Local
Judge finds probable cause in D.C. murder case
A D.C. Superior Court judge has ruled probable cause exists that William Wren allegedly shot and killed gay Maryland resident Gordon Rivers last month inside Rivers’ car while it was parked in Southeast Washington.
But neither Wren’s lawyer nor the assistant U.S. attorney prosecuting the case disclosed during a preliminary hearing Feb. 18 how Wren, 17, and Rivers, 47, met and whether the murder was linked to Wren’s sexual orientation.
A police affidavit says Wren told homicide detectives on the day he voluntarily surrendered for arrest that he and Rivers knew each other prior to the Jan. 10 shooting, which took place in front of 2641 Naylor Rd., S.E. According to the affidavit, he told detectives he invited Rivers by phone to meet him that day with the intent of setting him up for a robbery.
The affidavit says Wren claimed Rivers pulled a gun on him after realizing Wren planned to rob him, and the gun went off during a struggle between the two inside Rivers’ parked car. Police dispute that account. They say in the affidavit that a witness overheard Wren plan the robbery with another person and saw Wren enter Rivers’ car while in possession of a gun. The gun that Wren allegedly brought into the car matched the caliber of bullets retrieved from Rivers’ body, according to the affidavit.
Judge Herbert Dixon, after finding probable cause that Wren allegedly committed first degree felony murder while armed, ordered him held without bond and sent the case to a grand jury for further action. He scheduled a status hearing for June 3.
Wren’s attorney, Spencer Hecht, asked Dixon to release Wren into the custody of his family while he awaits grand jury action and a possible trial. He noted that Wren’s fiancé and mother were in the courtroom. He said Wren and his fiancé had two children, one of whom was born one day before Wren’s arrest in the case. According to Hecht, Wren has no prior criminal record.
Dixon said the facts surrounding the case prevented him from releasing Wren.
District of Columbia
Norton reintroduces bill to ban discrimination against LGBTQ jurors in D.C. Superior Court
Congresswoman notes Congress controls local court system
D.C. Congressional Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.) on Friday, June 20, reintroduced her bill to ban discrimination against LGBTQ D.C. residents in the process for selecting people to serve as jurors in D.C. Superior Court.
“The bill would clarify that D.C. residents may not be excluded or disqualified from jury service in the local D.C. trial court, the D.C. Superior Court, based on sexual orientation or gender identity,” Norton said in a statement.
“Specifically, this bill would clarify that the term ‘sex,’ which is a protected class under the nondiscrimination law that applies to jurors in the D.C. Superior Court includes sexual orientation and gender identity,” Norton said.
She points out in her statement that under the D.C. Home Rule Act approved by Congress that created D.C.’s local government, including an elected mayor and City Council, the federal government retained control over the local court system.
“Therefore, until D.C. is given authority to amend Title 11 of the D.C. Code, which one of my bills would do, an act of Congress is required to clarify that LGBTQ+ jurors in the D.C. Superior Court are protected from discrimination,” according to her statement.
A spokesperson for Norton couldn’t immediately be reached to determine whether Norton is aware of specific instances where residents were denied jury service because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
Online records of congressional action on Norton’s juror nondiscrimination bill show she had introduced it in 2019, 2021, and 2023, when it died in committee each year, except for the 117th Congress in 2022, when it was approved by a committee but died in the full House.
“During Pride month we are reminded of the many contributions of the LGBTQ+ community,” Norton said in her June 20 statement. “Nobody, including D.C. jurors, should be discriminated against based on their sexual orientation or gender identity, and D.C. juries should not be deprived of the service of LGBTQ residents,” she added.
The Washington Blade’s second day of Pride on the Pier at The Wharf DC ended with a fireworks show on Saturday, June 7. The fireworks show was presented by the Leonard-Litz LGBTQ Foundation.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
State Sen. Ghazala Hashmi (D-Chesterfield) will face John Reid in the race to become Virginia’s next lieutenant governor.
Hashmi won the Democratic primary with 27.49 percent of the vote. She defeated former Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney, state Sen. Aaron Rouse (D-Virginia Beach), Babur Lateef, Victor Salgado and Alexander Bastani.
“Tonight, Virginians made history,” said Hashmi in a statement. “We didn’t just win a primary, we sent a clear message that we won’t be bullied, broken, or dragged backward by the chaos in Washington.”
Reid, a gay conservative talk show host, in April won the Republican nomination to succeed Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, who is running to succeed Gov. Glenn Youngkin.
The incumbent governor days after Reid secured the nomination called for him to withdraw his candidacy amid reports that a social media account with his username included “pornographic content.” Reid, who would become the first openly gay person elected to statewide office in Virginia if he wins in November, has strongly denied the reports.
Former state Del. Jay Jones defeated Henrico County Commonwealth’s Attorney Shannon Taylor in Democratic attorney general primary. Jones will face Republican Attorney General Jason Miyares in November.
Youngkin cannot run for a second, consecutive term.
Former Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger will face off against Earle-Sears in November. The winner will make history as the first woman elected governor in the state’s history.
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