Police Chief too Proud for Australian Force July 25, 2001 Agence France-Presse MELBOURNE, Australia -- Australia's first female police chief was accused Wednesday of undermining the value of her uniform offerred to lead lesbian and gay contingent of officers in a pride parade next year. Victoria's state police commissioner Christine Nixon also ruled that officers accompanying her in Melbourne's Gay Pride March next January would be allowed to march in uniform. The gesture was hailed as "enlightened" by the Labor state government and by gay and lesbian advocacy groups, but greeted with dismay by others, including the conservative state opposition. Nixon, appointed by the Victorian state government earlier this year, came from Sydney, where she has been credited with helping change attitudes in what was a notoriously homophobic New South Wales police service. But Victoria's opposition leader Denis Napthine said allowing police to march in uniform was inappropriate, and Nixon was wrong to associate herself with the march. "I think it is an error of judgment to bring the New South Wales standards to Victoria," Napthine said. "It undermines the value of the police uniform as a uniform of authority, a uniform of respect." As a senior New South Wales officer, Nixon approved advertising aimed at recruiting young gay and lesbian officers to the force. She also supported a decision three years ago to allow openly gay and lesbian officers to march in uniform at Sydney's internationally renowned Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. Yet when the Mardi Gras was founded in the 1970s, gay marchers were frequently arrested and complained of being beaten and abused by Sydney police. Many ended up in hospital. Napthine said the Melbourne march did not necessarily enjoy broad community support and Nixon's decision could divide the community. Under normal circumstances, police would also be arresting many of the participants, not marching alongside them, he said. © 2001 Agence France-Presse. All rights reserved. [Top Page] |
The Gay Police Beat Stories about GLBT Police Officers, Police & GLBT's Butt Heads, Police Abuse of GLBT's and Related Items Texas:Three Toronto-area men say police beat and called them Canadian Faggots. Three Men Arrested July 23, 2001, FBI Probe Canadian Gay Bashing July 27, 2001, Victims Video Clip Interview, Cops Expected to Refuse Cooperation July 28, 2001, Fag Bashing Cops in Trouble Before July 30, 2001. Rhode Island: Providence gay man wants $ 1 Million for assult by off-duty officer. Australia: First women Police Chief offers to lead gay pride parade, takes some heat. |
Bay Windows Town denies claim in alleged assault by officer By Peter Cassels Bay Windows staff The town of Lincoln, R.I., has denied a $1 million claim filed by an 18-year-old East Providence gay man to recover damages for an alleged assault by an off-duty police officer during an altercation last August. The man also has accused the officer of a hate crime, contending that the attack was motivated by his sexual orientation. The Lincoln Town Council Claims Committee denied the request July 16. Robert Caron, the man's attorney, told Bay Windows July 17 that he will file a lawsuit to recover damages in either state or federal court, likely within the next several weeks. Jesse Ousley, 17 at the time of the incident, alleges that Officer Kevin Harty severely beat him on the night of Aug. 28, 2000, while using the words ``fag" and ``faggot." According to Caron, Ousley received a bloody nose, two black eyes and numerous contusions, including marks on his neck, allegedly from Harty's attempt to strangle him. Caron said he was concerned about the perfunctory manner in which town officials made the decision and major discrepancies between the police report and his client's version of the incident. ``The police report is self-serving," the attorney contended. ``The police can write whatever they wanted to support Harty's version of events." According to the six-page police report, released immediately after the July 16 meeting, Patrolman Joseph Conti said he received a cell phone call from Harty just after midnight reporting that his car was being vandalized. ``I could hear a male subject in the background yelling, `Kill me you bastard, kill me,'" Conti wrote in the report. ``Next I heard Harty requesting assistance, on Walker Street, for a man vandalizing his vehicle. Harty's phone then went dead." According to the report, five police officers arrived to find Harty, who ``had several scratches on his legs and arms. His shirt was also ripped at the collar." Conti also reported that Harty's car had several dents on the hood and side door. In the report, Harty said he was driving down the street when Ousley ran out in front of his car and jumped onto his hood, yelling that he wanted to be killed. When Ousley started kicking the car door, Harty said he got out of his car and identified himself as a police officer. The report stated that Ousley continued to be combative, a struggle ensued and Harty said he was forced to defend himself. The report also said Ousley was intoxicated and possibly using drugs. In an interview, Rob Halle of Lincoln, Ousley's boyfriend, who was with him when the incident occurred, provided a different scenario. According to him, they were walking along Walker Street discussing the fact that Ousley's mother was having a hard time coping with his sexuality. As they approached an intersection, Ousley became upset because Halle was defending the mother. ``He called me an asshole and walked away from me diagonally across Walker Street," Halle reported. ``He was looking at me and walking backwards. He didn't see the car coming. As I was trying to warn him, he turned around and slapped the hood of the car and called the guy an asshole. I went up to the car, moved Jesse to the side of the street and apologized to the driver. The guy got out of the car and walked up to Jesse, saying `what the hell do you think you're hitting? I show you what it's like to be hit.' He punched him in the face. Jesse fell to the ground. The guy jumped right on top of him, punching him in the face and choking him." Halle said he tried to pull Harty off Ousley and stop him from hitting his boyfriend. Harty then went back to his car. Halle said he attempted to remove his boyfriend from the scene as Ousley was saying ``I love you. I love you." Harty heard the exchange and, according to Halle, said, ``You fucking faggot." Harty then began punching and choking Ousley again. ``At that point, I tried to get the guy off Jesse's neck because he was turning blue. As I got the guy's hands off his neck he was still struggling to get Jesse. Finally, Jesse kicked him off, got up and kicked the side of the guy's car." According to Halle, Ousley started to run away, but because of his injuries, he wound up clinging to a fence near a building about 40 feet from the scene. Halle asked residents on the building's second floor to call the police, but they said they had witnessed what had happened and had already done so. It was not until then, according to Halle, that Harty identified himself as a police officer, just before police arrived. Halle said he asked an officer to arrest Harty, but he told him, ``We'll deal with that later." Officers reportedly told Harty to take his car to the police station for photos of the damage. A rescue squad took Ousley to Miriam Hospital in Providence, where he was held overnight and released. The police report states that Halle confirmed that he and Ousley were arguing that night and that he threatened to call police because Ousley ``was intoxicated and possibly using drugs." Halle called the statement ``total garbage." Halle said he, Ousley and Ousley's mother visited the Lincoln police station Aug. 29 to demand that Harty's actions be investigated. Halle said he told a detective he wanted Harty charged because the incident was a gay bashing. ``The detective told me he knows Harty and that he would never do that," Halle reported. ``He said they would not file charges, but that he would investigate the incident." Halle attempted to reach the detective several times to follow up but he did not return phone calls. Ousley's attorney said that 18 days after the incident, police charged his client with malicious damage, assault and disorderly conduct. Because Ousley was a juvenile at the time, Rhode Island Family Court Judge Pamela Macktaz heard the case in February, but did not hand down her decision until April 11. Finding Ousley guilty of ``malicious damage" to Harty's vehicle, Macktaz dismissed the assault and disorderly conduct charges, noting in her opinion, ``This court is satisfied that the person who received the beating that evening, who was being so severely beaten that innocent bystanders were calling and screaming into their phone that help was needed to arrive quickly for this youngster, the person who was the victim of an assault that evening was Jesse Ousley and not Kevin Harty." Macktaz also said that Harty was ``not credible when he indicated he had but one confrontation with Mr. Ousley retreated to the car and calmly waited for [police] to arrive." Halle reported that Ousley ``still has a positive outlook on life, but his fear of police is unbelievable. As soon as he comes to my house, he becomes depressed because he knows that police officer is still on duty. The judge stated in her decision that Jesse was not the one who assaulted anyone. It was clearly the other party. The question is why is it that even after the judge said he had committed a crime is he still working as a police officer? Why haven't charges been filed against him.?" Halle asked that members of the gay and lesbian community contact Lincoln town officials and ``let them know that that's not acceptable in this state." Care to comment on this article? We'd love to hear from you! Send a letter to the editor to letters@baywindows.com. [Top Page] |
Three Toronto-area men say they were beaten and called Canadian Faggots by police. The three were due in court today, July 27th.,on charges of ressisting arrest. The men have said they are not gay. The FBI announced on Thursday, July 26, they will be looking into the case to determine if Federal laws were broken by police. Articles and a Video Clip of Interview Posted. Credits: 365gay.com www.365gay.com View Viedo Clip of Interview with Joey Abbruzzese FBI Probes Canadian Gay Bashings by Fidel Ortega 365Gay.com Newscenter Joey Abbruzzese River Walk (July 27, San Antonio, TX) The FBI says it will look into the case of two Toronto-area men who say they were beaten and called "Canadian faggots" by police in San Antonio, Texas. The men will be in court today in Texas, facing charges of resisting arrest. As reported Monday by 365Gay.com Joey Abbruzzese, 20, and Gregory Maleszyk, 19 went for a walk along San Antonio's famous River Walk after visiting a nearby jazz club. At one point Maleszyk lost his footing and began to fall into the water. Abbruzzese grabbed him and pulled him to safety. With his arm still around Maleszyk's shoulder, San Antonio police descended on them. Surprised, the pair, did not at first believe the men were police officers and struggled. Both had heavy bruises to their eyes, shoulders and legs. A third man Derick Anbradi, 21, also from Mississauga, Ontario contacted relatives of Abbruzzese whom the trio were visiting at the time. River Walk popular with tourists by day is often a gay cruising spot at night. In the past two years more than 500 men have been arrested in the area. The FBI announced Thursday it is looking into the case to determine if Federal laws were broken by police. The men claim they weren't read their rights and had no idea they were under arrest until they were officially booked the next morning. Both men are charged with resisting arrest. Maleszyk has returned to Canada. Abbruzzese is still visiting relatives in Texas. Both men will be back in court Sept. 17 to set a trial date All three men say they are not gay. But, the allegations of police brutality and homophobic has sparked an outcry from GLBT organizations. In Washington, the Human Rights Campaign, the country's largest gay and lesbian advocacy group has begun an investigation. A similar probe has been started by he San Antonio Equal Rights Caucus. Abbruzzese and Gregory Maleszyk have been provided legal counsel by the Canadian consulate in Dallas. The Foreign Affairs Ministry in Ottawa has asked the State Department to investigate the men's charges they were denied access to Canadian consular officials despite repeated requests. Agreements between Canada and the US require police to notify the nearest embassy or consulate if any citizen is arrested. A spokesperson for Foreign Affairs said it has not yet received an acceptable response. In their report, the officers admit using force but only after the two men became combative. The officers also state that the tourists were the ones hurling the gay slurs and repeatedly yelled, "You aren't real cops. You can't arrest us. We're Canadians." An internal inquiry by the city manager's office in San Antonio began this week. [Top Page]. ©365Gay.com Ltd® 1999/2000/2001 Canadian Faggots by Ben Thompson 365Gay.com National Editor in Ottawa (July 23, Ottawa) Ottawa says it is "deeply concerned" about three young Toronto area men, beaten and repeatedly called "faggots" by police in a popular Texas park. Joey Abbruzzese, 20, Derick Anbradi, 21, and Gregory Maleszyk, 19, all of Mississauga, were in San Antonio visiting Abbruzzese's aunt when they decided to go to a jazz club. After leaving the waterfront bar the trio went for a walk along San Antonio's famous River Walk near the Alamo. At one point Maleszyk lost his footing and began to fall into the water. Abbruzzese grabbed him and pulled him to safety. That's when the trouble started Maleszyk said. "I had my arm around his shoulder so he could get his balance. Then two cops came over. The grabbed Joey's arm and pulled him away." Abbruzzese was handcuffed and when Maleszk asked what was happening more cops arrived and wrestled him to the ground. He says he was grabbed by the neck, choked, then had his head pinned down on the ground by the foot of one of the officers. Maleszyk said while he was on the ground, he was handcuffed and hauled to a police car by his feet. He has scrapes and cuts to his face and shoulders the result of his face being dragged along the pavement. The men say that when they showed their identification and the police saw the Ontario drivers' licenses, one of the officers said he had "two Canadian faggots." They say they were repeatedly called "faggots and queers." Andradi was not arrested and alerted Abbruzzese's relatives. Maleszyk and Abbruzzese were were stripped of their belongings and put in a cell. They say they were never told they were under arrest and at no time were their rights read to them, a requirement under the US constitution. The men say they are not gay and did not know they were in a popular gay cruising area often targeted by police. The two say they were unable to call Abbruzzese's family and were not permitted to phone Canadian consular officials in Dallas. It was not until a court appearance the following day that they learned they had been charged with resisting arrest. The two were bailed out by Abbruzzese's relatives who notified the Canadian Consulate in Dallas. His aunt wants to know why police refused to let her nephew speak with Canadian diplomats. Maleszyk and Abbruzzese return to court for a trial later this month. Andre Lemay, a spokesperson for the Department of Foreign Affairs told 365Gay.com that "representatives from the ministry have spoken with the parents of the three men." Abbruzzese has been given legal advice by a Canadian government lawyer, and may sue the San Antonio Park Rangers. John Manley, the Minister of Foreign Affairs is aware of the situation, and the State Department in Washington has been notified. Manley is said to be pressing for an explanation as to why the men were not allowed to speak to the consulate. Lemay said the ministry was particularly concerned about this aspect of case. "Under international law they have the right to meet with their diplomats," Lemay said. "We take this very seriously," he told 365Gay.com. He said that a senior aide to the minister had spoken with the San Antonio police. Last year a Canadian man was executed in Texas for murder. Police in that case had refused to let the man call the consulate at the time of his arrest. Canadian officials did not know of the case until almost a year later. Ottawa protested to the US government and supported an appeal to the Supreme Court that his rights had been violated. The appeal was rejected. In the most recent case, a police spokesperson in San Antonio did not return calls from 365Gay.com. George Smitherman, the Liberal critic for the Greater Toronto area in the Ontario legislature said he was concerned about the treatment the three had received. Smitherman, the only out member of the legislature, also attacked the use of homophobic epithets. Lemay said that when Canadians travel abroad they should "do whatever police tell them, let officers know they are Canadians, and if arrested, they should tell authorities they want to see a representative of the Canadian Embassy or Consulate." Lemay said if Canadians get into trouble in a foreign country the consulate will get a lawyer to represent them. The Gay and Lesbian Community Centre in San Antonio says more than 500 gays have been arrested in city parks in the past two years. It says Park Rangers engage in entrapment and alleges many of the men who were arrested were subjected to physical and verbal abuse. It says the situation is so dangerous that it has issued a travel warning for tourists who intend to come to the city. From her home in Toronto's east end, Abbruzzese's grandmother told 365Gay.com she hopes her grandson will return home in the next week or so. ©365Gay.com Ltd® 1999/2000/2001 [Top Page] Cops Expected To Refuse Cooperation by Fidel Ortega 365Gay.com Newscenter (July 28, San Antonio) Two San Antonio police officers are expected to refuse to cooperate with an FBI probe into the arrests and alleged beatings of two Toronto area men. The FBI announced Friday it would look into the case after Joey Abbruzzese, 20, and Gregory Maleszyk, 19, both of Mississauga claimed they were never read their rights. Under federal law that would constitute a violation of their civil rights. The Bureau has also been asked to determine if the pair had been denied access to Canadian consular officials as required under international law. Investigators from the Dallas office of the FBI will begin the probe Monday to see if a full scale investigation is warranted. But, it is expected that the accused officers will refuse to submit to questions, their right under the US constitution. Abbruzzese and Maleszyk, who had been visiting relatives in San Antonio, were leaving a bar in the city's famous River Walk. Abbruzzese stumbled on the way out and was caught by Maleszyk, making the heterosexual friends appear gay to Park Rangers. The following day they were charged with resisting arrest. "If what the Canadian tourists say is true, and I continue to receive evidence that supports their allegations, a hate crime has been committed by law enforcement officials in San Antonio and the public trust has been violated," said Dan Castor, political action coordinator of the San Antonio Equal Rights Political Caucus. The official police report will be turned over to the FBI investigators. The report, obtained by Texas gay paper Texas Triangle, contains a number of differences to the allegations of Abbruzzese and Maleszyk. The report is said to have been written a day after the incident. Officer, Armando Vidales's official report says the men verbally harassed the officers, after they approached them for walking with bottles of beer in their hands "in a way in which they could fall into the San Antonio River and hurt them selfs [sic] and others." "[Malesyk] was saying 'Fuck you, you can't arrest me, your [sic] not the fucken [sic] Canadian police, your just park rangers and you can suck my dick," the report said. It also says Malesyk was then arrested and "double locked" in handcuffs. The report claims that Abbruzzese "was stating that he was going to tell everyon [sic] that all the officers fucken choked him," and Maleszyk "was still telling [another officer] that we could not fucken arrest him and stated you are not real cops you are just fags." The report does not mention the bruises and cuts on the men which the pair allege came from being beaten and dragged by the officers. The day after their release on bail, the cuts, scrapes and bruises were photographed by a lawyer obtained by the Canadian consulate in Dallas and by Texas Triangle. Nor does the report indicate why an underage person caught with an open glass container of alcohol on the river walk would not be charged with anything less than "resisting arrest." The Canadian government has asked the State Department in Washington for an investigation of the treatment of the men. As well, an internal inquiry is under way by the City of San Antonio. ©365Gay.com Ltd® 1999/2000/2001 [Top Page] 'Fag Bashing' Cops In Trouble For Violence In Past by Fidel Ortega 365Gay.com Newscenter (July 30, San Antonio) Two San Antonio park rangers accused of beating and verbally abusing two Toronto area men have a history of being accused of violence and civil rights violations. The Mississauga men allege they were attacked while walking in a San Antonio park earlier this month. The pair were later charged with resisting arrest. (original story) Friday, the FBI began an investigation to determine if the civil rights of Joey Abbruzzese, 20 and Gregory Maleszyk, 19 were violated. The men say in addition to being beaten by the officers they were never read their rights and were not allowed to contact Canadian consul officials in Dallas. (story) Lt. Raymond Castro, who heads the park's police force acknowledged there have been prior allegations against the two officers, Fiolencio Castillo and Armando Vidales. He said Castillo was formally accused of roughing up a Texas man two years ago. Although cleared by officials, Castillo is involved in a civil lawsuit stemming from that incident. Castro said that Vidales was twice accused of abusing his power when he was an officer with another Texas force. In 1997, Vidales was tried and found not guilty of police oppression. An investigation cleared him in another incident in which a woman claimed she was pepper-sprayed during a routine traffic stop. Vidales left the department, joining the park rangers in 2000. During the FBI probe and an internal investigation by San Antonio city officials the two officers remain on duty. They have been given legal counsel by the police union. Texas does not have a civilian police review board to investigate complaints against officers. Ron Smudy, the city's assistant director for park operations said the officers' histories would be considered in the internal review. "Is it a possibility that we have a problem with an officer in the force? Yes, that's always a possibility," he said. Abbruzzese and Maleszyk were arrested in a popular gay cruising area although they say they are not gay. In the past two years more than 500 men have been arrested in the park in what San Antonio's gay community charges is targeted harassment. Harassment is not unusual for the the San Antonio police force. A year ago, an officer who was fired for refusing to target the homeless was awarded $500,000 by a federal court. The jury in that case found that the police department illegally ordered its foot and bike patrols to "cleanse the downtown area in the interest of tourism." ©365Gay.com Ltd® 1999/2000/2001 [Top Page] |
Three Toronto-area men say they were beaten and called Canadian Faggots by police. The three were due in court today, July 27th.,on charges of ressisting arrest. The men have said they are not gay. The FBI announced on Thursday, July 26, they will be looking into the case to determine if Federal laws were broken by police. Articles and a Video Clip of Interview Posted. Credits: 365gay.com www.365gay.com View Viedo Clip of Interview with Joey Abbruzzese FBI Probes Canadian Gay Bashings by Fidel Ortega 365Gay.com Newscenter Joey Abbruzzese River Walk (July 27, San Antonio, TX) The FBI says it will look into the case of two Toronto-area men who say they were beaten and called "Canadian faggots" by police in San Antonio, Texas. The men will be in court today in Texas, facing charges of resisting arrest. As reported Monday by 365Gay.com Joey Abbruzzese, 20, and Gregory Maleszyk, 19 went for a walk along San Antonio's famous River Walk after visiting a nearby jazz club. At one point Maleszyk lost his footing and began to fall into the water. Abbruzzese grabbed him and pulled him to safety. With his arm still around Maleszyk's shoulder, San Antonio police descended on them. Surprised, the pair, did not at first believe the men were police officers and struggled. Both had heavy bruises to their eyes, shoulders and legs. A third man Derick Anbradi, 21, also from Mississauga, Ontario contacted relatives of Abbruzzese whom the trio were visiting at the time. River Walk popular with tourists by day is often a gay cruising spot at night. In the past two years more than 500 men have been arrested in the area. The FBI announced Thursday it is looking into the case to determine if Federal laws were broken by police. The men claim they weren't read their rights and had no idea they were under arrest until they were officially booked the next morning. Both men are charged with resisting arrest. Maleszyk has returned to Canada. Abbruzzese is still visiting relatives in Texas. Both men will be back in court Sept. 17 to set a trial date All three men say they are not gay. But, the allegations of police brutality and homophobic has sparked an outcry from GLBT organizations. In Washington, the Human Rights Campaign, the country's largest gay and lesbian advocacy group has begun an investigation. A similar probe has been started by he San Antonio Equal Rights Caucus. Abbruzzese and Gregory Maleszyk have been provided legal counsel by the Canadian consulate in Dallas. The Foreign Affairs Ministry in Ottawa has asked the State Department to investigate the men's charges they were denied access to Canadian consular officials despite repeated requests. Agreements between Canada and the US require police to notify the nearest embassy or consulate if any citizen is arrested. A spokesperson for Foreign Affairs said it has not yet received an acceptable response. In their report, the officers admit using force but only after the two men became combative. The officers also state that the tourists were the ones hurling the gay slurs and repeatedly yelled, "You aren't real cops. You can't arrest us. We're Canadians." An internal inquiry by the city manager's office in San Antonio began this week. [Top Page]. ©365Gay.com Ltd® 1999/2000/2001 Canadian Faggots by Ben Thompson 365Gay.com National Editor in Ottawa (July 23, Ottawa) Ottawa says it is "deeply concerned" about three young Toronto area men, beaten and repeatedly called "faggots" by police in a popular Texas park. Joey Abbruzzese, 20, Derick Anbradi, 21, and Gregory Maleszyk, 19, all of Mississauga, were in San Antonio visiting Abbruzzese's aunt when they decided to go to a jazz club. After leaving the waterfront bar the trio went for a walk along San Antonio's famous River Walk near the Alamo. At one point Maleszyk lost his footing and began to fall into the water. Abbruzzese grabbed him and pulled him to safety. That's when the trouble started Maleszyk said. "I had my arm around his shoulder so he could get his balance. Then two cops came over. The grabbed Joey's arm and pulled him away." Abbruzzese was handcuffed and when Maleszk asked what was happening more cops arrived and wrestled him to the ground. He says he was grabbed by the neck, choked, then had his head pinned down on the ground by the foot of one of the officers. Maleszyk said while he was on the ground, he was handcuffed and hauled to a police car by his feet. He has scrapes and cuts to his face and shoulders the result of his face being dragged along the pavement. The men say that when they showed their identification and the police saw the Ontario drivers' licenses, one of the officers said he had "two Canadian faggots." They say they were repeatedly called "faggots and queers." Andradi was not arrested and alerted Abbruzzese's relatives. Maleszyk and Abbruzzese were were stripped of their belongings and put in a cell. They say they were never told they were under arrest and at no time were their rights read to them, a requirement under the US constitution. The men say they are not gay and did not know they were in a popular gay cruising area often targeted by police. The two say they were unable to call Abbruzzese's family and were not permitted to phone Canadian consular officials in Dallas. It was not until a court appearance the following day that they learned they had been charged with resisting arrest. The two were bailed out by Abbruzzese's relatives who notified the Canadian Consulate in Dallas. His aunt wants to know why police refused to let her nephew speak with Canadian diplomats. Maleszyk and Abbruzzese return to court for a trial later this month. Andre Lemay, a spokesperson for the Department of Foreign Affairs told 365Gay.com that "representatives from the ministry have spoken with the parents of the three men." Abbruzzese has been given legal advice by a Canadian government lawyer, and may sue the San Antonio Park Rangers. John Manley, the Minister of Foreign Affairs is aware of the situation, and the State Department in Washington has been notified. Manley is said to be pressing for an explanation as to why the men were not allowed to speak to the consulate. Lemay said the ministry was particularly concerned about this aspect of case. "Under international law they have the right to meet with their diplomats," Lemay said. "We take this very seriously," he told 365Gay.com. He said that a senior aide to the minister had spoken with the San Antonio police. Last year a Canadian man was executed in Texas for murder. Police in that case had refused to let the man call the consulate at the time of his arrest. Canadian officials did not know of the case until almost a year later. Ottawa protested to the US government and supported an appeal to the Supreme Court that his rights had been violated. The appeal was rejected. In the most recent case, a police spokesperson in San Antonio did not return calls from 365Gay.com. George Smitherman, the Liberal critic for the Greater Toronto area in the Ontario legislature said he was concerned about the treatment the three had received. Smitherman, the only out member of the legislature, also attacked the use of homophobic epithets. Lemay said that when Canadians travel abroad they should "do whatever police tell them, let officers know they are Canadians, and if arrested, they should tell authorities they want to see a representative of the Canadian Embassy or Consulate." Lemay said if Canadians get into trouble in a foreign country the consulate will get a lawyer to represent them. The Gay and Lesbian Community Centre in San Antonio says more than 500 gays have been arrested in city parks in the past two years. It says Park Rangers engage in entrapment and alleges many of the men who were arrested were subjected to physical and verbal abuse. It says the situation is so dangerous that it has issued a travel warning for tourists who intend to come to the city. From her home in Toronto's east end, Abbruzzese's grandmother told 365Gay.com she hopes her grandson will return home in the next week or so. ©365Gay.com Ltd® 1999/2000/2001 [Top Page] Cops Expected To Refuse Cooperation by Fidel Ortega 365Gay.com Newscenter (July 28, San Antonio) Two San Antonio police officers are expected to refuse to cooperate with an FBI probe into the arrests and alleged beatings of two Toronto area men. The FBI announced Friday it would look into the case after Joey Abbruzzese, 20, and Gregory Maleszyk, 19, both of Mississauga claimed they were never read their rights. Under federal law that would constitute a violation of their civil rights. The Bureau has also been asked to determine if the pair had been denied access to Canadian consular officials as required under international law. Investigators from the Dallas office of the FBI will begin the probe Monday to see if a full scale investigation is warranted. But, it is expected that the accused officers will refuse to submit to questions, their right under the US constitution. Abbruzzese and Maleszyk, who had been visiting relatives in San Antonio, were leaving a bar in the city's famous River Walk. Abbruzzese stumbled on the way out and was caught by Maleszyk, making the heterosexual friends appear gay to Park Rangers. The following day they were charged with resisting arrest. "If what the Canadian tourists say is true, and I continue to receive evidence that supports their allegations, a hate crime has been committed by law enforcement officials in San Antonio and the public trust has been violated," said Dan Castor, political action coordinator of the San Antonio Equal Rights Political Caucus. The official police report will be turned over to the FBI investigators. The report, obtained by Texas gay paper Texas Triangle, contains a number of differences to the allegations of Abbruzzese and Maleszyk. The report is said to have been written a day after the incident. Officer, Armando Vidales's official report says the men verbally harassed the officers, after they approached them for walking with bottles of beer in their hands "in a way in which they could fall into the San Antonio River and hurt them selfs [sic] and others." "[Malesyk] was saying 'Fuck you, you can't arrest me, your [sic] not the fucken [sic] Canadian police, your just park rangers and you can suck my dick," the report said. It also says Malesyk was then arrested and "double locked" in handcuffs. The report claims that Abbruzzese "was stating that he was going to tell everyon [sic] that all the officers fucken choked him," and Maleszyk "was still telling [another officer] that we could not fucken arrest him and stated you are not real cops you are just fags." The report does not mention the bruises and cuts on the men which the pair allege came from being beaten and dragged by the officers. The day after their release on bail, the cuts, scrapes and bruises were photographed by a lawyer obtained by the Canadian consulate in Dallas and by Texas Triangle. Nor does the report indicate why an underage person caught with an open glass container of alcohol on the river walk would not be charged with anything less than "resisting arrest." The Canadian government has asked the State Department in Washington for an investigation of the treatment of the men. As well, an internal inquiry is under way by the City of San Antonio. ©365Gay.com Ltd® 1999/2000/2001 [Top Page] 'Fag Bashing' Cops In Trouble For Violence In Past by Fidel Ortega 365Gay.com Newscenter (July 30, San Antonio) Two San Antonio park rangers accused of beating and verbally abusing two Toronto area men have a history of being accused of violence and civil rights violations. The Mississauga men allege they were attacked while walking in a San Antonio park earlier this month. The pair were later charged with resisting arrest. (original story) Friday, the FBI began an investigation to determine if the civil rights of Joey Abbruzzese, 20 and Gregory Maleszyk, 19 were violated. The men say in addition to being beaten by the officers they were never read their rights and were not allowed to contact Canadian consul officials in Dallas. (story) Lt. Raymond Castro, who heads the park's police force acknowledged there have been prior allegations against the two officers, Fiolencio Castillo and Armando Vidales. He said Castillo was formally accused of roughing up a Texas man two years ago. Although cleared by officials, Castillo is involved in a civil lawsuit stemming from that incident. Castro said that Vidales was twice accused of abusing his power when he was an officer with another Texas force. In 1997, Vidales was tried and found not guilty of police oppression. An investigation cleared him in another incident in which a woman claimed she was pepper-sprayed during a routine traffic stop. Vidales left the department, joining the park rangers in 2000. During the FBI probe and an internal investigation by San Antonio city officials the two officers remain on duty. They have been given legal counsel by the police union. Texas does not have a civilian police review board to investigate complaints against officers. Ron Smudy, the city's assistant director for park operations said the officers' histories would be considered in the internal review. "Is it a possibility that we have a problem with an officer in the force? Yes, that's always a possibility," he said. Abbruzzese and Maleszyk were arrested in a popular gay cruising area although they say they are not gay. In the past two years more than 500 men have been arrested in the park in what San Antonio's gay community charges is targeted harassment. Harassment is not unusual for the the San Antonio police force. A year ago, an officer who was fired for refusing to target the homeless was awarded $500,000 by a federal court. The jury in that case found that the police department illegally ordered its foot and bike patrols to "cleanse the downtown area in the interest of tourism." ©365Gay.com Ltd® 1999/2000/2001 [Top Page] |
Bay Windows Town denies claim in alleged assault by officer By Peter Cassels Bay Windows staff The town of Lincoln, R.I., has denied a $1 million claim filed by an 18-year-old East Providence gay man to recover damages for an alleged assault by an off-duty police officer during an altercation last August. The man also has accused the officer of a hate crime, contending that the attack was motivated by his sexual orientation. The Lincoln Town Council Claims Committee denied the request July 16. Robert Caron, the man's attorney, told Bay Windows July 17 that he will file a lawsuit to recover damages in either state or federal court, likely within the next several weeks. Jesse Ousley, 17 at the time of the incident, alleges that Officer Kevin Harty severely beat him on the night of Aug. 28, 2000, while using the words ``fag" and ``faggot." According to Caron, Ousley received a bloody nose, two black eyes and numerous contusions, including marks on his neck, allegedly from Harty's attempt to strangle him. Caron said he was concerned about the perfunctory manner in which town officials made the decision and major discrepancies between the police report and his client's version of the incident. ``The police report is self-serving," the attorney contended. ``The police can write whatever they wanted to support Harty's version of events." According to the six-page police report, released immediately after the July 16 meeting, Patrolman Joseph Conti said he received a cell phone call from Harty just after midnight reporting that his car was being vandalized. ``I could hear a male subject in the background yelling, `Kill me you bastard, kill me,'" Conti wrote in the report. ``Next I heard Harty requesting assistance, on Walker Street, for a man vandalizing his vehicle. Harty's phone then went dead." According to the report, five police officers arrived to find Harty, who ``had several scratches on his legs and arms. His shirt was also ripped at the collar." Conti also reported that Harty's car had several dents on the hood and side door. In the report, Harty said he was driving down the street when Ousley ran out in front of his car and jumped onto his hood, yelling that he wanted to be killed. When Ousley started kicking the car door, Harty said he got out of his car and identified himself as a police officer. The report stated that Ousley continued to be combative, a struggle ensued and Harty said he was forced to defend himself. The report also said Ousley was intoxicated and possibly using drugs. In an interview, Rob Halle of Lincoln, Ousley's boyfriend, who was with him when the incident occurred, provided a different scenario. According to him, they were walking along Walker Street discussing the fact that Ousley's mother was having a hard time coping with his sexuality. As they approached an intersection, Ousley became upset because Halle was defending the mother. ``He called me an asshole and walked away from me diagonally across Walker Street," Halle reported. ``He was looking at me and walking backwards. He didn't see the car coming. As I was trying to warn him, he turned around and slapped the hood of the car and called the guy an asshole. I went up to the car, moved Jesse to the side of the street and apologized to the driver. The guy got out of the car and walked up to Jesse, saying `what the hell do you think you're hitting? I show you what it's like to be hit.' He punched him in the face. Jesse fell to the ground. The guy jumped right on top of him, punching him in the face and choking him." Halle said he tried to pull Harty off Ousley and stop him from hitting his boyfriend. Harty then went back to his car. Halle said he attempted to remove his boyfriend from the scene as Ousley was saying ``I love you. I love you." Harty heard the exchange and, according to Halle, said, ``You fucking faggot." Harty then began punching and choking Ousley again. ``At that point, I tried to get the guy off Jesse's neck because he was turning blue. As I got the guy's hands off his neck he was still struggling to get Jesse. Finally, Jesse kicked him off, got up and kicked the side of the guy's car." According to Halle, Ousley started to run away, but because of his injuries, he wound up clinging to a fence near a building about 40 feet from the scene. Halle asked residents on the building's second floor to call the police, but they said they had witnessed what had happened and had already done so. It was not until then, according to Halle, that Harty identified himself as a police officer, just before police arrived. Halle said he asked an officer to arrest Harty, but he told him, ``We'll deal with that later." Officers reportedly told Harty to take his car to the police station for photos of the damage. A rescue squad took Ousley to Miriam Hospital in Providence, where he was held overnight and released. The police report states that Halle confirmed that he and Ousley were arguing that night and that he threatened to call police because Ousley ``was intoxicated and possibly using drugs." Halle called the statement ``total garbage." Halle said he, Ousley and Ousley's mother visited the Lincoln police station Aug. 29 to demand that Harty's actions be investigated. Halle said he told a detective he wanted Harty charged because the incident was a gay bashing. ``The detective told me he knows Harty and that he would never do that," Halle reported. ``He said they would not file charges, but that he would investigate the incident." Halle attempted to reach the detective several times to follow up but he did not return phone calls. Ousley's attorney said that 18 days after the incident, police charged his client with malicious damage, assault and disorderly conduct. Because Ousley was a juvenile at the time, Rhode Island Family Court Judge Pamela Macktaz heard the case in February, but did not hand down her decision until April 11. Finding Ousley guilty of ``malicious damage" to Harty's vehicle, Macktaz dismissed the assault and disorderly conduct charges, noting in her opinion, ``This court is satisfied that the person who received the beating that evening, who was being so severely beaten that innocent bystanders were calling and screaming into their phone that help was needed to arrive quickly for this youngster, the person who was the victim of an assault that evening was Jesse Ousley and not Kevin Harty." Macktaz also said that Harty was ``not credible when he indicated he had but one confrontation with Mr. Ousley retreated to the car and calmly waited for [police] to arrive." Halle reported that Ousley ``still has a positive outlook on life, but his fear of police is unbelievable. As soon as he comes to my house, he becomes depressed because he knows that police officer is still on duty. The judge stated in her decision that Jesse was not the one who assaulted anyone. It was clearly the other party. The question is why is it that even after the judge said he had committed a crime is he still working as a police officer? Why haven't charges been filed against him.?" Halle asked that members of the gay and lesbian community contact Lincoln town officials and ``let them know that that's not acceptable in this state." Care to comment on this article? We'd love to hear from you! Send a letter to the editor to letters@baywindows.com. [Top Page] |
The Gay Police Beat Stories about GLBT Police Officers, Police & GLBT's Butt Heads, Police Abuse of GLBT's and Related Items Texas:Three Toronto-area men say police beat and called them Canadian Faggots. Three Men Arrested July 23, 2001, FBI Probe Canadian Gay Bashing July 27, 2001, Victims Video Clip Interview, Cops Expected to Refuse Cooperation July 28, 2001, Fag Bashing Cops in Trouble Before July 30, 2001. Rhode Island: Providence gay man wants $ 1 Million for assult by off-duty officer. Australia: First women Police Chief offers to lead gay pride parade, takes some heat. |
Police Chief too Proud for Australian Force July 25, 2001 Agence France-Presse MELBOURNE, Australia -- Australia's first female police chief was accused Wednesday of undermining the value of her uniform offerred to lead lesbian and gay contingent of officers in a pride parade next year. Victoria's state police commissioner Christine Nixon also ruled that officers accompanying her in Melbourne's Gay Pride March next January would be allowed to march in uniform. The gesture was hailed as "enlightened" by the Labor state government and by gay and lesbian advocacy groups, but greeted with dismay by others, including the conservative state opposition. Nixon, appointed by the Victorian state government earlier this year, came from Sydney, where she has been credited with helping change attitudes in what was a notoriously homophobic New South Wales police service. But Victoria's opposition leader Denis Napthine said allowing police to march in uniform was inappropriate, and Nixon was wrong to associate herself with the march. "I think it is an error of judgment to bring the New South Wales standards to Victoria," Napthine said. "It undermines the value of the police uniform as a uniform of authority, a uniform of respect." As a senior New South Wales officer, Nixon approved advertising aimed at recruiting young gay and lesbian officers to the force. She also supported a decision three years ago to allow openly gay and lesbian officers to march in uniform at Sydney's internationally renowned Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. Yet when the Mardi Gras was founded in the 1970s, gay marchers were frequently arrested and complained of being beaten and abused by Sydney police. Many ended up in hospital. Napthine said the Melbourne march did not necessarily enjoy broad community support and Nixon's decision could divide the community. Under normal circumstances, police would also be arresting many of the participants, not marching alongside them, he said. © 2001 Agence France-Presse. All rights reserved. [Top Page] |
