This story just makes my stomach go into knots. A brutal hate crime of Aaron Hall in Jackson County, Indiana where the barbaric murder of this young man took place. Police found Hall's body 10 days after his death wrapped in a tarp in the garage of Jackson County Deputy Coroner Terry Gray, whose son is one of the accused. The accused are only 18,19 and 21 years old.

From DailyKos

Two young men in Jackson County Indiana said they were so 'freaked out' when 'propositioned' by Aaron Hall on April 12th, that they proceeded to beat the 100 pound, 5'4 man for hours, using their fists, boots, dragging him down a staircase while his head slammed into each step, and then throwing him in a ditch and leaving. Aaron managed to crawl out of the ditch and out into a nearby field, where he died, alone and naked.

You see, the story is even stranger than it appears. Some contend that the young men made up the story about having been propositioned so as to use the 'gay panic defense,' in hopes of getting a more lenient sentence. Apparently the thinking was that exposure to homosexuality is so frightening that well... heck, anyone would go crazy and beat the hell out of a guy for hours, then toss him in a ditch to die.

A number of Hoosier bloggers have wondered at the lack of local coverage. In the interest of promoting this case, I thought I'd bring it out here for your perusal. This is a horrific crime, and while I don't promote the kind of overdone sensationalism (carried on for weeks at a time) evidenced on CNN and Fox News, this man's death should draw some notice. It should serve as a warning, at the very least. Whether Hall was or wasn't gay isn't the point. The fact that the teenagers used this as their defense... speaks volumes.

The so-called "gay panic" defense has been used by Matthew Shepard's killers, as well as by Gwen Araujo's murderers. The "gay panic" defense has been ruled moot in California.

So does this mean that if a straight person were to come onto me I could kill them and use the "straight panic defense"? Come on now people. Turn it around. It's ridiculous.

There is a full account of the investigation so far over at The Bloomington Alternative.

Labels: anti gay, crimes, hate crimes, violent

Sarah Loy, 27, went to a rally organized by VoteOnMarriage in front of Worcester City Hall, west of Boston, on the weekend. The demonstration was one of several behind held on weekends throughout Massachusetts aimed at pressuring the Legislature to vote on the proposed amendment.

At a lectern Larry Cirignano, leader of the Boston-based Catholic Citizenship group had just finished leading the Pledge of Allegiance when he spotted Loy near the front of the crowd with other supporters of gay marriage staging a counter protest.

Loy was carrying a sign reading "No discrimination in the Constitution". Other members of her group were yelling “You lost, go home, get over it," at the crowd.

The Worcester Telegram & Gazette reports that Cirignano rushed from behind the lectern and tackled Loy to the ground. "You need to get out. You need to get out of here right now," he allegedly told her as her head was pushed into the concrete sidewalk.

As Loy lay bruised and bloodied on the sidewalk Cirignano reportedly returned to lectern, joining other leaders of the protest in condemning same-sex marriage and demanding the proposed amendment be put on the ballot.

Other members of her group helped Loy from the scene. Loy who is straight and a supporter of same-sex marriage, had gone to the protest with her husband David.

Police have interviewed Loy and others on the both sides of the marriage issue and charges may be laid.

Gay activist Tom Lang said this rally seemed to have a different component from others the groups held in previous weeks. "The Catholic Citizenship/VoteOnMarriage supporters seemed to be angry and aggressive," he said.

Lang operates KnowThyNeighbor.org which has listed the names of the 170,000 people who signed petitions in support of the proposed amendment.

Most of the speeches attacked lawmakers who voted to recess a joint session of the House and Senate to consider the amendment.

"Catholic Citizenship volunteers then handed out 'Wanted Posters' to onlookers which were printed out with Legislator's photos and home phone on them," said Lang.

Last weekend people who attended a VoteOnMarriage rally in Springfield were told they could not gather in front of city hall because they did not have a license. An LGBT civil rights organization had applied for a license and was granted one.

VoteOnMarriage was forced to hold its protest across the street while MassEquality staged its pro same-sex marriage demonstration at city hall.

Last month lawmakers refused to vote on the proposed amendment. The Legislature meeting in a special joint session called a Constitutional Convention recessed until January 2, without taking a vote.

January 2 is the final day in the current session and it is expected no vote will be held, effectively killing the measure.

Gov. Mitt Romney has asked the state's highest court for an order placing a proposed amendment that would ban same-sex marriage on the ballot without the approval of the legislature.

The case will be heard by the full Supreme Judicial Court on Wednesday.
Unless Romney is able to convince the court to force the legislature to act the proposed amendment is likely dead.

Meanwhile, VoteOnMarriage, made up of the Roman Catholic and evangelical church groups, has filed a federal lawsuit accusing the lawmakers of violating their constitutional duty when they voted to recess the Constitutional Convention.

via 365gay.com

Labels: Catholic, crimes, Massachusetts, violent