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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 5, 1994)
Thr Pet Set The Pet Set The Pet Set The Pet Set ¿ 'T W » ' ? ì ÿ W here is justice? The Crimson Phoenix 'Æ '^ C 0 - A vjxfcs:*» . ; v * / 0 1 V' g <t Men who attacked CAP volunteers last Feb. get off easy A Sexuality Bookstore for Lovers 7 r* ▼ CO NDO M OF THE MONTH: $ by Martha Allen Kimono & Maxx by Meyer Labs ÿ ft hree local men, volunteers for the to fill out a report on the incident. Cascade AIDS Project, were assaulted “I went home and picked gravel out of my in February by men who screamed wounds,” James said. “I had pulled every muscle racial and homophobic slurs as they in my back, and I had to stay at somebody else’s kicked and punched them. The men house for three weeks, because my bedroom is a were attacked outside a gay bar after an evening loft and I couldn’t climb up there.” spent distributing leaflets, condoms and buttons James expected that the trial, which ended promoting safe sex. July 14, would help him resolve some of the Last month, a jury found the attackers guilty of continued emotional turmoil created by the as felony assault. But Multnomah County Circuit Court sault. Instead, he feels betrayed by a judicial Judge Charles Turner overruled the jury’s decision, system that seems to promote gay bashing. entering the assaults on the men’s records as a “The judge harassed every single witness,” misdemeanor and sentencing them to no jail time. James said, adding that Turner told the jury that, if Leonard James is one of the CAP volunteers it were up to him, he would acquit the defendants. who was attacked that night. James said that Turner would not let the jury know “We went out the back door of the Silverado, that the men had previously been arrested on out onto Burnside,” James recalled. “The emer weapons and rape charges. “He said they’d never gency door slammed behind us.” had any previous problems with the police and, James and two other volunteers were getting because of their age, the jury should be lenient.” ready to load their booth into a car after an evening “I wanted $10,000 in damages, and for them to spent doing an outreach project for the Cascade serve some jail time on the weekends,” James said. AIDS Project. Volunteer ¿tester Judycki was with “But the judge said no. The jury found them guilty, James, while volunteer Kris Bohn went to get the unanimously. But the judge sentenced them to pay car. for my ripped clothes, that’s all—and no jail time. “It was about one o’clock,” James said. “A car He refused to put the felony charges on their records, pulls up, and these three guys in the car are shout although that’s what they were found guilty of. ing something I couldn’t hear, and giving us the Instead, it went on their records as a misdemeanor. finger. I was wearing a long coat, I remember, and He actually said to me, ‘Just because people call I had my hands in my pockets because it was cold. you a faggot, it doesn’t mean that’s what they “The car drove by, and stopped about a block perceive you as,’ and he said, ‘I’m not convinced away. These three guys came out of the car and you didn’t provoke them.’ I had my hands in my came after us. Kes was banging on the door, trying pockets—I mean, they drove a block away, then ran to get the manager to open up and let us back in. back to jump us, and I provoked them?” “They were clearly violent,” James said of the James said, “What I’m upset about is, it went attackers, young men aged 18 to 24. “I was trying on their records as a misdemeanor. I feel like to stay calm, but they were yelling things like, there’s nothing I can do, really. It’s like, because ‘What’s the matter, you not man enough to fight, I’m gay, it’s not a felony to the judge. People like faggot?’ I said, ‘There are three of you.’ ” that should not have power. James said the men jumped on him, wrapped “What it says to me is, some people aren’t his head in a coat and began kicking and punching valued the same in the eyes of the law. The system worked, the jury said the guys were guilty, but the him. His glasses were smashed, and his clothes judge decided it shouldn’t go on their records— were tom. that’s just wrong.” “Kes started swinging, trying to pull them off A spokeswoman from Judge Turner’s office me,” James said. “I got my head out of the coat and said that the judge was out of town on vacation bit one of them. The police came then, and took the until Aug. 4, and could not be reached for com three of them away. The police took our statements, ment. The spokeswoman, Turner’s judicial assis and after that, I sat down and started shaking.” tant, said she knew nothing about the case and James said the police officers were very sup could not comment on Turner’s decision. portive and encouraged paramedics at the scene à 7 T Kimono rated #1 in 1991 Stanford U niversity Condom Rating Contest 7 r+ ft 7 r* X ÿ ft 8:30-6 Mon-Fri I 8:30-5:30 Sat. Kimono Maxx 7 7 3 cu )UST OUT SPECIAL! 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Martin says the company offered her a truck driving job, then withdrew the offer after managers found out she was taking estrogen. The complaint, filed on Martin’s behalf by Geoffrey G. Wren in the Multnomah County Circuit Court, alleges violations of state laws that protect individuals against discrimination based on disability, age and sex. “They assumed because my client is a trans sexual that she could not do the job,” Wren said. “This group of people probably faces more dis crimination than any other. And they have less legal protection than any other group.” Wren noted that his client chose not to use a false name in her suit, adding, “She’s tired of being kicked around, and she’s tired of transsexu als being kicked around. She wanted to stand up The Oregon Speak Out Project, a nonprofit pro gram working throughout the Pacific Northwest to educate the public about gay, lesbian and bisexual people, is expanding its outreach work in the tri-state area. Project organizers plan new educational out reach programs in Washington and Idaho. As part of its growth, the Speak Out Project is seeking an executive director committed to the full equality of gay men, lesbians and bisexuals. The director will guide expansion of the project’s outreach work in rural and suburban areas, and will be responsible for fiscal development. In addition, the Oregon Speak Out Project’s resource center is moving to Suite 506 in the Galleria, 921 S W Morrison, Portland, 97205. The resource center provides information and speak ers-bureau support services to groups working for civil rights. Compiled by Martha Allen m vdsocsoit lAOteknotlve cJ¿eaítok I have chosen to take a more human approach as a Realtor. I build my business on a referral basis and firmly believe that the satisfaction of my client is far more important than my own financial gain. I communicate clearly and openly, and I’m always honest with my clients. 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