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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (June 18, 1999)
mitted because the other student liked to listen to the British rock hand Queen, a band Rogers termed a “gay band.” All three are students at Northfield M ount Hermon School, a coeducational school with approximately 1,100 students located in Gill, a small western Massachusetts town. According to Gill Police C hief David Hast ings, the wounds were deep enough to draw blood. "W hen 1 saw them they were three days old and they were still very visible,” he says. “The letters were four to five inches high and ran all the way across his back.” Shapiro and Rogers have both pleaded inno cent to charges of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, assault with intent to maim and assault with intent to intimidate resulting in bodily harm. The third charge makes the incident a hate crime. If convicted, the suspects would he required to undergo counseling and diversity training. Both Shapiro and Rogers have been released on bail. Each faces a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison if convicted. N A T IO N A L y a 2-1 vote, the U.S. C ourt of Appeals ruled the Americans with Disabilities Act does not apply to the content of insurance poli cies, even if the policies are discriminatory. T he majority ruled that, while the ADA prohibits businesses from excluding people with disabilities altogether, it does not prohibit busi nesses from offering the disabled inferior ser vices, according to a June 3 press release from the Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund and the AIDS Legal Council of Chicago. B N EV AD A ith a stroke of the pen, Gov. Kenny G uinn signed into law a bill prohibiting job discrimination based on sexual orientation, reports a May 29 Associated Press story. W An innovative marketer „_.J Buyer’s Agent who listens to your needs Marvin Salles Associate Broker tel. 320-1271 |3ohnC.Sartt E-mail: marvin@àpiritone.com 1 www.johnlscott.com/home/marvins/index2.htm •2 0 years marketing & negotiating experience • Multi-million dollar producer “Signing this bill was a matter of fairness and doing what’s right for the people of Nevada. Dis crimination based on race, gender, religion or sexual orientation is wrong and I hope this law sends that message loud and clear,” said Guinn, Nevada’s first Republican governor in 16 years. Assemblyman David Parks, D-Las Vegas, the only openly gay member of the Legislature, sponsored the bill, which becomes effective Oct. 1. Nevada is the 11th state to enact an employ m ent nondiscrimination law. Tax-exempt organizations, like the Boy Scouts, are exempt from the law. W Y O M IN G hen Aaron McKinney stands trial in Laramie for the October murder of gay U niversity of W yoming student M atthew Shepard, it is possible he will plead not guilty by reason of insanity, according to recent media reports. McKinney is one of two men charged in Shepard’s murder. Russell Henderson pleaded guilty in April to felony murder and was given two life sentences. McKinney, who faces the death penalty if convicted, is scheduled to go on trial Oct. 11. Prosecutor Cal Rerucha’s motion to seal all the files in the case was granted by Judge Barton Voigt. T he motion was granted because of recent news stories concerning McKinney’s criminal history, allegations that he threatened a judge and an attorney, and that he offered to have a woman’s former husband killed. W T he ruling involves insurance policies issued by Mutual of Om aha to two men with HIV. Although the insurance giant insures other seri ous illnesses for up to $ 1 million, in these cases it put a lifetime ceiling for HIV-related coverage at $100,000 for one man and $25,000 for the second man. This ruling overturns a lower-court ruling that prohibited the restrictions placed on the two men’s coverage. Commenting on the ruling, H eather C. Sawyer, a Lambda staff attorney, said: “Insur ance policies place all sorts of across-the-board limitations on coverage to reduce costs. Howev er, singling out a disability and refusing to cover expenses from it is unprecedented. Discrimina tion is the only possible explanation for such cruel limits.” AIDS Legal Council of Chicago Executive Director A nn Fisher added: “This tortured interpretation of the A D A will affect all policy holders. T he ruling gives the entire insurance industry broad license to institute coverage caps on any health problem it chooses, regardless of the real costs of care. For people with AIDS, it legalizes irrational discrimination by health insurers.” Because of the coverage restrictions the two men face, they must consider the possibility of foregoing state-of-the-art therapies that could prolong their lives. Financial Planning With A Clear Commitment. At American Express Financial Advisors, we want to make our commitment to gay men and lesbians clear. Just as we have extended domestic partner benefits to our lesbian and gay employees worldwide, we are committed to providing sound Financial advice that specifically addresses the unique Financial issues affecting our lesbian and gay clients. Whether you’re single, in a committed relationship, or caring for children, your American Express Financial advisor can help you take control of your financial future. We can help you: ■ Establish savings and investment plans ■ Protect your assets from unnecessary taxation ■ Avoid Financial restrictions placed on unmarried couples ■ Avoid costly delays in the receipt of life insurance proceeds Call today for a complimentary brochure: American Express Financial Advisors Inc. Craig Knipe, Bryan Rinehart 6202 SE Lake Road, #302 Portland, OR 97267 503-653-7743, e x t 205 Voigt also ordered attorneys involved in the case to stop talking to the media. Both men’s girlfriends were present at the alleged murder. Last m onth Henderson’s girl friend, Chastity Vera Pasley, 20, was sentenced to up to two years in prison for helping conceal evidence. Pasley was charged with being an accessory after the fact to first-degree murder. ■ C om piled by KRISTINE CHATWOOD © 1998 American Express Financial Corporation do more Financial Advisors (V98 F o r m o re in fo rm a tio n , s to p b y o u r b o o th d u rin g th e P rid e w e e k e n d e v e n ts on J u n e 1 9 th & 2 0 th , o r c a ll 6 5 3 - 7 7 4 3 e x t. 2 0 5 . For career opportunities, call Chris Weinert at 452-6066.