Local
FRC shooting suspect found mentally competent
Corkins pleads not guilty, waives right to detention hearing
Floyd Lee Corkins II, 28, a former part-time volunteer for D.C.’s LGBT community center, pleaded not-guilty to charges related to the shooting last week at the Family Research Council. (Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)
Floyd Lee Corkins II, 28, a former part-time volunteer for D.C.’s LGBT community center, pleaded not guilty in federal court on Friday to three charges related to last week’s shooting at the downtown D.C. headquarters of the Family Research Council, one of the nation’s leading anti-gay groups.
The not-guilty plea came after Corkins’ attorney disclosed at an arraignment in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia that a psychiatric evaluation conducted within the past week found Corkins competent to stand trial.
A spokesperson for the United States Attorney’s office, which is prosecuting the case, said the psychiatric evaluation, other than its finding that Corkins is compentent to stand trial, would not be publicly released.
Wearing an orange prison jump suit, Corkins replied by saying “yes” when asked by Judge Magistrate Alan Kay if he understood that a federal grand jury on Wednesday indicted him on three charges related to the government’s allegation that he shot a security guard in the arm on Aug. 15 after entering the lobby of the Family Research Council building at 801 G Street, N.W.
Defense attorney David Bos told Kay that Corkins would waive his right to both a preliminary and detention hearing, eliminating the need for prosecutors to present evidence in court to show probable cause that Corkins committed the shooting and would be a danger to the community if released from custody.
Kay, who then converted Friday’s court proceeding into an arraignment, ordered Corkins held in jail pending a status hearing Kay scheduled for Oct. 1. Corkins has been in custody since the time he was apprehended on Aug. 15.
Kay also announced that U.S. District Court Judge Richard Roberts would take over the case following Friday’s arraignment.
Corkins’ decision to waive the preliminary and detention hearings made it unnecessary for prosecutors to present evidence at this time about Corkins’ motives and information about his background, continuing the mystery surrounding the Herndon, Va., resident.
The Grand Jury indictment came one week after D.C. police and FBI agents apprehended Corkins minutes after he allegedly walked into the lobby of the FRC building and told FRC security officer Leo Johnson “I don’t like your politics” before firing a handgun and hitting Johnson in the arm, according to an arrest affidavit filed in court.
Johnson and other security officials wrestled the gun away from him and subdued him, the affidavit says. Johnson is expected to fully recover from his injury related to the shooting.
D.C. police and FBI officials said the discovery of 50 rounds of ammunition and 15 Chick-fil-A sandwiches in a backpack Corkins brought to the FRC building led them to believe he may have planned a mass killing if Johnson had not prevented him from gaining access to the FRC offices.
Leaders of more than 40 national, state, and local LGBT organizations issued a joint statement denouncing the shooting incident at the FRC building.
The grand jury indictment charges Corkins with the federal offense of interstate transportation of a fire arm and ammunition and with the D.C. offenses of assault with intent to kill while armed and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence.
The federal charge could lead to a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. The charge of assault with intent to kill while arm carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison and a maximum sentence of 30 years. The charge of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence calls for a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in jail and a maximum sentence of 15 years.
Officials with D.C.’s LGBT community center said they were shocked over the news of Corkins’ involvement in the FRC shooting incident. Center director David Mariner said Corkins showed no signs of causing problems during the six months or so he worked, mostly on weekends, as a volunteer front desk clerk at the center’s offices.
A spokesperson for George Mason University in Virginia said Corkins studied philosophy as an undergraduate student between 2005 and 2007 before he stopped taking courses at the university.
LGBT activists in D.C. have told the press they did not know Corkins and don’t recall seeing him at LGBT related events or meetings other than his volunteer work at the center. It could not be determined whether Corkins is gay.
Rehoboth Beach
Rehoboth Summer Kickoff Party set for May 15 with Ashley Biden
The Washington Blade’s 19th annual Summer Kickoff Party is scheduled for Friday, May 15 in Rehoboth Beach, Del.
Ashley Biden, daughter of President Joe Biden, has joined the list of speakers, the Blade announced. She will accept an award on behalf of her brother Beau Biden for his LGBTQ advocacy work as Delaware attorney general. (Her appearance was rescheduled from last year.)
The event, to be held this year at Diego’s (37298 Rehoboth Ave. Ext.) from 5-7 p.m., is a fundraiser for the Blade Foundation’s Steve Elkins Memorial Fellowship in Journalism, which funds a summer position reporting on LGBTQ news in Delaware. This year’s recipient will be introduced at the event.
The event will also feature remarks from state Rep. Claire Snyder-Hall. New CAMP Rehoboth Executive Director Dr. Robin Brennan and Blade editor Kevin Naff will also speak. The event is generously sponsored by Realtor Justin Noble, The Avenue Inn & Spa, and Diego’s.
A suggested donation of $25 is partially tax deductible and includes a drink ticket and light appetizers. Tickets are available in advance at bladefoundation.org/rehoboth or at the door.
District of Columbia
Curve magazine honors Washington Blade publisher
Lynne Brown named to 2026 Power List
Washington Blade Publisher Lynne Brown has been named to the 2026 Curve Power List celebrating LGBTQ+ women and nonbinary individuals in North America who are blazing trails in their chosen fields.
“From sports and entertainment icons to corporate leaders and lawmakers, these individuals are breaking barriers, challenging norms, and shaping the future,” Curve Foundation/Curve magazine said in announcing this year’s list, which includes ABC newscaster Robin Roberts, comedian/actress Hannah Einbinder, and singer/actress Renee Rapp, among others.
Brown has worked for the Washington Blade for nearly 40 years. She was named publisher in 2007 before becoming a co-owner in 2010.
“I am honored to be recognized by Curve magazine during Lesbian Visibility Week,” Brown said. “Receiving this Curve honor is twofold. I was an early subscriber to Curve. I enjoy the product and know its history. Its journalism, layout and humorous features have inspired me.
“As an owner/publisher, receiving recognition from a similar source acknowledges my work and efforts, with a sincerity I truly appreciate. Franco Stevens, the publisher of Curve, is a business person of duration, experience, and purpose. The fact that they are in the media business, and honoring me and my publication makes it a tiny bit sweeter.”
Nominations for the Curve Power List come from the community: peers, mentors, fans, and employers.
Curve explained the significance of the list in its announcement: “An annual, publicly nominated list of impactful LGBTQ+ women and nonbinary changemakers is crucial in current times to counter discrimination, legislative rollbacks, hostility, and the invisibility of queer women within mainstream and marginal spaces and endeavors. Such a list also fosters encouragement and solidarity, and elevates voices and achievements—from high-profile roles to under appreciated areas of life.”
Rehoboth Beach
Auction of Rehoboth’s Blue Moon canceled
Details on sale of iconic bar, restaurant not disclosed
The Blue Moon in Rehoboth Beach, Del., has been an iconic presence in the local LGBTQ community for four decades but its status remains murky after a sheriff’s auction of the property was abruptly called off on Tuesday.
The property was listed for sale in December. At that time, owner Tim Ragan told the Blade that he is committed to preserving its legacy as a gay-friendly space.
“We had no idea the interest this would create,” Ragan said in December. “I guess I was a little naive about that.”
Ragan explained that he and longtime partner Randy Haney were separating the real estate from the business. The two buildings associated with the sale were listed by Carrie Lingo at 35 Baltimore Ave., and include an apartment, the front restaurant (6,600 square feet with three floors and a basement), and a secondary building (roughly 1,800 square feet on two floors). They were listed for $4.5 million.
The bar and restaurant business is being sold separately; the price was not publicly disclosed.
But then, earlier this year, the Blue Moon real estate listing turned up on the Sussex County Sheriff’s Office auction site. The auction was slated for Tuesday, April 21 but hours before the sale, the listing changed to “active under contract” indicating that a buyer has been found but the sale is not yet final. As of Wednesday morning, the listing has been removed from the sheriff’s auction site.
Ragan didn’t respond to Blade inquiries about the auction. Back in December, he told the Blade, “It’s time to look for the next people who can continue the history of the Moon and cultivate the next chapter,” noting that he turns 70 this year. “We’re not panicked; we separated the building from the business. Some buyers can’t afford both.”
The identity of the buyer was not disclosed, nor was the sale price.
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