In 1997, police stopped a car leaving a party in Allentown, PA. An 18-year-old and a 17-year-old were charged with underage drinking. The two young people were then taken to the police station and were subsequently released. Within six hours of being released, one of the two—neither of which had previously been assessed as a self-harming risk--had committed suicide. And no one is responsible?
What’s with that?
Here are the facts as we know them:
Marcus Wayman an 18-year-old high school football player and a 17-year-old friend were stopped by police near Allentown, Pennsylvania after leaving a party.
Officer Scott Willinsky decided it was obvious they had been drinking; so, he arrested and charged them. Subsequent to their arrest, Officer Willinsky searched them and found a couple of condoms.
Last week, Willinsky and his partner were found not guilty of any involvement in Wayman's death.
Now, this is where it all falls apart for me.
I don’t know the laws in Pennsylvania, and I don’t know the city by-laws for Allentown; so, I’m unclear as to the relevance of condoms in an underage drinking charge.
In any event, these youths went to the station. It is unclear to me why these young men would be taken to the station.
In Ontario, it is mandatory to notify a parent/guardian when a Young Person has been criminally charged or has been issued a ' provincial offences summons'. Sometimes, the youth is taken to the station so the arresting officer can call the parent/guardian and turn the youth over to the parent/guardian. A Young Person in Ontario is 16 years and under.
Maybe these young men were really drunk. In Ontario, an intoxicated person can be arrested and detained if, in the opinion of the arresting officer, the individual is too drunk to care for him or herself. If the person is not violent, s/he is taken to a detox centre, space permitting. If not, s/he is taken to the station to sober up in a cell.
Be that as it may, the 18-year-old and the 17-year-old went to the police station.
At face value, it would appear that they were not placed in a cell to sober up. It would appear that these young men were engaged in some conversation that involved religion and homosexuality. It is indisputable, however, that, within six hours of being released from police custody, one of the youths had killed himself.
And no one is responsible.
If that were to happen to a GLBT teen in Toronto (one of "my kids"), someone would be responsible. Unless there are mitigating circumstances that have not been released, this is an issue that warrants taking a strong stand.
The question I put forth is this: where are the GLBT police officers in that community? It is doubtful there are none! These officers should be calling this dead boy "one of my kids".
When do you stand up, officers? When do you say "no more" officers? When do you step up to the plate and take a stand against hatred and violence, officers? What, exactly, is your sworn duty—a duty that you are so committed to performing that you will subvert who you are--officers?
As a police officer I am ashamed to be associated through the so-called ‘Brotherhood of Policing’ with the three Borough of Minersville officers, but I am outraged by those who claim to be brothers and sisters, who sit idly by and watch them eat our young.
PC Judy Nosworthy is the first out lesbian on Toronto Police force and a regular contributor to 365Gay.com
Contact Judy Nosworthy: judy.nosworthy@torontopolice.on.ca
(Allentown, PA) The mother of Marcus Wayman, the teen who killed himself after a police officer threatened to out him, is seeking a new trial against the officer.
Madonna Sterling contends that a federal jury committed a “severe injustice’’ when it cleared Patrolman Scott Willinsky last week of any wrongdoing.
In 1997, Marcus Wayman then an 18-year-old high school football player and a 17-year-old friend were stopped by police after leaving a party.
Police charged the boys with underage drinking and, after finding the younger one with two condoms, took them to the station, where they were lectured on the Bible and homosexuality.
The arresting officer, F. Scott Willinsky, allegedly asked if they were "queer" and threatened to tell their families they were gay. The teens were released to their families around midnight. Sometime before 6 a.m., Wayman put a revolver to his face and fired. He missed, and fired again, killing himself.
His mother took officer Willinsky court, accusing him of violating the boy's constitutional right to privacy by threatening to disclose his sexuality, resulting in his death.
In the suicide note read in court during the trial, he said, 'I'm sorry grandpa, I found my future ... I won't let everyone's life be ruined by mine."
Sterling's lawyer, David Rudovsky, in a brief filed with a US Magistrate, said, “In light of the evidence and credibility of the witnesses, the jury’s verdict is truly inexplicable.’’
Judge Arnold Rapoport will rule whether to vacate the verdict after the defence responds to Rudovsky's brief.
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