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Men who attacked CAP volunteers last Feb . get off easy
CONDOM OF THE MONTH:
by
Kimono & Maxx
by Meyer Labs
Martha Allen
T
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 Kester 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
there’s nothing I can do, really. It’s like, because
to stay calm, but they were yelling things like,
‘What’s the matter, you not man enough to fight,
I’m gay, it’s not a felony to the judge. People like
that should not have power.
faggot?’ I said, ‘There are three of you.’ ”
“What it says to me is, some people aren’t
James said the men jumped on him, wrapped
valued the same in the eyes of the law. The system
his head in a coat and began kicking and punching
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.
“Kes started swinging, trying to pull them off that’s just wrong.”
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
Lawsuit alleges
discrimination against
transsexual
for herself.”
The hearing was set for 8:45 am Thursday,
July 28.
Kathy Martin, a pre-operative transsexual who
recently began living in the social role of a woman,
went to court last week with Knez Building Mate
rials of Tigard. 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
bei ng kicked around, and she ’ s ti red 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 SW Morrison, Portland, 97205. The
resource center provides information and speak
ers-bureau support services to groups working for
civil rights.
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Compiled by Martha Allen
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