From Cody Telep. Follow him on Twitter @codywt, email him at cody[AT]borderstan.com.
Crime news from Dupont-Logan-U Street.
A man was robbed and beaten early Thursday morning near the intersection of 14th and N Streets NW, according to a post from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). According to police, three men approached the victim at about 1 am and began punching him.
During the attack, one of the suspects stole the victim’s iPad. Two of the three suspects were later apprehended and charged with robbery. A third suspect fled the area on foot. The victim’s iPad was not recovered.
NBC Washington spoke with the victim in the case, who says the suspects shouted homophobic slurs in Spanish at him. The incident occurred on the sidewalk near 1321 14th Street NW, the location of Crew Club, which according to its website, is a fitness and lounge facility that caters to gay men.
Police are investigating the case as a possible hate crime and are still seeking the third suspect. Anyone with information in the case is asked to call MPD at 202-727-9099.
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From Luis Gomez. Catch his photos at One Photograph A Day. Follow him on Twitter @LuisGomezPhotos.
Early on Sunday morning, July 21, two local men, Michael Joel Hall and Michael Roike were brutally attacked by a group of three men in their Eckington neighborhood residence near 3rd and U Streets NE. Details about who the attackers were are scarce and the motive of the attack is not yet clear. However, DC Police have started investigating the case as an anti-gay hate crime.
After the attack Michael Joel Hall was taken to the hospital with a broken cheekbone and had surgery. He owns Mid-City Yoga and is an ambassador with the Lululemon store in Logan Circle.
Moreover, the couple had recently lost their Logan Circle apartment when the building housing the Mid City Deli and Carry Out Deli caught fire on fire June 7 (see Fire at Mid City Deli Building, 14th and P NW).
How You Can Help
The community has come together in support of Hall and Roike — Hall has no health insurance to pay for his hospital expenses.
- A PayPayl account fund has been established to help with Hall’s costs has been established.
- Cobalt/30 Degrees (17th and R Streets NW) is hosting a fundraiser Thursday at 9 pm, June 26, with all door proceeds ($3 cover) go to the MJHFund.
- The Flow Yoga Center in Logan Circle (1450 P Street NW) will host a fundraiser, “In the Name of Love” fundraiser on Friday, July 27, 8:15 pm.
- Join the DC yoga community for a special donation yoga class benefiting Hall on Sunday, August 5, at 5 pm at Meridian Hill Park, 16th and W Streets NW.
You can find additional information on the attack at the Washington Blade, and at NBC Channel 4.
From Cody Telep. Follow him on Twitter @codywt, email him at cody[AT]borderstan.com.
After a preliminary hearing Monday morning for the three suspects accused of stabbing a 16-year-old male on T Street NW near the Howard Theatre, Judge Frederick Sullivan found probable cause of the suspects’ guilt and the case was referred to the grand jury. Metro Weekly has full coverage of the hearing.
A June 26 stabbing near the Howard Theatre was classified as an anti-gay hate crime. (Luis Gomez Photos, file photo)
Ali M. Jackson is accused of stabbing the 16-year-old on June 26 while his sister Alvonica Jackson and her boyfriend Desmond Raimon Campbell held the juvenile down. The three are also accused of making homophobic slurs towards the victim prior to and during the incident (see Police: Stabbing Near Howard Theatre an Anti-Gay Hate Crime). The three were all initially charged with assault with a deadly weapon with a bias crime enhancement.
Judge Sullivan ordered Ali Jackson be held in jail without bond pending the action of the grand jury. Alvonica Jackson was released under the conditions that she report weekly to the Pretrial Services Agency, receive drug testing and avoid the victim and the area around the Howard Theatre. Campbell was also released but will be placed under high intensity supervision by the Pretrial Services Agency. The defendants were offered a plea deal on July 6, which they all rejected in Monday’s hearing.
The three will next appear in court for a felony status conference on August 16 at 9:30 am.
From Cody Telep. Follow him on Twitter @codywt, email him at cody[AT]borderstan.com.
Police have classified a June 26 stabbing outside the Howard Theatre as an anti-gay hate crime. As we reported (see Police Make Arrests in Two Cases Tuesday Night), police made three arrests in the case shortly after the stabbing occurred. According to the Metropolitan Police Department, the 16-year-old victim in the incident got into an argument with a adult male in the 600 block of T Street NW around 8:45 pm.
A June 26 stabbing near the Howard Theatre has been classified as an anti-gay hate crime. (Luis Gomez Photos, file photo)
The adult male then stabbed the juvenile while another adult male and an adult female held him down. The suspects were all arrested a short time later in the 1800 block of 7th Street NW. The victim suffered from multiple stab wounds but his injuries were not life threatening.
According to the Washington Blade, the suspect who stabbed the victim was overhead making multiple homophobic slurs towards the victim. The Washington Post quoted DC Police Chief Cathy Lanier saying one suspect used “derogatory, homophobic language” and that the incident was a “violent crime with a bias.” The three suspects are all charged with assault with a deadly weapon and the hate crime enhancement. The incident was also covered by The Advocate and NBC 4.
A preliminary hearing in the case was originally scheduled for June 29, but was moved to July 5 at 11 am. According to the Washington Blade, this delay was to allow prosecutors a chance to gather additional information in order to offer the suspects a plea bargain. The suspects are all being held in the D.C. Jail pending the outcome of the preliminary hearing.
The March 20 Silent March to protest and recognize anti-LGBT violence made its way from Columbia Heights to Dupont Circle. The march grew from two assaults, including one at the IHOP restaurant in Columbia Heights. (Luis Gomez Photos). (Luis Gomez Photos)
From Rachel Nania. Check out her blog, Sear, Simmer & Stir. Follow Nania on Twitter @rnania, email her at rachel[AT]borderstan.com
Most people don’t know that DC has the highest rate of anti-LGBT violence in America – I sure didn’t. But sure enough, in 2011, DC had 91 bias-based crimes, a 33 percent increase from 2010.
That is why GLOV (Gays and Lesbians Opposing Violence) is hosting its first blogger night on Thursday, June 28 at 7 pm at the DC Center, 1318 U Street NW. By hosting this event, the local coalition hopes to help area bloggers and advocates educating neighbors, coworkers, friends and readers about the seriousness of the situation. GLOV also hopes to learn from local bloggers ways to spread the word so members of the community can stay safer and better informed.
Following the blogger night, GLOV will testify to the DC City Council at the Hate Crimes Hearing, making Thursday’s meeting the perfect time to get the conversation started.
GLOV is a local organization working to reduce violence against LGBT individuals through community outreach, education and monitoring cases to ensure that the rights and dignity of LGBT victims are respected and protected. GLOV assists victims of anti-LGBT violence by advocating on their behalf, encouraging reporting and providing a community of support.
Wine and light refreshments will be provided; for more information and to RSVP, please email [email protected].
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Stop the Violence: The March 20 Silent March to protest and recognize anti-LGBT violence made its way from Columbia Heights to Dupont Circle. (Luis Gomez Photos)
By Michelle Lancaster. You can follow her and let her know your news on Twitter @MichLancaster. Email her at michellel[AT]borderstan.com.
Metro Weekly did a quick tally of the hate crimes in our area in March and found that at least 15 actual or threatened assaults based on sexual orientation occurred during the month. This is particularly noteworthy, given the recently held march for victims of crimes based on a discrimination bias.
The list of crimes cited in the story is instructive: it ranges from a gay epithet at a carry out, to family fights over gender orientation, to assault following gender-related slurs and epithets. Is March registering a spike in crimes against gays?
Did the March 20 march against anti-LGBT violence make such crimes better known, or is the awareness-raising activity indirectly inciting a backlash? When it comes to basic rights to live, work, and eat out without being harassed, does it matter what the cause is? Can we please finally have a section of the DC Police devoted to this issue?
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From Alden Leonard. Contact him at alden[AT]borderstan.com and follow him @aldenleonard on Twitter.
Mayor Vincent Gray and Police Chief Cathy Lanier announced Monday the arrest of a suspect in the March 11 shooting at the Columbia Heights IHOP. LaShawn Carson, a 27-year-old woman, has been charged with aggravated assault while armed.
Recent anti-gay violence led to a march from Columbia Heights to Dupont on Tuesday, March 20. (Luis Gomez Photos)
“I am pleased and relieved to announce that a suspect in this dastardly crime has been arrested,” Gray said in a statement.
The incident, which has been labeled an anti-gay hate crime under DC law, sparked a public outcry by community leaders and advocates, occurring in a series of of violence perpetrated on LGBT individuals.
In addition to the IHOP incident a gay man was badly beaten a few days later at the corner of Irving Street and Georgia Avenue NW, suffering serious injuries to his face and jaw.
On Tuesday, March 20, in an effort to raise awareness about violence towards the LGBT community, more than 500 people gathered at the IHOP at 14th and Irving Streets NW to march silently from Columbia Heights to Dupont Circle, passing the site of the assault at Irving and Georgia. The march was organized on Facebook by friends of the victims, Silent March for Victims of GLBT Violence.
The victim of the March 11 attack, who was hospitalized for a gunshot wound to his liver, is out of the hospital. The man who was robbed and beaten at Irving and Georgia Avenue NW has also been released from hospital.
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The Duplex Diner has reopened after some renovations and with a new owner. (Luis Gomez Photos)
From Mike Kohn. Got some news for Mike? Drop him an email or find him on Twitter @mike_kohn.
Duplex Diner Reopens!
If you remember, Duplex Diner, the famed diner at 18th and U Streets NW, was sold to longtime bartender Kevin Lee, who closed it a little while back to make some minor renovations. Well, with a cute announcement on the home page of their website and a full article from the Washington City Paper, the diner is up and running. Lee is working on updating the menu to give it more of a southern twist. Look out for the official grand opening in a few weeks.
