Local

Alleged anti-gay slur looms over Chris Brown trial

Geragos denies R&B star made comment

Published

9 years ago

April 23, 2014

Chris Brown (Photo by Eva Rinaldi; courtesy Wikimedia Commons)

A 20-year-old Beltsville, Md., man was expected to testify in D.C. Superior Court this week that controversial R&B singer Chris Brown punched him in the face outside D.C.’s W Hotel last October after making a derogatory comment about gays.

Parker Adams, who pressed assault charges against Brown, was expected to appear as the lead prosecution witness at Brown’s trial, which was scheduled to begin on Wednesday.

Brown’s trial was set to take place less than a week after Superior Court Judge Patricia Wynn found Brown’s bodyguard, Christopher Hollosy, guilty of simple assault stemming from the same altercation in which Brown allegedly assaulted Adams.

D.C. police charged Hollosy with assault for allegedly punching Adams in the face seconds after Brown allegedly struck Adams. Hollosy, who didn’t testify at his trial, has said he attempted to prevent Adams from entering a vehicle where Brown was about to enter after leaving the hotel.

Adams was also the lead witness at Hollosy’s trial. He testified that he and his girlfriend, Howard University student Jaylan Garrison, 18, and another female friend arrived at the W Hotel after attending homecoming events at Howard.

He said that when the three saw Brown standing outside the hotel on the sidewalk Garrison and her female friend asked Brown if he would let them pose for a picture with Brown, and Brown agreed.

Adams said he then walked over, introduced himself to Brown with the intent of also posing with Brown in the picture. When Brown ignored him he moved into a position where he would be in the photo, which was being taken by Hollosy, the bodyguard.

That’s when Brown objected and said, “I’m not into that gay shit,” Adams quoted Brown as saying. Seconds later, after the two exchanged words, Brown punched him in the face, Adams testified.

Garrison gave a similar account in her own testimony at Hollosy’s trial. At least one other witness testified that both Brown and Hollosy punched Adams in the face.

With the courtroom packed with friends and fans of Brown’s, and with Los Angeles celebrity lawyer Mark Geragos, who is part of Brown’s defense team, sitting in the audience, testimony about Brown’s “gay” comment appeared to be overshadowed by anticipation over Brown’s upcoming trial.

When asked by the Blade outside the courthouse on April 18 whether he thought anti-gay sentiment could have played some role in Brown’s actions, Geragos said, “I don’t think anybody’s even addressed that. I think that comment – frankly I don’t think that comment was ever made.”

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Maryland

Prince George’s County library system launches banned book club

First discussion to take place in Hyattsville on June 14

Published

1 day ago

June 2, 2023

Isabelle Kravis

(Bigstock photo)

The Prince George’s County Memorial Library System has launched its Rock Banned Book Club.

The club will feature monthly discussions of the 13 top banned books from 2022, most of which focus on LGBTQ-specific themes.

The club’s first discussion, which will take place at the Hyattsville Branch Library on June 14, will be on “Gender Queer: A Memoir” by Maia Kobabe.

Kobabe’s memoir won the 2020 American Library Association Alex Award and recounts Kobabe’s exploration of gender identity and sexuality through adolescence and adulthood. According to the American Library Association, the book faced the most censorship challenges of any novel at 151.

“We’re seeing nationally the highest rate of challenges to books in libraries since the data has been collected by the American Library Association,” Nicholas Brown, acting co-chief executive officer of the library, said. “I think what happens with all of the discourse around book banning is that, oftentimes, not everyone participating in that discourse is actually taking the time to read the full works and discuss them and understand where the author might be coming from and whose stories are being reflected in these books.”

Along with the book club, the library system is hosting a Pride celebration at the Hyattsville branch on Saturday from 12 – 4 p.m. It will feature a panel discussion, vogue and runway workshops, free HIV testing and more.

The library system will host its second annual Rainbow Festival on June 24 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Bowie Branch Library with family-friendly events like craft stations, story time and a live DJ. In April, the library system won a Top Innovator Award from the Urban Libraries Council for its banned books campaign.

“I think a lot of folks don’t always realize that your local public library is kind of the front line of democracy and we always have been,” Brown said. “Public libraries across the country are very united on this and if the right to read continues to be under threat like it’s been, it is not a good time for the state of our democracy.”

District of Columbia

Bowser: No credible threats to D.C. Pride events

Mayor spoke with the Blade after flag-raising ceremony at the Wilson Building

Published

2 days ago

June 1, 2023

Michael K. Lavers

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser at the flag-raising of the Progress Pride flag at the Wilson Building in D.C. on June 1, 2023. (Washington Blade photo by Michael Key)

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser on Thursday said authorities have not received any credible threats to upcoming Pride events.

“We don’t have any to report,” she told the Washington Blade.

“MPD is constantly working with all of our agencies to make sure we have safe special events and we’re going to keep going with our planning, like we do every year,” added Bowser. “There’s always a scan for any threats to the District.”

Bowser spoke with the Blade after she joined D.C. Council Chair Phil Mendelson, Council members Anita Bonds, Charles Allen, Kenyon McDuffie and Zachary Parker, D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb, D.C. Mayor’s LGBTQ Affairs Office Director Japer Bowles and other officials and activists in raising the Progress Pride flag in front of the Wilson Building.

The Blade last month reported D.C. police are investigating a bomb threat a Twitter user made against the annual District Pride concert that will take place at the Lincoln Theater on June 29. Bowles in a May 19 statement said his office reported the tweet, but further stressed that “no credible threat at this time has been made.”

Maryland

Moore issues Pride month proclamation

Governor on May 3 signed Trans Health Equity Act

Published

2 days ago

June 1, 2023

Isabelle Kravis

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (Public domain photo/Twitter)

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore on Thursday proclaimed June as Pride month in recognition of “the contributions, resilience, courage and joy of LGBTQIA+ Marylanders,” according to a press release.

“In Maryland, we lead with love and inclusion. I want everyone in our LGBTQIA+ community to know that they deserve to be seen for who they are, and our administration will stand with them in the fight for equality and equity,” Moore said. “We need to elevate the stories, embrace the courage, and celebrate the humanity of our LGBTQIA+ community — and as long as I am governor, we will take the steps forward to protect and celebrate all Marylanders.”

Moore on March 31 became the first governor in Maryland history to recognize the Transgender Day of Visibility and last month he signed into law the Trans Health Equity Act into law, which requires Maryland Medicaid to provide coverage for gender-affirming care beginning next year.

“This month is a celebration of the beauty and uniqueness of the queer community, but it’s also a time to reaffirm our commitment to uplifting LGBTQIA+ Marylanders and continuing to fight against hatred, discrimination, and bigotry,” Lt. Gov. Aruna Miller said in the same press release that Moore’s office released. “LGBTQIA+ Marylanders deserve to be who they are, to live their pride — without fear or having to hide. This administration will always stand alongside and protect the rights of all Marylanders.”