Six years since the murder of Eddie Garzon...

Tuesday, September 4 will mark the sixth year since the death of Eddie Garzon.

Leonor and Armando Garzon, his parents, would like to invite readers in the New York City metropolitan area to join them on Tuesday for a vigil in his memory that will take place in Jackson Heights, Queens, beginning at 7:30pm at the corner of Roosevelt Avenue and 80th Street (Take the F/E/R/7 Trains to Roosevelt Avenue/74th St).

On Thursday, September 6th, the family will also be holding a remembrance mass at the Our Lady of Fatima Church at 25-56 80th Street in Jackson Heights, Queens.

For more information you can write to the Garzons at arleogarzon@yahoo.com or call 718 899-8035.

In related news, over at The Republic of T. blogger Terrence Heath has launched an online LGBT Hate Cimes Project and featured the tragic deaths of Eddie Garzon and Julio Rivera - both within a block though 11-years apart - in yesterday's post.

Thanks Terrance.

Previously:

• July 25, 2007: Judge Declares Mistrial in Eddie Garzon murder case
  
• July 13, 2007: Trial Begins in the Slaying of Edgar Garzon
  
• February 8, 2007: Michael J. Sandy and Edgar Garzon pre-trial hearings underway
  
• October 18, 2006: A Pansy for Edgar Garzon
• September 5, 2006: 5th Annual Memorial Mass and Vigil in honor of Eddie Garzon
  
• July 7, 2006: Gay City News on Eddie Garzon
  
• July 1, 2006: Armando Garzon talks to El Diario La Prensa
• June 30, 2006: New York Times: Stepping off plane, man is arrested in '01 murder
  
• June 29, 2006: Eddie Garzon: After five years, an arrest
  
• Part 1: The Attack
• Part 2: COLEGA and Eddie Garzon
• Part 3: So what is, exactly, is a 'hate crime'? (and a prayer)
• Part 4: Eddie Garzon passes on
• Part 5: The Vigil
• Part 6: A Newsday Editorial
• Part 7: A parade of angels
• Part 8: Epilogue

Update: Judge declares mistrial in Eddie Garzon murder case

In last week´s Gay City News , Duncan Osbourne filed a follow-up story on the proceedings in a Queens courtroom where 39 year-old John McGhee stood accused of murdering a gay Colombian man, 35 year-old Edgar Garzon, in the streets of Jackson Heights in the Fall of 2001.

Last week Christopher Ricalde, a former friend of McGhee´s, took the stand as the prosecution´s star witness and vividly described how McGhee viciously beat up Garzon, causing his head to hit the ground repeatedly, which allegedly caused the massive brain injuries that left Garzon in a coma until his death days later.

Ultimately, McGhee´s attorney, Charles D. Abercombie was aparently successful in raising questions about Ricalde´s credibility:

While Osborne says in the article that the case had gone to the jury, he tells Queerty that the presiding judge declared a mistrial yesterday after the jury became deadlocked on the charges against McGhee.

Duncan tells us, through e-mail, that the Queens District Attorney´s Office has vowed to push for a second trial which might possibly come this fall.

• From the July 26th edition of Gay City News: "Mistrial Called in Garzon Murder"
  

Previously on Blabbeando:

• July 13, 2007: Trial Begins in the Slaying of Edgar Garzon
  
• February 8, 2007: Michael J. Sandy and Edgar Garzon pre-trial hearings underway
  
• October 18, 2006: A Pansy for Edgar Garzon
• September 5, 2006: 5th Annual Memorial Mass and Vigil in honor of Eddie Garzon
  
• July 7, 2006: Gay City News on Eddie Garzon
  
• July 1, 2006: Armando Garzon talks to El Diario La Prensa
• June 30, 2006: New York Times: Stepping off plane, man is arrested in '01 murder
  
• June 29, 2006: Eddie Garzon: After five years, an arrest
  
• Part 1: The Attack
• Part 2: COLEGA and Eddie Garzon
• Part 3: So what is, exactly, is a 'hate crime'? (and a prayer)
• Part 4: Eddie Garzon passes on
• Part 5: The Vigil
• Part 6: A Newsday Editorial
• Part 7: A parade of angels
• Part 8: Epilogue

Trial begins in the slaying of Edgar Garzon

Duncan Osborne at Gay City News and Ikimulisa Livingston at the New York Post cover the opening statements in a trial to determine whether John L. McGhee killed my friend Edgar Garzon in the summer of 2001.

"I will prove to you that this defendant did this because Mr. Garzon was a gay man and he made the mistake of hitting on this defendant," said prosecutor Karen Ross representing the Queens District Attorney's office.

McGhee was arrested in June of 2006 upon returning from the UK based on a statement given by a witness who came forward a year after the attack and statements made later by people close to McGhee.

According to the Post, Defense lawyer Charles Abercrombie said McGhee is innocent and pointed out that there "is no DNA evidence, no fingerprints and no weapons connecting McGhee to the crime."

Despite attempts from Abercrombie to have the judge limit the testimony of Leonor Garzon, Edgar's mother, to simply identifying her son in a photo, Ms. Garzon gave moving testimony as she weeped on the stand. Quoting from Gay City News:

Before Leonor testified, and with the jury out of the courtroom, Abercrombie asked that she be limited to identifying Edgar from his hospital photos and she not be allowed to discuss his life or achievements.

"The character of the victim is not an issue in this case," he told Robert J. Hanophy, the judge in the case. Ross and Hanophy agreed.

Questioned by Ross, Leonor went on at length about Edgar's work as a film editor, restaurant owner, and set designer. He was "very creative," she said. She wept when asked about first seeing Edgar in the hospital.

"His face had no shape at all," Leonor said through a translator. "I kept talking to him and I was afraid to kiss him."

When Ross asked, "Did he respond to you at all?" Leonor burst into tears and said only "No, no."

While Abercrombie could have objected, given the earlier agreement with the prosecutor and the judge, interrupting a weeping mother's testimony could anger the jury. It was only when Ross paused to introduce two hospital photos of Edgar that Abercrombie got a discussion out of the jury's hearing and Leonor was dismissed from the stand.

Hanophy later told the jury that both sides had agreed that Leonor had identified Edgar.

With the jury out of the courtroom, Abercrombie asked for a mistrial or that the jury be told to ignore Leonor's testimony. Hanophy denied both motions.

Trial resumes on Monday.

Update:

• July 25, 2007: Judge declares mistrail in Edgar Garzon murder case

Previously on Blabbeando:

• February 8, 2007: Michael J. Sandy and Edgar Garzon pre-trial hearings underway
  
• October 18, 2006: A Pansy for Edgar Garzon
• September 5, 2006: 5th Annual Memorial Mass and Vigil in honor of Eddie Garzon
  
• July 7, 2006: Gay City News on Eddie Garzon
  
• July 1, 2006: Armando Garzon talks to El Diario La Prensa
• June 30, 2006: New York Times: Stepping off plane, man is arrested in '01 murder
  
• June 29, 2006: Eddie Garzon: After five years, an arrest
  
• Part 1: The Attack
• Part 2: COLEGA and Eddie Garzon
• Part 3: So what is, exactly, is a 'hate crime'? (and a prayer)
• Part 4: Eddie Garzon passes on
• Part 5: The Vigil
• Part 6: A Newsday Editorial
• Part 7: A parade of angels
• Part 8: Epilogue

Jamaica: What does it take...

Above: Video originally posted on YouTube and then banned, re-posted on JumpCut thanks to Terrance Heath.

The homophobic drumbeat continues to flow from Jamaica. If you were reading some of the articles that appeared in Jamaican media last week you might have seen the following:

An April 22nd Jamaica Gleaner editorial column writer quoting a nameless Rastafarian leader he calls Soul Rebel defending reggae singers who have been targeted for their homophobia and sharing, among other things, this reasoning for Jamaican's hate of gays:

Listen man. They have sought with some measure of success to equate the civil rights and liberation movements for responsible freedom with their 'freedom', their devilish desire to 'make close contact with human waste matter'. And therein lies the real rub and nub of the matter, for it is this aspect of the practice that makes your average Jamaican see red.

An April 25th Jamaica Gleaner article in which Jamaica's public defender (!!) is said to have asked gays in the island to abstain from "flaunting sexual preference may incite violence" arguing that it "may provoke a violent breach of the peace." "Tolerance has its limits," he added.

So, considering the abysmal recent record on human rights abuses and crimes against the LGBT community in the Caribbean island, is it really any surprise that reports surfaced on Friday about yet one more mob attack against a transgender woman in Falmouth? (and no, it's not the same as the mob attack that took place on February 14th in Montego Bay).

This time, though, the attack was captured on camera and, not surprisingly, posted on YouTube.

That hasn't stopped editorial writers from saying that Jamaica's "moral values" are under attack by international pro-gay political and economic forces as Newton Gabbidon wrote in yesterday's Jamaica Gleaner, two days after the attack . At least some churches seem to be coming around on the issue of violence against gays and HIV positive people.

Indeed, international human rights agencies and some within Jamaica have been calling for a government and public response against crimes such as these. And both local and international activism around these crimes has certainly forced the nation to have an unprecedented dialogue on issues related to LGBT rights and homophobia (hence this and this). These are seeds for change that should be nurtured and I hope that they do not get lost in the reaction to the latest developments.

Today, a few of us were made aware that the YouTube video had been uploaded, giving graphic proof of the violence that is taking place in the island. Among those who have blogged about it are Terrance Heath (cross-listed at Pam's Houseblend), j.brotherlove, J's Theatre, Emanuel Xavier, Taylor Siluwé, Keith Boykin, Jamyne Cannick and Kenyon Farrow.

And tonight I can say with certainty that enough is enough: What does it take for the Jamaican government to stand up for its own people instead of leaving it up to others to call for an immediate end to the spilling of Jamaican LGBT blood on Jamaican soil?

Let's hope that this will be the catalyst that will truly turn things around in Jamaica. I will keep you posted on reactions and hopefully it will lead to action. It would be a shame if this becomes just one in a very long list of incidents instead of the final straw that broke the camel's back.

UPDATE:

• Editorial by the Jamaica Gleaner (May 1, 2007)

Update: SF vigil in memory of Ruby Rodriguez this Friday

PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release

Contacts:
Tina D’Elia, Hate Violence Survivor Program Director
(415) 777-5500 ext. 304

Alexandra Byerly, EL-LA Program Coordinator
(415) 864-7278

Community Mourns Murder of Latina Transgender Woman
Requests Attendance at Vigil to Demand Change

San Francisco, California (March 22, 2007) – A Nicaraguan transgender woman, Ruby Rodriguez, 24 years old, was murdered on Friday, March 16, 2007. Her body was found on the corner of Cesar Chavez and Indiana Streets in the Mission District of San Francisco. The murder is currently under investigation by the San Francisco Police Department. Community United Against Violence (CUAV), EL-LA, San Francisco LGBT Community Center, TRANS Project, allies, and community members will hold a community vigil in her honor on Friday, March 23, 2007 at 6:00PM, on the corner of 24th Street and Mission Street in the Mission District.

Organizers request that the community bring a white candle to the vigil. There will also be an additional altar set up on Cesar Chavez and Indiana Street, and community members are encouraged to bring flowers, photographs, cards and good wishes to this site. Let us not forget Ruby. She was an exceptional woman who was intent on improving her life. Ruby participated in various support groups and language classes, and idolized Chicana singer Selena.

This murder comes at the heels of at least two other violent deaths of transgender women of color in the San Francisco Bay Area over the past six months. Transgender people, particularly low-income transgender women of color, are disproportionately poor, homeless, criminalized and imprisoned as a result of systemic discrimination in our daily attempts to access safe housing, healthcare, employment, and education.

Unfortunately, Ruby’s murder is not an exception, but an everyday fear for many transgender people who are targeted and brutalized by institutions and society at large. Our communities mourn Ruby’s death and ask for a renewed commitment to real safety for transgender communities. It is vital that the Mayor’s Office, the San Francisco Police Department, and the District Attorney’s Office work to end the cycles of criminalization, poverty, and violence in transgender communities and communities of color.

Please direct any questions about the vigil to Tina D’Elia or Alexandra Byerly. If anyone has any information regarding Ruby’s murder, please contact Inspector Karen Lynch at (415) 553-1388 or Inspector Tom Cleary at (415) 553-9569 of the SFPD Homicide Unit.

---
Community United Against Violence works to end violence against and within the LGBTQQ communities, providing free and confidential counseling, advocacy, and education in English and Spanish. CUAV’s crisis line is (415) 333-4357.

Updates: Aviance attackers guilty, IL unease on Obama and gays, Orozco gets a break in Canada

Din Da Da: Four people have pleaded guilty in last summer's attack against performer Kevin Aviance (pictured) and are expected to be given prison sentences ranging from six to fifteen years when they are sentenced in early April. They had faced prison sentences of up to 25 years if convicted of first degree assault as a hate crime.

Obama unease in IL: It has been ten days since the Chicago Tribune reported that General Peter Pace - the current joint Chief of Staff and military leader in Iraq - called homosexuality "immoral." Today, the Tribune explores the lingering unease among lesbian and gay supporters of presidential candidate Barack Obama over how the Illinois Senator first responded to the General's comments.

Late word from the Chicago Sun Times blogs is, though, that the Obama camp might be forming a "gay advisory panel"(courtesy of Lynn Sweet).

Canadian court defers removal of gay Nicaraguan: A young Nicaraguan gay man who made his way to Canada as a teen and was denied political asylum back in February, in part because the court said he wasn't gay enough, has been granted a second removal deferral which means that he can stay in Canada up until August 9th, 2007. This undoubtedly gives his legal team precious additional time to build his case and appeal the ruling on humanitarian and compassionate grounds.

If you would like to help Alvaro Orozco stay in Canada, please visit his website for additional information.

ITN: SF TG murdered, Dupree loses support, internet sucks & mulah

A few news items that might have escaped your attention:

Body of transgender Latina found by roadside in SF: The San Francisco Police Department is "seeking to determine whether the slaying of a transgender victim found naked near the Interstate 280 freeway is somehow linked to reports of a nude woman seen walking on the same freeway two hours later" according to the San Francisco Chronicle [UPDATE: Candlelight vigil to be held in honor of Ruby Rodriguez on Friday, March 23rd in San Francisco]

Gay Dallas Constable Mike Dupree loses key support, sister still on his side: In a case that we have followed for a while, 50 year old Dallas Constable Mike Dupree - who had a 20 year old Honduran lover jailed when he spurned his advances - and hooked up with a female stripper - has lost key support from one of his deputies. His sister, though, is still on his side.

Latinos suck at internet stuff: The Pew Hispanic Center has the results of a poll.

Mulah: The Dallas Voice has an interview with fundraiser Enrique MacGregor (pictured above) on what it takes to raise money for organizations such as the Latino Cultural Center.

Two years later, another vigil in honor of Rashawn Brazell

On Friday evening it took the boyfriend and I nearly an hour and a half to make our way through the subway system, which took us from Queens through Manhattan into Brooklyn, to get to the Nostrand Avenue stop on the A train, where we finally emerged into the frigid night.

We were late and probably there for only twenty minutes, but we still caught the few words that the Reverend Zachary Jones and Desire Brazell had for the small crowd that had assembled just outside the train station. It was the 2nd year anniversary since the unsolved murder of Ms. Brazell's son, Rashawn, and his family and friends had called for a candlelight vigil in his honor, just as they did last year (Ms. Brazell spoke about her son to the New York Daily News just last week on the eve of the vigil)

Despite the Daily News article and the case having been featured in America's Most Wanted, it's safe to say that Rashawn's murder is long gone from the City's general consciousness, so it didn't surprise me that the gathering was rather small. But as I looked around I couldn't help but feel glad that a large number of those who showed up were gay and same gender loving black men standing up for one of their own. Not that they haven't been there in the past, but for some reason on Friday, I just felt in the midst of beauty.

Perhaps the tone was set by Ms. Brazell herself. At last year's vigil, she spoke in anger at the lack of media and at the absence of political leaders at the event. In contrast, this year she seemed to draw strength from the crowd and had nothing but love to express to gatherers. Rashawn's father was also present as well as some close family members and past friends, but at least for the night, everyone seemed to be family. I made sure that I made my way to Ms. Brazell and was able to give her a hug as the gathering started to go their separate ways.

One key difference was the official presence of the New York Police Department, not only to provide security detail, but as part of those paying honor to her son. It might have been a public relations move, but I saw a few of the openly gay officers who have been so helpful to me in regards to hate crimes in the community, including Officer Thomas Verni, the Department's LGBT community liaison. Members of the New York City Gay and Lesbian Anti-Violence Project were handing out "information wanted" flyers and post-cards to passers by. A few people were set to visit some Brooklyn gay bars after the vigil to spread news about the $22,000 reward for leads in the crime.

I saw a few people I knew, including Dr. Marjorie Hill, Executive Director of Gay Men's Health Crisis, and long time activist Kevin McGruder. Blogger Donald Andrew Agarrat took a few pics which you can see here (by the way, his new blog, NOW, has just been added to my personal links at the right). Larry Lyons II, who set up the Rashawn Brazell Memorial Fund two years ago (and whose blog is also listed in my links) was also there but I wan't able to say hi. Ocean of Brothaluva Cafe has additional photos here.

In the meantime, we are grateful to Melanie for the nice words.

Also, considering the gruesome details in Rashawn's murder, I couldn't help but think of him when this article was posted in yesterday's New York Times.

Update: Michael J. Sandy and Edgar Garzon murder hearings underway

Today's Gay City News has articles on two ongoing hearings related to the local murders of two gay men.

As we have previously reported, Gay City News says that bail has been denied for one of the men accused of being involved in a hate crime against Michael J. Sandy last October in Brooklyn. The New York Times also had something to say.

Interestingly, Gay City News editor Duncan Osbourne also reports on a preliminary hearing for the accused murderer of a personal friend of mine, Eddie Garzon. I knew that the hearing was imminent but had not heard a word until now.

Among the new revelations:

• 38 year old John McGhee, the accused murderer, has a wife and son who live in London.
• A witness identified as "Ya Ya'' seems to be the lead witness and perhaps the person who was driving the car the night that Eddie was attacked. Gay City News identifies "Ya Ya" as the lead witness even though his identity has not been revealed.
• Police say that when they caught up to McGhee once he was deported from the UK last year after being denied citizenship in the UK, his first comments were "What am I looking at? Three, four, five years?"

Let's see what happens down the line. Hopefully justice will be served.

ITN: Ruben Diaz irony alert, no bail in Sandy murder, a sports star comes out

And as long as we are having a case of blogorrhea today, elsewhere in the news:

The homophobic New York State Senator (and Reverend) Ruben Diaz, Sr., has some love to spare for one particular lesbian (hat tip to Azi at The Politicker)

On Thursday, Gay City News reported that the family of Anthony Fortunato, one of the men accused of murdering Michael J. Sandy last October, was ready to post a $1.3 million bond if Fortunato was allowed to walk free on bail. This morning, after hearing arguments in favor and against setting bail for Fortunato, a Brooklyn judge decided against it.

And, if you haven't heard yet, John Amaechi (above) - a former NBA star who played for Penn State during his college years and then went on to play for the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Orlando Magic and the Utah Jazz, will appear on ESPN's "Outside the Lines" this Sunday to discuss his new book, "Man in the Middle" and to announce that he is gay. He becomes the first NBA player to do so. A preview over at the ESPN site.

Mexico: English language media picks up on a few LGBT stories

Here are links to two recent English-language newspaper articles on issues that we have recently covered:

• Police say gay activist's slaying was fueled by passion, not hate (San Antonio Express News, Jan. 19)
• Gay rights surface in the Mexican desert (The Dallas Morning News, Jan. 25)

...and a link to a story we have yet to cover:

• Mexican lawmaker proposes giving transsexuals constitutional protections (AP, Jan. 25)

A few updates to recent posts

Michael Sandy's death: On Wednesday, additional charges were brought against three young men arrested in connection with the death of Michael Sandy. Anthony Fortunato, 20, John Fox, 19, and Ilya Shurov, 20 now face manslaughter and assault charges with additional penalties should they also be found guilty of committing a hate crime.

Gay City News reports that hate crime charges are usually brought up when a defendant acts out of prejudice at the moment they are committing an attack but, in this case, Brooklyn District Attorney Charles J. Hynes said he was applying a "little-used" section of New York's hate crimes law that would consider the fact that the men consciously sought out gay men as robbery targets as indication of a hate crime.

Yesterday, the New York Times reported that a 16-year old had also been arraigned but has yet to be indicted.

CONLAMIC watch: On Tuesday, we wrote about The Latino Coalition's endorsement of Hillary Clinton for New York State Senate noting that they had usually marched lock-step with the Bush agenda particularly on social issues such as the right of gay couples to marry. In the post we mentioned that the Coalition had worked with the conservative religious Latino organization CONLAMIC in the past in supporting some of the most draconian immigration legislation proposed under this administration, including a proposal to raise a wall between the United States and Mexico, a bill that President Bush signed yesterday. No surprise then that while it boggled our mind any Latino organization would support the bill, yesterday CONLAMIC joined The Latino Coalition in lauding the initiative. As you know, we've kept an eye on CONLAMIC ever since they organized a rally outside the Bronx Courthouse against the right of gay couples to marry.

As for Hillary Clinton, after years of avoiding meeting with the major LGBT political clubs in the city, a meeting finally happened. Hm, I guess it's election season.

Gray's Anatomy: Fluff stuff but there is an apology.

Steven Mackin (coolukman on LJ): I just spoke to Steven's boyfriend and I have confirmed that Steven is back home in Kentucky surrounded by his family. Things have deteriorated progressively and quickly and the family is doing everything possible to make sure he is as comfortable as he can be. He is no longer checking his cell text or voice messages. Please pray for Steven to be at peace and surrounded by nothing but love. I tried to keep my promise. Farewell my sweet, sweet amazing friend.

Gay City News on the death of Michael Sandy

On the latest issue of Gay City News:

"Several dozen activists, most of them leaders in the black gay community, turned out Monday on the steps of City Hall for a press conference that was intended as a show of community solidarity and brotherhood in the face of the latest in a long line of vicious attacks on gay men of African descent in New York City..." (to read more click on "A Focus on Community, Change, Non-Violence and Love" by Gay City News Editor Paul Schindler).

"There are no flowers at the site where Michael J. Sandy was murdered. There is no handwritten sign expressing love for him or sorrow at his death, no teddy bear, no candles, none of the elements that are usually part of the impromptu memorials that mark the sites of homicides or traffic accidents..." (to read more click on "Grappling to Respond to Murder" by Gay City News Associate Editor Duncan Osborne).

A pansy for Edgar Garzon

Ok, this blog hasn't been a barrel of laughs lately and sometimes it even seems to me as if it's become a compedium of the latest anti-gay attack against people of color in the city. And yes, I have written about Eddie Garzon at length in the past. But then you find a blog out there and it's impossible not to make a comment.

Enter UK artist Paul Harfleet and his Pansy Project. Recently, Mr. Harfleet was in New York touring the project. As you will see at the link above, the goal of the project is as follows:

Artist Paul Harfleet revisits city streets planting pansies as close as possible to where verbal homophobic abuse has been experienced. These self-seeding pansies act as a living memorial to this abuse and operate as an antidote to it, some pansies wither whilst others thrive in car park borders and windswept road verges. Each pansy's location is named after the abuse received. Click on 'locations' to see where the pansies have been planted

A surprise: Mr. Harfleet planted the above pansy in honor of my friend Eddie Garzon while in New York. Something that I found out through The Pansy Project blog.

For some reason, the sentiment is tremendously moving. Thank you, Pansy Project.

Kevin Aviance is angry

When it comes to yesterday's rally to call attention to hate crimes in this city in the wake of the attack and death of Michael Sandy, Kevin Aviance wants to know "Where was everyone?"

As you might remember, the performace artist and singer was himself attacked by a group of young men this summer in yet another recent senseless crime in this city.

Michael J. Sandy and so many others

Something that was said at today's City Hall press conference (2nd from top) in response to the senseless death of Michael J. Sandy last week stuck with me: We have been here before.

Whether it's Michael last week (holding the crystal ball above); Kevin Aviance (3rd from top making his first public appearance after being assaulted at an anti hate-crime march this summer); Rashawn Brazell (his mom, Desire Brazell, 4th from top, at a Brooklyn vigil this summer to draw attention to her son's murder); Nelson Torres (an employee of the Hispanic AIDS Forum, 5th from top, who survived an attack in 2005); my friend Eddie Garzon (that's his family holding a memorial prayer on the sidewalk where he laid bleeding five years ago this summer, 6th from top), Sakia Gunn, Rodney Velazquez, Dwan Prince, Julio Rivera, it's as if history keeps repeating itself.

This must stop. Unfortunately, I have the feeling that it won't be long 'til we see more of the same. Please help me to make sure that it does not.

NOTE: More photos of today's press conference at my Fotki site (if you want to post or reproduce them please ask for permission by writing to blabbeando@gmail.com).

Other observations:

• Gathering in Michael's name (Bejata, Oct. 17, 2006)
• NYC Hall Press Conference for Michael Sandy (Brotthaluva Cafe, Oct. 16, 2006)
  

"Michael J. Sandy almost escaped his death..."

That's the lead sentence in a story that appears on the front page of the New York Times Metro Section tomorrow ("From Crime to Arrest, By Way of Computer," October 15, 2006).

The article takes a look at how NYPD detectives were able to trace back what happened a week ago tonight when Mr. Sandy was lured into a trap by someone he thought was offering to have a sexual encounter when it actually turned out to be four heterosexual white youth who had previously decided to try to rob a gay man using a single profile to lure him.

The Times tells what happened next:

When Mr. Sandy pulled up to a Sheepshead Bay street corner last Sunday, he found not the lone man he thought he had been exchanging instant messages with, but two men. Uncomfortable, he drove away.

Back home, Mr. Sandy resumed his online chat with the man calling himself “fireyefox,” who persuaded him to go through with the rendezvous.

Later that night, Mr. Sandy was led to a trash-strewn parking lot near the Belt Parkway, and confronted by four men who, the authorities say, were hoping to rob him. He was beaten and chased onto the highway, where he was hit by a car. On Friday, a day after Mr. Sandy turned 29, his family removed him from a respirator.

Detectives were able to determine these things from something that Mr. Sandy did not do before he went out a second time that night: He did not turn off his computer and left his Adam4Adam profile on (the Times also runs a photo of Mr. Sandy's Friendster profile).

What follows is an incredibly sad and vivid account of the confrontation near the Belt Parkway and disturbing emerging profiles of the four assailants.

"It wasn't a hate crime against blacks or gays," says a young woman who knew the assailants but did not give her name to the Times. Then she ads "They were looking to rob him. They didn't think he'd fight back if he was gay."

As for Mr. Sandy's passing on Friday afternoon, McCartha L. Lewis, his aunt, tells the Times "He was already gone, he's resting in the arms of Jesus right now."

Ms. Lewis is also known as the soca music performer Calypso Rose.

REMEMBER: A rally in memory of Michael Sandy is scheduled for Monday afternoon at 5pm on the steps of the New York City Council building. It's being organized by People of Color in Crisis, the New York State Black Gay Network, the New York City Gay and Lesbian Anti-Violence Project and the National Black Justice Coalition and has been endorsed by Brooklyn Pride.

RALLY/VIGIL FOR MICHAEL SANDY
MONDAY OCTOBER 16
5:00 pm
City Hall, Manhattan
2/3 to Park Place
4/5/6/J/M/Z to Brooklyn Bridge/City Hall
A/C to Broadway-Nassau
R/W to City Hall

According to Michael's MySpace profile, a memorial is also being planned. For updates please write to: Friends.of.Michael.Sandy@gmail.com

Sad News: Michael Sandy has died, rally at NY City Hall on Monday

Michael Sandy, a gay black man who was hit by a car in Brooklyn on Sunday night as he sought to escape an ambush by young men who had lured him to a deserted parking lot by promising sex through a gay chat room, has died after bspending a week in a coma according to ABC news (via Keith Boykin).

Three suspects, who range in age from 16 to 20 have been arraigned on hate crime charges and it's expected that police will "upgrade" the charges now that Mr. Sandy has died (a fourth man is still under investigation). All suspects are white and it has been reported that they had previously used gay chat rooms to lure potential robbery victims in the past.

Boykin's site reports that a rally sponsored by People of Color in Crisis, the New York State Black Gay Network, the New York City Gay and Lesbian Anti-Violence Project and the National Black Justice Coalition will be held on the steps of the New York City Council on Monday at 5pm to demand an end to hate crimes in the city and to hold city leaders accountable.

Please join us.

Since last week

A few things that have happened since I last posted last week:

Sunday Brunch in Harlem

Remember this?

Well a few days ago, Donald (Preboot/AnziDesign) had the great idea of inviting a few people of color bloggers for brunch last Sunday. Though only about a dozen of the 24 bloggers who RSVP'd showed up, it sounds like a fun time was had by all (the mom was in town so I wasn't able to make it).

The gathering, while leaning heavy on East Coast representation, not to say mostly on New York area bloggers, was a start. It was suggested that it become an annual event. I actually would suggest that meetings take place every three to six months, specially if the next one happens at one of the Colombian restaurants in Jackson Heights. Perhaps the West Coast and other areas will pick up on the idea as well.

The following bloggers share photos and thoughts on the Sunday brunch in Harlem:

• Donald Preboot
• Bernard Bejata
• Taylor Taylor Siluwe
• Ronn a burst of light... *
• Nichelle Nichelle Newsletter

Others present included Kenneth (A Day in the Life of a Divo), Kenyon (Every Shut Eye Ain't Sleep), Ryan (The Ryan Chronicles), Liza (CultureKitchen), Steven (Steven G. Fullwood), Phillippe (Life Up in Harlem Heights) and Alvin (Alvin Agarrat). I have used a photo taken by Bernard above, more here. Donald also has a flckr set here (please ask for permission if you want to use any of these images).

On "glamour shots," "artistic nudes" and black gay bloggers:

Over at the larry lyons experience, Larry D. Lyons II mulls on an ongoing discussion began at Ynkuya's Kaleidoscope back in March. They might as well be speaking about graphic representation of Latino queer imagery on some blogs as well.

Michael Sandy

The details of just how Michael Sandy managed to get struck by a car in Brooklyn on Sunday night, leaving him in a coma, are truly horrendous and Bernard has the details as well as links to some of the coverage here. There are some unfortunate comments over at Keith Boykin's original post on the matter which imply that Mr. Sandy might have brought it upon himself for cruising online and for being in a desolate Brooklyn spot late at night. Repeat after me people, nobody deserves to be targeted for being gay and assaulted. Period.

Doug Ireland interviews J-FLAG leader on homophobic violence in Jamaica

Over on his blog, Gay City News reporter Doug Ireland has posted an interview he did with "Gareth William", the Director of Jamaica Forum for Lesbians, All-Sexuals and Gays (J-FLAG), which he submitted for tomorrow's GCN edition. "Williams" (a pseudonym) speaks about a number of homophobic murders that have taken place in the island, including that of his good friend Steve Harvey and that of the former J-FLAG leader, Brian Williamson.