This horror occurred 20 yards from my dental office:

[PCIntern]

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20140917_Gay-bashers_apparently_dined_at_upscale_eatery_before_assault.html





A GROUP OF well-dressed college-age men and women apparently dined at an upscale Center City restaurant Thursday night before some of them brutally assaulted two gay men on the sidewalk just two blocks away.

Internet sleuths yesterday joined Philadelphia police and reward-givers in a hunt for the group of clean-cut twentysomethings linked to the shocking assault.

The chase heated up after cops released video of about a dozen white men and women wanted for questioning in the attack on the two men, ages 27 and 28.

That attack, at 10:45 p.m. Thursday on Chancellor Street near 16th, took place in front of stunned onlookers and sent the couple, together for six years, to Hahnemann University Hospital with bruises and, for one of them, severe facial fractures.

.

**********************

More at the link They caught 'em. Bastards.

[MrScorpio]

1. My first inclination is to say that the bashers are all dressed like Republicans

Arrogant, hateful Republicans.

[irisblue]

2. .

fu$%^&s/// why? why mess with any one just cuz they are gay? Do bashers think a beating will make a gay man want to be hetro?

[Whiskeytide]

24. I doubt it's about the victims...

... I think it has much more to do with how screwed up the attackers are.

[Louisiana1976]

32. Excellent point. You have to be more than a little screwed up to be so homophobic you want to

attack a gay couple.

[LiberalArkie]

46. A lot of guys call themselves straight who really enjoy sex with other guys more than women.

I have know several. They want sex with a guy really bad, and they get it.. They are the first ones to say they are 100% straight because they only want a relationship with a woman and could never have a relationship with a guy. (Been through that). I have several "friends" who can only get off with guys, not with girls. But they are straight because they "only want a relationship with a girl". They don't ever want to love a guy. If you want to scare one, tell him you love him. They are gone in a heart beat.

So it is my belief that the guys doing the attacking are those types of guys. They just have to prove to their fellow "bros" that they are not gay, or fag or whatever.

They are really sick.

[New Orleans Strong]

66. I have know (sic), (several people like you) nt. My. God. just WHAT???

[RKP5637]

101. Definitely! Individuals like this are full of unresolved conflicts and emotional baggage they

carry around. They are in serious need of some counseling.

[Jamastiene]

52. Raping me sure didn't make me want to date men.

So, while some may say they are doing it for that reason (that's what they told me), I think it is really to satisfy their own sick, perverse control freak nature. I really think those people are control freaks, sick, deranged ones.

[irisblue]

69. Jamastiene....

sister may I give you a cyber hug? I am sorry, deeply sorry that you were hurt so badly by scum wearing human skin.

[Jamastiene]

145. Thank you.

[RKP5637]

102. Exactly! They are very sick deranged individuals with very serious emotional issues. n/t

[Arugula Latte]

3. Their names need to be publicized and spread far and wide,

so that in the future whenever any of these scumbags apply for a job, their horrible hateful actions pop up when their potential employer types their names into a search engine.

Here are the lowlife creeps on the same day of the attack:

[closeupready]

5. Yes - who are they? The public has a right to know.

If for no other reason than if I see them on my side of the street, I can cross to give them as wide berth as possible, so as not to be subjected to violence.

[Arugula Latte]

6. I guess they have to go through all the due process.

Probably not all of them were involved directly in the attack, but the fact that they all seemed to have condoned it --> sickening.

[NYC_SKP]

16. Glad that they seem to have been identified.

https://twitter.com/GreggyBennett/status/512038676918845440/photo/1

http://gawker.com/philly-hate-crime-suspects-tracked-down-by-anonymous-tw-1635661609

Crack social media sleuths appear to have helped Philadelphia police track down a pack of well-dressed goons wanted on hate crime charges after they allegedly attacked two gay men in the street last week.

Several of the suspects have lawyered up and were preparing to turn themselves into police Wednesday, local ABC 6 reported.

snip

Several users recognized it as La Viola, an Italian joint on 16th St. serving comfort food faves like veal marsala and chicken in red sauce.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/social-media-sleuths-work-id-philadelphia-hate-crime-suspects-article-1.1942681

Can't be too hard to track them down, now proving which individuals were most violent might be difficult if nobody testifies, but we want to hope that the victims will be able to identify them and that charges stick.

[msanthrope]

25. They all paid with credit cards. They all posted various stuff to social media, and then,

they all tried scrubbing said social media.

A whole bunch of these dumbass kids are now trying to work deals. I hope the DA throws the book.

[Jackpine Radical]

51. Or anybody that looks like them, really.

Their kind is really dangerous because their sense of entitlement will cause them to think they can do what they want, and they know they can get off any serious charges with the Affluenza Defense. We really should drug test the whole bunch of them, I think.

[Ikonoklast]

7. Hitler Youth.

Bet they are all College Republicans.

[freshwest]

15. That was my take on them in the sixties. They haven't changed one bit, just bolder now.

[Roy Rolling]

98. I hear ya

Didn't (those of age) we encounter those types in the '60s who did the same thing to "long hairs" and hippies?

[freshwest]

109. They sure did! They always remind me of Greg Marmalard or Doug Neidermeyer in 'Animal House.'

Greg Marmalard:



Doug Neidermeyer:



We used to call the Young Republicans and the Young Americans for Freedom (YAF) the Hitler youth. Most looked like Lindsay Graham with that same attitude of expecting to be obeyed.

Earth is an insane asylum, to which the other planets deport their lunatics.

~ Voltaire.

[RKP5637]

103. Exactly, different times, different people, different names, but SOS! n/t

[freshwest]

14. All of that...And if there'd been no bystanders, they'd be murderers. How many crimes before this?

[RKP5637]

104. My same thoughts, they were well on their way to going the next step! What creatures they are! n/t

[Liberal_in_LA]

19. big group

[alfredo]

26. They could find work at Fox or some right wing Christian group.

[questionseverything]

28. incredibly sad

they look like regular people

[ReRe]

81. Looks like Sorority/Fraternity brats to me...

... that's their "Partners in Crime/Young Republican" group photo. All the police have to do is get a warrant to have the restaurant to turn over the name of the organization that sponsored the dinner, and/or head over to campus to the deans office and get the info. Frats and Sororities need to be shut down, period. All they are are a bunch of bullies on campus that get their pictures taken allot.

[IdaBriggs]

88. I was thinking the same thing. nt

[freshwest]

93. Although the restaurant offered $10K for info leadind to an arrest. And since it occured outside,

perhaps they don't didn't see who did what, and they can't legally turn over the information?

The frat brats already have attorneys contacting the police to save their sorry asses.

They may be threatening to sue for privacy like the parents of the little angels who trashed a house while the owner was in Florida, remember?

[bullwinkle428]

91. Christian school reunion - Karl Frisch just talked about this on

Stephanie Miller's show a few minutes ago.

[VA_Jill]

94. Seriously?

How very, very Christian of them. /snark

[freshwest]

95. No kidding? Wish there was a written story for more shaming of this gang of ruffians.

[66 dmhlt]

105. Some (most? all?) of the attackers had attended a Catholic H.S. together ...

An assistant coach for a local high school basketball team was fired Wednesday for his alleged connection to the attack on a gay couple in Center
(SNIP)
Sources told NBC10 some of the alleged attackers were alumni of Archbishop Wood Catholic High School in Warminster, Pa. One of the persons of interest was also the assistant basketball coach at Archbishop Wood before the school dismissed him from his duties Wednesday, according to a school spokesman.

http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/Assistant-High-School-Basketball-Coach-Fired-for-Alleged-Connection-to-Assault-on-Gay-Couple-275540251.html

[Arugula Latte]

115. Who would Jesus bash and steal from?

[CrispyQ]

110. Look at all that entitlement.

"We're special. We're above the law. Daddy will take care of us."

Fucking little shits make me wanna puke.

[Grins]

140. Huh?

Story said "well-dressed college-age men and women." I pictured something completely different.

Guess I'm old.

[MadrasT]

4. That is horrible. Right in center city.

From the text description of the video in the linked article: "One complainant was treated for fractures and deep lacerations to his face requiring surgery and his jaw wired shut."

That poor guy.

Fucking snotty elitist college kids.

[Logical]

8. Are you back now? nt

[PCIntern]

36. Yes and no. nt

[Behind the Aegis]

9. This is horrible.

However, this flies in the face of those who keep trying to tell us we just need to wait for the old people to die off and bigotry goes with them (of course, most don't see the irony in that statement). Big cities, little cities, gay-friendly cities, red cities, small towns, doesn't much matter, GLBT are still targets. We may not always be the victims of brutal attacks, but the rank odor of homophobia and heterosexism still hangs heavily in the air.

(Glad to see you pop back in for a bit!)

[PCIntern]

40. Thanks, BtA. nt

[Behind the Aegis]

74. You're welcome.

Did you know the Jewish Group is open?

I am jus' sayin'!

You never call, you never write...

[JustAnotherGen]

53. + 1 million!

[Behind the Aegis]

73. You stalking me?!

I know you are one of the people who can understand this type of situation, albeit from a different perspective. You go beyond because you empathize. It is noticed and appreciated! (For the other stuff too...you know what I am talking about!)

[sheshe2]

55. For you...

[Behind the Aegis]

70. Thanks!

Back atcha!

[Jamastiene]

59. Well said.

We face the higher possibility of being attacked every time we leave the house and they want us to wait until some imaginary generation dies off. They seem to think only older people ever hate the GLBT community.

[Behind the Aegis]

71. Appreciate it.

Besides this story, there is the one in LBN about the 19yo GOP dickhead that dropped out of the race because of his comments about "fags" among other groups. To be honest, I have sometimes found older people to be more open and understanding of GLBT people, especially those of us in relationships, than many younger people today.

[sheshe2]

77. I am one of those older people that understands.

And yes I stand for you. I am female, white, wasp, divorced, battered and the best friends I have always had were gay men. They were my brothers and they have taken my back. I love them.

[freshwest]

96. The older some get, the more they appreciate kindness from any source. The heart knows no boundary.

[freshwest]

64. Behind the Aegis and PCIntern:

[Behind the Aegis]

72. That is very sweet!

It can be hard sometimes. The negativity, the casual way people treat our rights (or lack thereof), and the dismissiveness of concerns of our community can really weigh a person down, even in a daily way. Most of the times I am just me, boring and plain, but ever now and again, I am fabulous!

[freshwest]

75. Yes, you are! (And so is William769, who I hope is recovering well from surgery.)

[PCIntern]

82. Why, thank you.

Those are very kind sentiments.

[freshwest]

97. You're welcome. It was refreshing to see you posting again, PC.

[CrispyQ]

114. This:

"...this flies in the face of those who keep trying to tell us we just need to wait for the old people to die off and bigotry goes with them..."



It's sad, but true that every generation has their share of homophobes, misogynists, and racists. Will we ever evolve?

[B2G]

10. I haven't seen reports that they've been caught

But how hard could it be to track them down? A group that large at an upscale restaurant would have had reservations.

[ErikJ]

65. That was my thought. Half might be out of the country by now

for all we know.

[Tree-Hugger]

11. That's my city

So disgusted that it happened here. Not entirely surprised, but disgusted.

[pinboy3niner]

12. "I thought he was dead": Gay Couple Speaks Out After Brutal Assault in Center City

Video of victims (with identities hidden) talking to press at link.

"I had three, four guys on me. I turned around and saw his(my boyfriend's) head hit the ground, like hard," said the 28-year-old victim. "I was horrified. I thought he was dead."

Both men suffered injuries in the attack. The 26-year-old victim, who just returned home from the hospital, says his mouth was wired shut and he'll need eight weeks to recover.

"I have multiple facial fractures on both sides of my face," the man said. "I have an orbital fracture, which is like the eye socket. I had a big laceration that was from the tip of my nose all the way to my lip that was gushing blood."

Police have yet to confirm whether the assault was a hate crime, though both victims insist they were attacked because of their sexual orientation.

http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/Gay-Couple-Speaks-Out-After-Brutal-Assault-in-Center-City-275226821.html

[Louisiana1976]

35. How incompetent must the police be if they've yet to confirm that it was a hate crime while

the victims insist that they were attacked because they're gay?

[mythology]

87. The police tend to wait to make such determinations until they have all the evidence

Is it likely they were attacked for being perceived as gay? Sure.

But it takes more than just the victim saying it was because they are gay to make it a hate crime. Look at the actress recently who claimed she was detained because the cop thought she was a prostitute when she was kissing her boyfriend. It turned out she wasn't being entirely truthful. I'm not saying that's the case here, but in order for the police to press charges as a hate crime, they have to be able to make the case based on more than just the victim's say so. Otherwise how many Fox News viewers would claim if they got mugged by a black guy that it was a hate crime?

[exboyfil]

106. Report is that state law does

not cover sexual orientation as a hate crime. Still aggravated assault and robbery will lead to some hefty jail time.

Felony of the 2nd degree - 10 years

[freshwest]

13. VIDEO of the perps:

And yes, as several have commented, they do look like Republicans.

Good work on the part of the Philly PD in getting on this so quickly. They should all be charged with hate crimes.

And this has no place in American society, or any other. These are human beings, set upon by a brownshirts, with random acts of violence.

Nothing justifies this and it needs to be punished harshly as a deterrent.

[toby jo]

43. Excellent vid. Good thing the cops were around or, yeah, they'd likely be dead.

Kinda fun, watching em walk RIGHT BY that camera..

[freshwest]

45. Yes, and there is a lot to identify them with, huh?

I really want this now well documented violent gang to meet the full force of the law. All of them.

[RKP5637]

108. I've always been against much surveillance videos, but this certainly shows the

benefits of surveillance videos. Now, I'm wondering if we need more! It well might help control creatures like this. Next, they will be into murder.

[freshwest]

17. Trigger Warning: The words of the victims describing the vicious attack:

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20140916__Hate-crime__victims_recount_savage_Center_City_beating.html

The restaurant has offered $10,000 reward for information leading to an arrest. No charges have been filed yet, but lawyers for the violent criminals in this gang have contacted the police.

[sheshe2]

54. I am crying, I read your post and I feel sick.

So ugly and brutal and inhuman, not one person attacked, a group of a dozen or more did. For what? God damn it, for what?

May they all serve hard time for a hate crime. Dammit, I can't even come close to expressing what I feel right now, freshwest.

[freshwest]

58. No justification. I am crying too, now, Sheshe.

[Liberal_in_LA]

18. glad they were caught.

[damnedifIknow]

20. What college accepted these mental giants?

Ignorance abound.

[msanthrope]

21. Caught...and they are singing like canaries. Lots of finger pointing

as these little assholes are realizing that with the robbery and the hate enhancements, they are looking at real time. This may go grand jury.

[freshwest]

42. Great! Thanks for that news.

[RKP5637]

111. Thanks for the update! These creatures are well on the path to even more viscous crimes, they have

crossed so far over the line.

[msanthrope]

130. Gang mentality.....IQs drop in a group. nt

[sabrina 1]

22. I'm glad they were caught, cowards who only feel 'brave' when part of a mob.

It is shameful that this could happen at all, but not surprising.

[Initech]

23. There honestly aren't enough facepalms in the world for this.

[CaptainTruth]

27. I have to wonder if police violence contributes ...

... to incidents like this. When people regularly hear about authority figures like cops committing crimes (assaults) & largely getting away with it ... it makes the crime seem more acceptable in their minds. They can feel somewhat more justified by pointing to police violence & saying "They do it so I can too."

In the end it is nothing more than horrific. I hope justice prevails.

[kardonb]

29. stunned " onlookers "

and not one had the guts to intervene , or immediately call 911 ? Unbelievable !

[stillwaiting]

31. Yes, all of them are guilty if no one in the group reported it or helped the couple. All of them. nt

[freshwest]

44. That's not the case, they saved their lives by their actions.

There were twenty active criminals acting in concert, so I doubt there was room to get between the gang and victims, in the physical sense.

Read what happened upclose here at the link below. Warning, it is very intense and this is what bystanders most likely did not see, all they saw was two men surrounded by twenty yelling and fast moving men and women who fled as soon as the police arrived:

http://articles.philly.com/2014-09-16/news/53988635_1_two-men-victims-boyfriend

It was the bystanders who called the police and while I'd agree in principle, this was not a case where they are in any way complicit.

I have no doubts that if the bystanders weren't yelling at this violent mob, they would have killed them on the spot. The perps belong in jail for a very long time. They are a menace to society and the public safety.

[stillwaiting]

47. I agree with what you state. I did not mean to imply that I thought the bystanders were guilty.

I meant that all of the people in the group that actually committed the attack were guilty.

That is, if none of them reported the act or tried to help the couple.

I don't wish to read the link, but it was my understanding from the comments that none of the people in the group of 15 or 20 that committed the attack reported the attack or helped to stop their friends from committing it. I believe if that's the case all of THEM are guilty of a crime to varying degrees.

[freshwest]

49. All good, sorry if I mistook your comment. Misanthrope's reply says they are turning on each other.

I'm thinking the police video that focused on some of the perps, are the ones identified by the victims. I don't blame you not going to the link.

The police said they were shocked at the scene, it was so bad. I am certain those two men would be dead if the perps hadn't been spooked off. I look forward to seeing who has their backpack with their cellphone and wallet in it.

In spite of this, and the lasting physical and mental trauma, the victim still able to talk says Philly is their home and this is an aberration. Wonder if these violent criminals live in the suburbs?

I hope there is a follow up to this when they come to trial and this is not pleaded down, either. I really want to see these goons exposed.

[former9thward]

124. There is no legal requirement to stop a crime.

Or to report it (with the exception of people in authority who see evidence of child, elder abuse, etc.). So if they were not involved they would not be guilty of any crime.

[rpannier]

63. You'd be surprised how many times people don't intervene

Some things are so shocking that the brain shuts down as it tries to make sense of what is happening
It's not a matter of guts

[logosoco]

30. Now THESE are what I call thugs. I don't care what they wear, where they eat or

where they go to school. They are thugs.

[Louisiana1976]

37. Right on! People like them are the true thugs.

[stage left]

33. What the hell is wrong with People?

Those poor guys.

[snort]

34. Prison.

For the whole stinking lot.

[Louisiana1976]

38. Right. I hope they're put away for a long long time.

[safeinOhio]

39. They'll need some really good and expensive

lawyers for the criminal case. But, their real cost and future will come at the civil trials.
Love me a great lawyer to sue the crap out of someone I refrained from punching out.

[steve2470]

41. prison time for these bastards ! nt

[freshwest]

56. +1,000!

[RKP5637]

113. Yes, and serious prison time, not just a slap on the wrist! n/t

[lunasun]

48. Shades of Germany 32-33

[freshwest]

57. Beneath the GOP facade, are brownshirts. This is their underground movement breaking loose.

[AtomicKitten]

50. Sounds like The Purge 3.

That particular brand of ugliness needs to be nipped in the bud. It's outrageous.

[tclambert]

60. A side question: Hahnemann University Hospital? Is it named for the founder of homeopathy?

How would a homeopathic hospital work? That sounds risky to me.

[freshwest]

61. Why don't you google it and report back? IDK anything about such a connection and am busy. TIA.

[tclambert]

67. OK, it was named after him, but

it has been purchased, sold, purchased, sold to normal hospital outfits. I think only the name relates it to homeopathy now.

[freshwest]

68. Thanks, I never heard of any of this. I thought it'd be like a regular university hospital system.

TRIGGER WARNING...

Some should go no further, there are two details of the attack:









One of the victims had such serious injuries that doctors had to wire his jaw shut. The police said there was so much blood that they thought that it was a GSW.

That's not what I think of in terms of homeopathy, more like eating mint tablets to calm oneself down. The supermarket has them, they're called Stress Tabs or something. Nothing like that works for me.

[PCIntern]

83. It is a mainstream hospital

As a sidebar: it was the emergency hospital for the Republican Convention in 2000 and was infamous for sending former President Ford out with a stroke-in-progress. Fortunately he was saved from a complete catastrophe by his staff.

[BumRushDaShow]

84. Hahnemann has a specialty in critical care

where they have a helioport up on the roof. They get alot of the Medivac cases from car accidents, etc., since they are pretty close to I95 & the Ben Franklin bridge into Jersey.

[Hissyspit]

62. "The Killing of Georgie"

[gwheezie]

76. Just sickening

The more I read about this the worse it gets. Those poor men. I hope they heal quickly.

[hedgehog]

78. The stories imply that the attack was stopped by by-standers -

has anyone seen any details about that?

[fbc]

79. Bucks County kids... Archbishop Wood

I'm not surprised at all that they are not from Philadelphia.

Philadelphia has become a very gay friendly town.

[Glassunion]

119. Bucks County is not all bad either.

Been living here for years.

[Tree-Hugger]

144. There are pockets of hate

in the city and the burbs, though probably more common in the 'burbs. I'm from Philly - born and raised, and live a few miles outside of the city now. I have heard quite a bit of anti-gay bullshit from Philly people and the 'burbs people....most of the time it's white "Christians "

ETA - years ago, my friend worked in New Hope, which has historically been very gay friendly though it's super Yuppie now, and a bunch of developments went up around the town. She says new residents from the development were passing a petition around to get "the gays removed from New Hope."

My pastor was fired about 4 years ago from a Catholic college here for being gay. Last year, my friend was fired from his teaching job at a Catholic school because he was gay married in NJ.

Discrimination for LGBT is pretty legal in PA. Hopefully, Wolf and a new legislature will change that.

[Crabby Appleton]

80. Archbishop Wood coach is fired over Center City gay attack

AN ASSISTANT basketball coach at Archbishop Wood High School was fired last night because of alleged involvement in last Thursday's savage attack on two gay men in Center City.

The coach, identified by a source close to the team as Fran McGlinn, had been "serving as a coach on a contract basis," said Kenneth Gavin, a spokesman for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia.

McGlinn, 25, along with several other former Wood students, allegedly participated in the attack on a gay couple as the men were walking near Rittenhouse Square.

more at link....

Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20140918_Archbishop_Wood_coach_is_fired_over_Center_City_gay_attack.html#Iksprcgb6LLV5ZM3.99

[Puglover]

89. According to the article

sexual orientation isn't addressed in Pennsylvania's hate crime law.

Just great.

[secondwind]

85. damn.... Philadelphia?????

[msanthrope]

86. Won't be charged with a hate crime since sexual orientation is not covered under current PA law.

But, the taking of the wallet and the assault will combine for quite a few felonies. I think this might go grand jury.

[freshwest]

112. Does the federal hate crimes law cover this, if they won't? This was a targeted attack.

[msanthrope]

118. It can, but there's no reason to turn this federal. nt

[Hassin Bin Sober]

121. Why would you say there is no reason to turn this federal?

The law is there as a back up to local/state authorities who can't or won't prosecute a crime.

This was a hate crime. Not a mugging or a street brawl over a sports team rivalry. This is the PERFECT scenario for the Feds to step in and prosecute to the fullest extent since the locals can't.

If Pennsylvania doesn't want the Feds stepping on their toes they should include perceived sexual orientation in the statute.

I don't know about you, but I have seen up close and personal what bashings like this do to a community. People start taking cabs instead of walking. Couples stop holding hands. Bars and restaurants start posting signs warning their patrons. Shit like this is meant to terrorize a community - that's the concept people who are against hate crime legislation (not you, I assume) can't seem to grasp.

Prosecute to the fullest extent.

[msanthrope]

123. Local crime, local, Philly jury, elected judges who won't want the LGBT community opposing them.

Give a Philly jury a reason to convict outsiders from the suburbs. They will.

Federal crime? Jury pulled from the Eastern District, appointed judges, and a strong federal PD?

Let Seth Williams do his job, and let's see what shakes. I may change my mind if he doesn't step up, but right now, since you have so many defendants, a smart prosecutor is gonna let the dust settle and see who deserves th best deal to turn.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

127. What kind of time are they looking at?

If this thing gets bargained down to misdemeanors people are going to be pissed.

I'm no lawyer like you but I wouldn't want the Feds on my ass. Their conviction rate is too high. No?

What are they looking at for a misdemeanor or lesser felony? To me, ignoring the hate aspect just glosses over the real crime here and allows the defendants the opportunity to muddy the water with "who threw the first punch" BS. Let them defend against calling them "fagots" while bouncing their heads off concrete.

[msanthrope]

129. Well...the 'hate' aspect isn't ignored, and it comes in, as it goes directly to motive.

As for time they are looking at, I think whoever was directly involved in the assault is looking at at least 5-10 years. If I were the DA, I'd grand jury this and start throwing conspiracy charges like candy. And there is a possibility of DOJ involvement, especially if you can prove post-offense criminal conspiracy that involves certain entities.

Here's the thing, though....these are white, over privileged, middle-class kids from the 'burbs. Naming and shaming them--to their colleges, jobs, social networks, etc, and having them pay the victims might be the way true "justice" is achieved on some of the perps.

Edit to add--if I thought there was a lack of will to prosecute from the DA or the cops, I would definitely want the DOJ in. But there doesn't seem to be. Philly cops are required to live in Philly, and they don't appreciate suburban assholes anymore than the rest of the citizenry does.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

131. I don't completely disagree with your stategery but I think the Feds should be involved...

... and working on this. It appears they are.

It looks like one was already fired. Good.

Of course, now he will become a Christian martyr. Woe are the times when good Christians can't beat up "fags"

[msanthrope]

133. I suspect the local FBI office is providing tactical in the form of surveillance warrants and the

like.

These kids live their lives online. Tried to erase it, too.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

134. Yep.

Not to make light of this but I have to chuckle and shake my head and think of that Onion piece on Facebook being a great tool for the government.


Here:

https://m.

[msanthrope]

135. Let's just say that as a criminal defense attorney, I have no presence on Facebook. But shite,

I've won acquittals based on the stupidity people have posted there.

[Glassunion]

125. Actually the Philly council reached out to the DOJ

to work with the DA and local PD to bring hate crime charges in this case. The DOJ is currently aware of the case.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

128. Excellent.

I don't know how you can ignore THE major crime that took place here - a hate crime.

[Glassunion]

132. Even the Philly Police in their press release called it a hate crime.

Sadly, this is what it sometimes takes to get things changed.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

139. Now they need to be charged with the crime they committed.

Not mugging or battery.

And Pennsylvania needs to update their statutes.

[Glassunion]

142. Indeed we do. If anything good comes out of this, I hope this can be it.

In fact we did have it on the books back in 2002, however a court case ruled it unconstitutional because the language was rolled into an agriculture bill. It was not the language itself that was the problem, but the fact that it was log rolled into a bill that had nothing to do with what was legislated.

[Glassunion]

143. It used to be covered by state law. But the law was found unconstitutional.

From the act signed by the governor... The bold bits are what was added by signing the act...

Offense defined.--A person commits the offense of ethnic intimidation if, with malicious intention toward the actual or perceived race, color, religion (or), national origin, ancestry, mental or physical disability, sexual orientation, gender or gender identity of another individual or group of individuals.

The text itself is not unconstitutional. However how the law was passed violated the PA Constitution. Basically it was log rolled (violates our constitution) away from its original intent. This was initially a bill regarding the destruction of crops.

[bullwinkle428]

90. The attack mob was part of CHRISTIAN SCHOOL REUNION. Karl Frisch was

just talking about this on Stephanie Miller's show. Fucking American Taliban!

My gut feeling yesterday was that it would be something along these lines, but didn't want to engage in idle speculation.

[raouldukelives]

99. Ugh. American Taliban for sure. nt

[L0oniX]

100. Indeed. Much of this is fomented by hell fire brimstone churches.

[stevenleser]

92. K&R and +infinity for their capture. nt

[Sissyk]

107. I just saw this.

Now, I'm sick. Disgusting pieces of shit!

I'm glad they've been caught and I hope they are prosecuted to the fullest extent possible.

Healing wishes to the two men.

[hedgehog]

116. I'm glad the apparent offenders were caught, wondering why they weren't immediately arrested once

identified, and also wondering how many clean-cut, college-aged white men were pulled over and questioned while the search for the suspects was on.

[father founding]

117. #Thuginess.

What do You call A group of well-dressed college-age men and women who assault people ? Thugs.

[ScreamingMeemie]

120. I am glad DU has finally decided to pay attention to this.

The Twitter campaign with the video the other night was amazing and showed that social media can do good things.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10025547064

[cpwm17]

122. Fran McGlinn, a 25 year old coach at Archbishop Wood Catholic High School in Warminster, PA: fired

http://www.phillymag.com/g-philly/2014/09/18/high-school-fires-assistant-coach-connected-beating/

Multiple news outlets are reporting that Archbishop Wood Catholic High School in Warminster has fired an assistant basketball coach in connection with last week’s beating of a gay couple in Center City.

Sources told NBC10 some of the alleged attackers were alumni of Archbishop Wood Catholic High School in Warminster, Pa. A spokesperson for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia told NBC10 that one of the persons of interest was also the assistant basketball coach at Archbishop Wood.

“He was not a teacher at the school but serving as a coach on a contract basis. He was terminated this evening and will not be permitted to coach in any Archdiocesan school,” the spokesperson said. “We expect all those who work with students in our schools to model appropriate Christian behavior at all times.”

This news report has a video which includes interviews with eyewitnesses who claim the attackers were two males and six females. They confirm it was a hate crime:
http://www.phillymag.com/g-philly/2014/09/13/pictures-released-center-city-gay-attack/#b3THx7qZ3G602xmV.99http://www.phillymag.com/g-philly/2014/09/13/pictures-released-center-city-gay-attack/#more-2841580

[closeupready]

126. Hopefully just the opening salvo in a plan to render justice.

[adigal]

141. This is from this story

“We expect all those who work with students in our schools to model appropriate Christian behavior at all times.”
Read more at http://www.phillymag.com/g-philly/2014/09/18/high-school-fires-assistant-coach-connected-beating/#AuMi0zhFbABpfbDJ.99

I don't know, but my nieces and nephews who all go to Catholic schools on Staten Island hate gay people, and fear them, too. They aren't very Christian towards them. And their parents are all as bad, I hate to say.

[Omaha Steve]

136. LBN update

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1014898362


Coach tied to beating of gay couple leaves job

Source: AP-EXCITE

By MARYCLAIRE DALE

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — An assistant coach at a Roman Catholic high school has resigned over his role in a beating that left two gay men injured, church officials in Philadelphia said Thursday.

[Hugabear]

137. I have a feeling that teabaggers won't be sharing this on their Facebook pages

Oh, they love to share any story they come across where young black people attack white people.

My guess is that they won't be so quick to share a story like this, where the perpetrators are white.

[adigal]

138. I'm having trouble wrapping my mind around this

So these young adults go out to dinner, do some drinking, etc. One of them brushes into a man on the street, then another asks him if he is with his boyfriend. He says Yes, and then they beat the hell out of him. Many of them.

What the hell??? Did they talk at dinner about finding and beating gay people?? Were they just predisposed by their education to hate gay people?? What made the one person who threw the first punch think his friends would support and join in with him instead of pulling him off of the gay guy?? What about the women?? All dressed up, and maybe hitting and screaming at the guys?? Huh??? Why didn't any of them try to pull the guys off?? I would have, I'm 100% sure if my friends did something like this, because no matter how drunk I might have gotten in college and how stupid, I never could stand bullies.

What is the common denominator with these people? Their high school? That was a long time ago, they are adults now. No learning since then?

This is a very powerful indictment of "good" Christian values. That's for sure.

[closeupready]

146. PhillyMag: Three People Charged in Center City Gay-Bashing

The District Attorney’s Office has approved arrest warrants in connection with the assault of a gay couple on the 1600 block of Chancellor Street in Philadelphia on September 11, 2014. The individuals to be charged are 24-year-old Philip Williams, 26-year-old Kevin Harrigan, and 24-year-old Katherine Knott. All three defendants are from Bucks County. Each will be charged with two (2) counts of Aggravated Assault, two (2) counts of Simple Assault, two (2) counts of Recklessly Endangering Another Person (REAP), and one (1) count of Criminal Conspiracy. Once charged the defendants will be arrested by police.

“I would like to thank the police for their thorough investigation and the public for the outpouring of information and tips in this case,” said District Attorney Seth Williams. “This vicious attack shocked the entire country. An assault on people because of their sexual orientation has no place in Philadelphia.”

Read more at http://www.phillymag.com/g-philly/2014/09/23/three-people-charged-center-city-gay-bashing