By LOU CHIBBARO JR, Washington Blade
Jan 2 2009, 11:06 AM |
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D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty has agreed to meet with Gays & Lesbians Opposing Violence and discuss ways to curtail anti-gay violence in Washington following a flurry of recent attacks, including the Dec. 16 murder of a gay man near Logan Circle.
GLOV announced Thursday that Fenty has scheduled a Jan. 16 meeting with the group and that D.C. Police Chief Cathy Lanier would attend the meeting.
The mayor’s decision to hold the meeting comes about one week after GLOV released a statement criticizing him for repeatedly spurning its request that he call a community meeting with police, top city officials, and members of the community to discuss ways to address anti-gay violence, including hate crimes.
“Mayor Fenty has shown great foresight by inviting Chief Lanier to the meeting,” said Chris Farris, a GLOV co-chair. “We know that our police play a crucial role in solving the problem and we look forward to hearing how he and the MPD are working to end the violence plaguing our community, as well as how he plans to see that justice is served on behalf of the victims.”
Todd Metrokin, GLOV’s other co-chair, joined Farris and other gay community representatives to testify last month before a D.C. City Council hearing about anti-gay violence. Farris, Metrokin and the other witnesses voiced concerns about police handling of some of the recent incidents of
anti-gay violence in the city.
Farris testified that GLOV learned of some cases where police did not identify in reporting documents that assault incidents were hate crimes targeting gay men, even though evidence showed that anti-gay bias was the clear motive in the crime.
“The problem of bias crimes is complex and we believe the mayor understands that it must be addressed on multiple levels,” Metrokin said. “We applaud his leadership on this issue and are looking forward to seeing progress.”
Metrokin noted in the GLOV statement released Thursday that GLOV has already discussed the issue of anti-gay violence with police officials; representatives of the U.S. Attorney’s office, which prosecutes criminal cases in the city; members of the City Council; and representatives of other gay groups.
In a publicly released letter sent to Fenty last month seeking a meeting, Farris said, “GLOV had requested on numerous occasions through your office to meet with you, but we have been repeatedly informed that you are not interested in a meeting that this time.”
“We need to meet with you to present our concerns personally,” Farris wrote, “to hear that you understand the issues, to learn what your plans are to address them, and to see how we can all — city agencies, the police the prosecutors, community organizations, and business leaders — work together to end the hate-filled violence that is plaguing our community.”
Farris said GLOV decided to go public with its request for a meeting with Fenty following the Dec. 16 murder of Durval Martins, 35, an openly gay waiter. Martins was shot to death shortly after 3 a.m. at 11th and Q streets, N.W., near Logan Circle.
Police said Martins was shot multiple times in the body and head. They also noted he was in possession of all of his valuables, including his wallet, cash, credit cards, and jewelry, when officers found him lying dead on the street.
Friends and family members have said Martins was walking home after
patronizing some of the bars and restaurants on 17th Street, N.W., near Dupont Circle.
Investigators have said they have no evidence to indicate the murder was a hate crime, but are unsure of the motive and are seeking witnesses to help identity the person or people responsible for the killing. Police are offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the people response for Martins’ death.
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