Sudden justice in the murder of Jorge Steven López Mercado

It's not a moment to rejoice. Jorge Steven López Mercado's life was taken way in the most brutal of ways for being gay.  But when news reached this morning me that Juan José Martínez Matos had pleaded guilty for his murder and that a Puerto Rican judge had sentenced him to 99 years in prison, I couldn't think about anything but the image above.

It's Jorge Steven's mom, Myriam Mercado, and my friend Pedro Julio Serrano doing the 'Spock-hand-over-the-eye' thingie that was Jorge Steven's signature pose when he was alive (see image below). Pedro Julio, who works at the NYC office of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, had traveled to Puerto Rico after hearing about the horrible crime and quickly gained the family's trust and confidence as he advised them how to navigate issues related to Jorge Steven's murder.

My friend and journalist Mike Lavers, who has done an amazing job of following the developments in the case, was the first person to run an English-language report on this morning's guilty plea. From his EDGE article:

Juan José Martínez Matos, who had been scheduled to go on trial for Jorge Steven López Mercado’s death on Monday, May 17, confessed to the crime during a hearing in Caguas on Wednesday, May 12.

Martínez told the court he understood the consequences of his actions, and Judge Miriam Camila Jusino immediately sentenced him to 99 years in prison.

Primera Hora reported López’s parents, Myriam Mercado and Jorge López, hugged prosecutor Yaritza Carrasquillo after the hearing. Mercado told the newspaper, however, Martínez’s confession was bittersweet for her and her family.

"We are able to find a bit of peace in this aspect, but it still not going to return Steven," she said. "But at least there is justice in Puerto Rico."

Tonight the Associated Press posted the following (via The Miami Herald's Steve Rothaus):

A man accused of decapitating a gay teenager and burning his body pleaded guilty to first-degree murder on Wednesday and was sentenced to 99 years in prison.

The case had gained national attention because activists demanded that U.S. authorities prosecute it as a hate crime, with supporters holding vigils in a dozen cities including New York and Los Angeles.

Police said Juan Martinez Matos, 26, told them he hated homosexuals but that he had offered the victim cocaine in exchange for sex.

The body of 19-year-old college student Jorge Steven Lopez Mercado was found in November along a rural road in the southeastern mountain town of Cayey. Lopez was well known as a volunteer for organizations advocating HIV prevention and gay rights.

The Task Force also released a statement this evening quoting Pedro Julio:

This was a brutal crime, and today's developments have been very emotional for Jorge Steven's family and friends, as well as to the entire lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community in Puerto Rico. While the guilty plea and sentencing bring some closure, these wounds will never heal for those who knew and loved Jorge Steven.

Yet, despite how heart-wrenching this has all been, Jorge Steven's family has been so loving and strong; they have been and continue to be a symbol of love conquering hate. This has inspired me and so many others in our work to keep this from happening again.

I was always amazed at how Jorge Steven's murder drew such a huge response. From singer Ricky Martin's plea for acceptance, months before he came out, to the protests that happened, mostly through Facebook, in cities like New York, Chicago and Los Angeles.

Queer bloggers in the United States also had a big role in responding to the murder and asking for justice.  Tonight, a few are also responding to the day's news including Towleroad, Joe.My.God., Queerty, and Rod2.0.

The most moving response tonight? That of Jorge Steven's parents as they left the court today...


Some people who have left comments on other blogs have taken an issue with Jorge Steven's father and his words of forgiveness towards his son's murderer, particularly as he frames forgiveness in pure religious terms.  Some say that someone who did what they did to Jorge Steven does not deserve forgiveness while others see, in his words, a veiled rejection of his son's gayness (he talks, after all, about all of us being sinners and making "mistakes" for which only God can forgive us).

Not being a religious person myself, I just see a man who is deeply religious, yes, but who obviously also loved his son deeply. A man who is trying to come to terms with the fact that he is gone. And a man, who, despite what others may say, is still standing next to his wife and family in demanding justice for his son. I wonder if he was truly aware that his son was gay before Jorge Steven died or if he was forced to confront his son's sexuality only after the news of his murder appeared on television.

Ms. Mercado, on the other hand, has spoken publicly in the past of knowing her son was gay and letting Jorge Steven know that her love was unconditional, regardless of his sexuality.  You might remember this amazing video from November, days after her son was murdered, thanking people worldwide for their support in such difficult times.



I remember crying when I first saw this.  I was in awe of Ms. Mercado. At a time when anger moved so many people to organize protests worldwide demanding justice for her son, here was his mom appealing to our better angels, as they say (in some way, now that I think of it, it is a similar message to that of Jorge Steven's father, without the religious connotations).

And now there is a guilty plea and a sentence of 99 years in jail. And, best of all, no trial.  As someone who has lost friends to homophobic violence, I know how tough the trial process can be on family members of those who are murdered and, in this case, Jorge Steven's family will not have to endure any defense attorney arguments claiming that their client was insane when he killed Jorge Steven, or that he panicked when he found out he was gay, or, worse still, try to blame Jorge Steven for what happened to him.

It must have been such a bitter-sweet day for Jorge Steven's family. A plea, a quick sentence and this stage of the process was suddenly over.  But now a need to move on and deal with the fact that Jorge Steven is still gone.  My love goes to them.

One last thought tonight: The brutality of Jorge Steven's murder has always held parallels, in my mind, with the murder of Rashawn Brazell in Brooklyn on February of 2005.  As in Jorge Steven's case, Rashawn's body was found dismembered.  And, as in Jorge Steven's case, the strongest voice out there asking for justice is Rashawn's mom, Desiré. That murder, unlike the murder of Jorge Steven, remains unresolved. And Desiré remains in my thoughts tonight even as I am glad that there was justice today when it comes to Jorge Steven.
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Additional info...  Calle 13 singer René Perez and Denise Quiñones, Miss Universe 2001, at the vigil that took place in San Juan, Puerto Rico on Nov. 25th, 2009...

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.

Remember Rashawn? Perhaps you should... (and update on Michael Sandy)

Rashawn Brazell's family is organizing a 2nd anniversary vigil since the gruesome murder of the 19 year old man. His mother, Desire, is asking the community to join her in making a public statement that her son's life will not be forgotten.

"We will not allow this tragedy to be forgotten," she says in a statement, "Gather with us as we pray that this never happens to anyone else and that no more families have to suffer this kind of loss."

The Vigil will take place on Saturday, February 17, 2007 from 7pm to 8pm. The gathering spot will be just outside the Nostrand Avenue subway station on the A/C train lines in Brooklyn. Photo above from last year's vigil. Please join us!

For some background:

• "Rashawn Brazell's Story - Part 1" (America's Most Wanted)
• "Rashawn Brazell's Story - Part 2" (America's Most Wanted)

In a somewhat related story, today's Gay City News reports that the family of one of four defendants in the recent killing of another black gay man, Michael J. Sandy, is ready to post $1.3 million dollars in bail to free Anthony Fortunato while he goes to court.

Clarence Patton, Executive Director of the New York City Anti-Violence Project, says that the agency has begun a letter-writing campaign to the judge who will oversee the bail hearing on February 7th asking him not to grant bail for Fortunato.

UPDATE: According to a post on the Michael Sandy memorial MySpace board, his mother is also asking for support in opposing bail. A group calling themselves The Michael Sandy Foundation is asking those interested to rally at 11am his Wednesday, February 7th at the Brooklyn Supreme Court (320 Jay Street) which is near the Jay St/Borough Hall train station. The bail hearing will take place at 11am.

A political experience

On Thursday, I called the Mayor's Office of Special Events and inquired about a message that had been left on my office voice mail. I was then told that I was among a group of gay leaders being invited to have breakfast with Mayor Michael Bloomberg at Gracie Mansion yesterday morning and they needed to know if I was attending. A bit shocked, I said yes before asking for details. I hung up and then quickly proceeded to find out just why and who had put me on the list. After all, I had endorsed Fernando Ferrer in the last Mayoral race.

It wasn't necessarily my affiliation with OutPOCPAC, because I contacted their leadership and they didn't know a thing about the meeting. So the other alternatives were that the Mayor's office noticed my essay earlier this month in Gay City News on funding for LGBT communities of color or, perhaps, that Council Speaker Christine Quinn might have suggested my name. A call back to the Mayor's Office confirmed that the meeting had been called by both the Mayor and the Speaker and that my name was among the Speaker's suggested invitees (though, aparently the Mayor's Office had final say on the list).

I wanted to know if I'd be there with friends so the next logical step was to reach out to Alan Van Capelle, Executive Director of the Empire State Pride Agenda, an agency on whose Board of Directors I served for five years until mid-2005. That's when things got complicated.

Yesterday, Gay City News published this late breaking report on the meeting. Today, the New York Post has this take on it. Aparently, while the Mayor's Office was insisting that an invitation had been extended to the Pride Agenda, the caveat was that it's Executive Director was not welcome to the event. I don't see how the Mayor's Office can claim that banning the director of the largest and most powerful lesbian and gay advocacy organization in New York State is anything but disrespectful, but they stayed on point claiming that the Pride Agenda was the one playing politics.

To Alan's credit, he never asked me not to attend the Mayor's breakfast, but did ask for support in letting the Mayor's Office know that banning him from the event was wrong. Friends, on the other hand, were pushing me to attend so that there would be at least a Latino voice at the table. By late Thursday, I called the Mayor's Office once more, in light of the developments, and said that I had to withdraw my RSVP unless things changed. They said they would keep my name on the list just in case I changed my mind. I spent the evening thinking about it some more and had yet another brief conversation with Alan late Thursday night. Based on that call, I changed my mind again and woke up early Friday morning to make my way to Gracie Mansion.

Now, the meeting itself was billed as a "legislative" breakfast to discuss strategies to achieve civil marriage rights for gays. As it turns out, a number of the invited guests were legislative experts from LGBT law associations who truly moved the dialogue into a very productive session, at least potentially. I say potentially, because the true measure of its success will depend on what the Mayor and his office do in the next months and years regarding the proposed political and legislative strategies.

Gay City News reports that Richard Burns of the LGBT Center, Matt Foreman of the City's Human Rights Commission and fellow Commissioner Jonathan Capehart, Log Cabin Republican Christopher Taylor, Gary English of People in Color in Crisis and yours truly were among the attendees. I also saw Phyllis Steinberg of NYC Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) and Ron Zacchi of Marriage Equality - New York. A woman representing Stonewall Staten Islan was there as well but I didn't catch her name. Queens Democratic District Leader Danny Dromm was also invited but he works as a high school teacher and aparently could not attend due to his professional responsibilities.

The Mayor and Ms. Quinn, who sat side by side, were at turns gracious and funny, stern, pragmatic and to the point. But, as the meeting was off-the-record, I will abstain from describing details of what was said by others. I will say that I was glad to be there if only because issues related to the right to marry for same-sex couples and how it plays in minority communities was part of the discussion. I also took the opportunity, once the main strategy session was over, to raise awareness among the top level mayoral staff members of the April 15th rally in memory of Rashawn Brazell in Brooklyn and asked for the Mayor - through his aides - to make an appearance (the Mayor had already left by then).

I will also say that even if Gay City News is reporting that the issue of the Pride Agenda not bring at the table "did not rise to the level of a major issue during the meeting," the point was indeed brought to the table and several of those present, including myself, took time to talk about the Pride Agenda's indispensable work on the marriage issue and on how their abscence left a huge hole at the table.

As GCN reports, it might might have been a positive first step, but unless the Pride Agenda is engaged in future strategy sessions, it might be bound to fail. I am hoping that the Mayor's Office buries the hatchet, stops playing politics on this issue and truly engages the Pride Agenda, which means not blocking its Executive Director from the table.

The last thing I will say is that I am truly grateful to Council Speaker Christine Quinn for suggesting my name to the Mayor's Office. The invite truly surprised me and I will thank her personally the next time I see her.

Update: NY Post story on Rashawn Brazell's dismemberment challenged

That story on new developments in the Rashawn Brazell murder that ran in Tuesday's New York Post?

The Rashawn Brazell Memorial Fund has posted an editorial on their website that challenges most of the article including the fact that there's anything "new" to report and questions the timing of the article (as well as the NYPD's anonymous "leak").

They also say that the NYPD has asked Rashawn's mother, Desire Brazell-Jones, to cancel a march planned for April 15 (what would have been Rashawn's 21st birthday) that will end in front of the 79th Precinct Station to draw attention to Rashawn's murder and the lack of actions and leads from the NYPD.

Today, Gay City News reports that the NYPD is actually denying that the New York Post got their information from the police department. GCN also says that, while commending the 79th Precinct for handling the logistics of the upcoming march, Ms. Brazell-Jones is upset that she found out about the Post's story when she read it on Tuesday morning and says that the man the Post identified as Rashawn's boyfriend was actually NOT his boyfriend and was known to the family.

She also says that there is a feeling of disproportionate justice related to the media and police attention given to the recent murder of Imette St. Guillen: "I am very unhappy when this young lady's case came about to see what amazing energy the police showed on that compared to this case."

MARCH & RALLY INFO: April 15, 2006 - Participants will gather between noon and 1 p.m. at Nostrand Avenue and Fulton Street near the A train station. At 1 p.m., marchers will proceed the roughly 15 blocks to the 79th Precinct for a rally. Check rashawnbrazell.com for updates.

Sakia Gunn, Rashawn Brazell resurface in media

I have often criticized why mainstream media sometimes turns a blind-eye to the murder of LGBT people of color so it's surprising to see two newspapers run stories today that make reference to the murders of Sakia Gunn and Rashawn Brazell (pictured).

Today, the North Jersey Herald News runs an interview with the only black lesbian couple suing the State of New Jersey to gain the right to marry. Alicia Toby-Heath and Saundra Heath-Toby talk about their involvement in the historic suit and say that one big reason why they decided to become visible advocates on the marriage front was the murder of 15-year old Sakia Gunn in 2003:

"That ... kind of sealed why I did this," Alicia tells the News, "There are young folk who need to know that there is promise and hope as young lesbian and gay kids... that there is the possibility of some solid commitment and family."

And, while Sakia's attackers were eventually brought to court, today's issue of the New York Times looks back at the yet unresolved and brutal killing of 19 year-old Rashawn Brazell, whose body was found dismembered and in separate trash-bags in two different Brooklyn sites a year ago.

In the Times article, Kareem Fahim and John Kolbin report that leads have led nowhere and tips have stopped coming in. What shines in the article is Desiree Brazell's unfaltering call for justice for her son. I was also struck by the fact that an officer from the NYPD spoke to the Times off-the-record regarding the case. NYPD policy is not to comment publicly on open murder investigations unless 1 Police Plaza says it's ok but sometimes police officers within the department truly watch over these cases and help to keep the investigations alive (as was the case in the murder of a friend, Eddie Garzon, back in 2001 although the case of his murder has also not been resolved).

On a related note, Larry Lyons and Mervyn Marcano, founders of the Rashawn Brazell Memorial Fund, also have re-launched the RashawnBrazell.com website which I encourage you to visit. Larry and Mervyn, as well as other community activists and bloggers have been also instrumental in keeping this unresolved crime in the spotlight.

Days of mourning - Part 8: Epilogue

Images (top to bottom): Julio Rivera on the cover of Gay City News; Rodney Velazquez; Gwen Araujo; Sylvia Guerrero holding her daughter Gwen's photo; LaTona Gunn; Sakia Gunn on the cover of Gay City News; Rashawn Brazell; Desire Brazell at adresses media at a vigil in honor of Rashawn; Dwan Prince's mom Valerie Prinez.

Though not by any means a comprehensive listing of other under-reported attacks and murders of LGBT folks, these are the ones that I carry in my heart. Most striking is that in most of these cases, the families of the victims, and particularly their mothers, have been moved to take action on behalf of their sons and daughters. Just like Eddie Garzon’s mother, Leonor, these women have moved earth and heaven to find justice. Leonor Garzon, LaTona Gunn, Sylvia Guerrero, Valerie Prinez are all unsung heroes. And, even though I helped to organize a community meeting with the local police precinct and the hate crimes unit in the Bronx after the gruesome death of Rodney Velazquez, I wonder how his mother is doing and why there seems to be so little additional information on that specific murder.

Julio Rivera was killed in July of 1990. His murder galvanized the Queens gay community and led to the launch of the Queens Pride Parade yet few people at the Queens gay bars would know about him. I briefly made mention of his murder in the blog posts about Eddie but, in a tragic coincidence, Julio was attacked fifteen years ago just two blocks away from where Eddie was attacked.

Rodney Velazquez was found dead in his apartment on August 4, 2002. A report of the shocking murder can be found here, information on a memorial vigil that took place in 2004 in the Bronx can be found here.

Gwen Araujo was killed on October 4, 2002. As I write, a jury has reached 2 verdicts in the trial of three men but the court has ordered the papers sealed while the jury verdict of the third man on trial is determined. This is the second trial after the first one ended with a deadlocked jury. There also were angels at a memorial held on October 1, 2002 and the Advocate ran a moving profile of Gwen’s mother, Sylvia Guerrero, in March of 2004.

15 year old Sakia Gunn, died on May 11, 2003. An interview with Sakia’s mom, LaTona Gunn, and an overview of the community's response to the crime, here, courtesy of Keith Boykin. On further advocacy by her family here. Information about the Sakia Gunn Film Project here. Information on the trial of the confessed murderer here and here.

In February of 2005, parts of 19-year old Rashawn Brazell’s body were found in plastic garbage bags at different sites in Brooklyn. As horrific as the crime was, his mother, Desire Brazell, a social worker, has been tireless in her search for justice. The New York City Anti-Violence Project has accused the NYPD of dragging its feet in this case and the murder has been kept in people's mind by Gay City News and a myriad of blogs and bloggers out there who refuse to let the crime fall from the city's consciousness. Photos I took at a vigil in memory of Rashawn that took place on March 25 in which Ms. Brazell addressed the crowd and media can be seen here.

On June 9^th, 2005, Dwan Prince was beaten in a bias incident that has left him in a coma to this date. His mother, Valerie Prinez, met Desire Brazell at a rally organized by Gays and Lesbians of Bushwick Empowered (GLOBE) on June 19th.

Simply, whether hate crimes or not, they all deserve justice...

This is the last in a series of posts, to read previous posts go to:

• 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

*** UPDATE: Eddie Garzon: After five years, an arrest (June 29, 2006)