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Friday, June 11, 2010

BREAKING: Police Arrest Five for Gay Bashing

Posted by Sarah Mirk on Fri, Jun 11, 2010 at 4:33 PM

Police are investigating two alleged gay bashings that occurred this week, on the heels of a high-profile assault of several drag queens that sparked a public forum and a quick response from the Attorney General's office over the past week.

The police still have not arrested anyone for that assault, but their hands are full with two new incidents this week.

The first alleged crime occurred at 1:30 AM Thursday morning, Just Out reports. Three gay men were leaving the Silverado club downtown when they say they saw some guys harassing women on the sidewalk, according to police reports. The gay guys told the alleged harassers to lay off, the harassers hurled homophobic slurs back at them and started following them, at which point the queer guys called the police. As one of the guys was dialing 911, one of the harassers headbutted him in the nose. Police arrived and are now investigating the incident as a bias crime.

That same day, a man wound up in the SW 11th and Main apartment of some people he says he owed money to, according to the police. He says he was held in the apartment and assaulted while his attackers called him gay slurs.

The police arrested five Portlanders for the second incident, charging the crew with Kidnap in the First Degree, Robbery in the Second Degree, Assault in the third Degree, Intimidation in the First Degree, and Coercion.

Stephen Cassell, who helped organized last week's forum on the bashings, says the rash of recent assaults might be nothing new. "It seems like now all of a sudden all these bashings are happening, but I’m not sure they weren’t all happening before, too, but now police are now starting to do something about it and get involved in the queer community," says Cassel. Thanks to outcry over the downtown May 30th assault, you can now report hate crimes anonymously online.

Mug shots of the people arrested in this incident are below the cut. They're quality Busted material. They appear to be in some sort of mohawk cult?

UPDATE: Mayor Adams will be hosting a press conference about these arrests the morning of Tuesday, June 15, at the Q Center on Mississippi.

Marcos Antonio Torres
  • Marcos Antonio Torres
Ashley Maro
  • Ashley Maro
Michael Anthony Valero
  • Michael Anthony Valero
Missy Lee Dempsey
  • Missy Lee Dempsey
Timothy Hill
  • Timothy Hill

 

Comments (21) RSS

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1
Folks like these are why downtown is THE place to be on the weekends.
Posted by Commenty Colin on June 11, 2010 at 4:38 PM · Report
2
I quote Sweet Dick Willie in 'Do the right thing'

"You should be boycottin' that barber that done fU#%ed up yo head"
Posted by D on June 11, 2010 at 4:48 PM · Report
3
White trash!
Posted by el cubano on June 11, 2010 at 4:54 PM · Report
4
no, just trash. It comes in all colors.
Posted by rabblevox on June 11, 2010 at 5:23 PM · Report
5
Street kids are forever using gay slurs and following people. This is why I never give them money (this isn't true of the older people who seem to actually need money). I had some chick follow me the other day giving me a long speech on anal sex after I failed to respond to her request because she was clearly strung out. IF this is now a crimb the whole sit/lie thing might not even be necessary. This is esp. true on 3rd, between Silverado and CC Slaughters.

And man are these mugshots ugly.
Posted by seanpdx on June 11, 2010 at 5:34 PM · Report
6
Where were the police when all the little recallers were gay bashing?
Posted by Double Standards? on June 11, 2010 at 7:02 PM · Report
7
I'm not sure that getting kidnapped and beat up by people you owe money to qualifies as a "gay bashing," but it sure does work to spice up some BREAKING news...
Posted by spudboy on June 11, 2010 at 7:07 PM · Report
8
if there was a tv show about Portland meth-heads, thus would be like a spinoff series that shows them when they are young, like Tiny Toons or Muppet Babies.
Posted by humpback on June 11, 2010 at 7:45 PM · Report
9
if, whilst in fisticuffs, i accost thy opponent with the phrase "mother fucker", is that a hate crime against those who would fuck thine own mother?
Posted by neutrasweet on June 12, 2010 at 12:22 AM · Report
10
The Cult of Wahl.
Posted by tk. on June 12, 2010 at 12:57 AM · Report
11
Muppet Babies was fucking good, dude.
Posted by Bill Vaughan on June 12, 2010 at 2:36 AM · Report
12
Man, who let the trash in from Gresham? But honestly, i can't see how this bunch could be the lest bit intimidating to anyone, other than school kids. Fucking cowards are gonna get themselves stomped to death, one of these days!
Posted by DamosA on June 12, 2010 at 10:54 AM · Report
13
Yeah, DamonA, it's all the fault of those barely humans fuckers from outside the city gates. Way to be part of the problem.
Posted by A CAT, probably on June 12, 2010 at 11:09 AM · Report
14
I know Flock of Seagulls only had that one hit, but do they really need money THAT bad? This is the most depressing episode of Vh1's "Where Are They Now?" ever.
Posted by Night Moves on June 12, 2010 at 11:47 AM · Report
15
I'm all against Gay Bashing...seriously, and Portland seems to have a few problems when it comes to hate crimes in general, but if someone lets a gay curse word fly in the middle of a fight (or kidnapping/robbery as the case may be)...is it still 'Gay Bashing'? I think you have to prove the crime was specifically motivated by the victim's sexual orientation, gender identity etc right? I mean not to dismiss the crime but it kind of diminishes the real thing if you abuse the term.

But yes, those mugs are something else and these people, if guilty, should spend a few years in jail.


Posted by JustinB on June 12, 2010 at 2:50 PM · Report
16
" if someone lets a gay curse word fly in the middle of a fight (or kidnapping/robbery as the case may be)...is it still 'Gay Bashing'?"

YES!
Posted by David Ehrenstein on June 12, 2010 at 5:09 PM · Report
17
Touche, David Ehrenstein...
Posted by spudboy on June 12, 2010 at 9:26 PM · Report
18
Okay 'David Ehrenstein'...you signed up this fiiine publication (Portland Mercury) just to tell me, "YES!" ??? Then didn't comment on any other story?

Wow, I feel a special, tingly sensation in my bottom now!

But seriously, I think I'm right about the cause thing.

By the way, check this guys picture out:
http://www.oregonlive.com/beaverton/index.…

Hilarious, right?
Whoa, I just went right through that ad.
Posted by JustinB on June 13, 2010 at 2:36 AM · Report
19
"" if someone lets a gay curse word fly in the middle of a fight (or kidnapping/robbery as the case may be)...is it still 'Gay Bashing'?"

YES!"

-Pfft. That's gay
Posted by McAngryPants on June 13, 2010 at 9:38 AM · Report
20
First...Don't write this as if arresting individuals for a bias crime is something that officers do not do. Portland officers are committed to making bias crime arrests whenever it is called for. Often when they do the DA's office declines to charge the crime. This is because the mere "gay curse word in the middle of a fight" is not by itself usually enough to get a conviction. I'm not excusing the "curse" just saying...you will need more. The burden is to show that the crime was motivated by the victims status, so the actions, circumstances, and words can be enough if they are clearly the motivation. In this case you have following, slurs, and then an assault...looks like these five need to spend some time in jail...then they can learn all about..."stuff"
Posted by Wilbur Hornswaggle on June 13, 2010 at 10:02 AM · Report
21
Anti-Gay Attack by Real Life Bert and Ernie from Sesame Street w/ Oscar

http://fontofliberty.blogspot.com/2010/06/…
Posted by Rarian Rakista on June 14, 2010 at 7:26 AM · Report

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