone awry, it was attempted murder and the fact that the prosecution isn't pushing for it, or civil penalties (hate crime legislation) just proves to me how little the state values queers.

Re:

[enochs-fable.livejournal.com]

I'm aware of the facts of the case. Her brain was not "falling out of her skull" - she had to have her skull cut into to relieve severe swelling, at least according to all accounts I've seen. It's a horrible enough crime without altering details. I was simply trying to provide some legal info, as far as I know it - not commenting on whether or not it was appropriate to what they did. I'm not a lawyer - I'd love to hear one chime in on this on, as I am really wondering why it wasn't 'attempted murder' but going on what little I do know.

[lidiya6.livejournal.com]

I agree that intent would be hard to prove in this case. And I don't have enough information (not that I think I can ever really have enough information on know someone's intent) to say that the teens intended to murder her. They came very close to doing so but attmepted murder is a legal definition - not what you or I just think. This in no way diminishes the horror of what happened or the rage I feel.

I read three boys and one girl participated in the attack- where are you getting the figure of 20+?