Power couples

Two couples. In each case an older powerful white man partnered with a younger less-wealthy Latino gay man. Troubled relationships, court dates and, in both cases, a very messy, very public, very different resolution.

Steven Green vs. David Gonzalez: Today The New York Times reported on a landmark case in the New York courts in which a judge ruled that 41 year-old real estate developer Steven Green had to honor the terms of a signed separation agreement with 29 year-old lawyer David Gonzalez (and pay $780,000), even though the judge sided with Green in ruling that it could not grant a divorce (the couple married in Massachussetts in 2005) because same-sex marriages are not currently recognized by New York State.

The couple had lived together since 2001, when Gonzalez was a law school student, and eventually got married in MA on Valentine's Day of 2005. Upon dissolution of the relationship, Gonzalez filed for divorce (!) in Manhattan.

Not sure who zoomed who, Mr. Gonzalez, who was "showered with gifts" during the relationship including two new cars and his very own ski lodge; or Mr. Green who seemed to believe in gay marriage just a couple of years ago but promptly claimed their MA wedding was kinda fake once the relationship soured.

Art Loenard has more on the case here.

Dallas Constable Mike Dupree (pictured) vs. Angel Martinez: Last week the Dallas Observer reported that 50 year-old Dallas Constable* Mike Dupree had one of his officers arrest his undocumented 20 year-old Honduran ex-boyfriend Angel Martinez and "arranged to have his ex-lover deported."

Dupree told the Dallas Observer that he was just looking for Martinez' "interests and his safety and his well-being" but even those who worked under Dupree said that the arrest came after their relationship had "soured."

Dupree alleges that he was more of a father figure to Martinez than a lover ("That's what he called me. He called me Dad. He called me Papa") and that Martinez actually agreed with his tough-love tactic of having him deported to Honduras (he claims Martinez told him "No, Dad, I won't get mad"). He also told the Observer that Martinez had turned from a hard working church-going kid "who listened to Christian music" to a gun-stealing troubled kid who loved "hard rap" in mere months, which is why he felt it was better for Martinez to be taken back to Honduras.

Martinez was not available for comment but anonymous sources told the Observer that "Martinez was a good kid who angered Dupree by dating a stripper at the Chicas Bonitas nightclub on Harry Hines Boulevard."

Some are calling for an investigation into the proceedings but say that it would be difficult without having Martinez in the country.

Turns out though that it's not the first time Dupree has been in the news over troubles with a younger Latino partner. On May 24, 2002, Dupree was actually arrested after a Mexican man in his 20's who lived with him accused him of sexual assault (an accusation the Mexican man later withdrew claiming he'd made up the story after he had a fight with Dupree over a trip to Mexico).

Does this sound as outrageous and offensive as it does to me? Dupree should be booted out. Now.

• UPDATE: The Dallas Observer prints two letters to the editor in response to the article from Jesús Chaíres, former producer of Sin Fronteras radio and from Pete Webb, President of the Dallas Gay & Lesbian Alliance in their January 11th edition. You can read both here.

*Constable: According to the Observer "in Dallas County, constables fall somewhere between the police chief and the security officer patrolling an apartment complex. In Dallas, if you know the name of your local constable, it's probably because you know him. Or at least his cousin. In some elections for constable, no more than 10,000 people turn out to vote, and many of those no doubt came to cast ballots for candidates in higher offices."

[Thanks Seyd for the heads up!]