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Another gay murder victim in Baltimore

Man accused of stabbing boyfriend

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Jermaine Jackson, murder, gay news, Washington Blade
Jermaine Jackson, murder, gay news, Washington Blade

Jermaine Jackson, 28, was arrested and charged in the homicide of his boyfriend. (Photo courtesy Baltimore City Police)

Less than three weeks after Tamala Harris was charged in connection with the stabbing death of her girlfriend Tekeya Amanda Johnson in the 6000 block of Amberwood Road in Northeast Baltimore, another murder involving a gay couple allegedly occurred on Oct. 11.

Andre Nicholas, 28, who performed a variety of handyman jobs at Club Bunns, was found dead in the basement of his boyfriend’s mother’s home at the 2500 block of Garrett Ave. Nicholas’ boyfriend of about a year and a half, Jermaine Jackson, also 28, was arrested and charged in the homicide.

According to police charging documents, Jackson’s mother told police that the suspect was in the basement of her house with a male friend when she left the dwelling in the morning. She reported that she returned home around 6 p.m. to cook dinner when her son came up from his room in the basement telling her there was a dead body in his bed.

Jackson then told his mother to get important papers together because they needed to leave the house. When she asked what happened, Jackson told his mother, “he choked and stabbed Nicholas because the victim wanted him to do something he didn’t want to do,” police wrote in the documents.” What that alleged request entailed has not yet been identified.

The mother walked partway down the steps and saw what she believed was a body wrapped in plastic on Jackson’s bed. She then called police and the fire department. Upon arriving at the scene, police discovered a male wrapped in a sheet and plastic suffering from apparent stab wounds. Nicholas was pronounced dead at the scene.

A photo of the corpse was posted on Jackson’s Facebook page then removed following protests from the victim’s friends. Police are reportedly investigating how the photo was posted during the time Jackson was in custody.

Mark McLaurin, a close friend of Nicholas who knew the couple well, told the Blade that Nicholas frequently spent the night at Jackson’s mother’s home. “Andre was always the much bigger personality, and Jermaine was more quiet and laid back but not at all standoffish, almost shy but affable and approachable. It’s impossible to know what happened that day but I never would have guessed in a million years that Jermaine would kill Andre.”

McLaurin, a D.C. resident and political director for the Service Employees International Union Local 500 added, “Our community has lost so many, but this one is particularly hard.”

Court documents indicate Jackson was charged with Murder in the First Degree, Murder in the Second Degree, Assault in the First Degree, Assault in the Second Degree, Possession of a Dangerous Weapon with Intent to Injure and Possession of a Concealed Dangerous Weapon.

A preliminary hearing is set for Nov. 18 in District Court at 1400 E. North Ave. in Baltimore.

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World Pride 2025

Episcopal bishop to speak at WorldPride human rights conference

Trump demanded apology from Mariann Edgar Budde over post-Inauguration sermon

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The Right Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde. (Screen capture via PBS NewsHour/YouTube)

The Right Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde is among those who are scheduled to speak at the WorldPride 2025 Human Rights Conference that will take place from June 4-6.

Budde, who is the bishop of the Diocese of Washington, in January urged President Donald Trump “to have mercy” on LGBTQ people, immigrants, and others “who are scared right now” during a post-Inauguration service that he and Vice President JD Vance attended at the Washington National Cathedral. Trump criticized Budde’s comments and demanded an apology.

The Right Rev. Mariann Edgar Budde speaks at the Washington National Cathedral on Jan. 21, 2025. (PBS NewsHour clip)

A press release the Washington Blade received notes Icelandic Industries Minister Hanna Katrín Friðriksson, UK Black Pride founder Phyll Opoku-Gyimah, and Bob the Drag Queen are among those who are also expected to participate in the conference.

The conference will take place at the JW Marriott (1331 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W.) and registration is open here.

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World Pride 2025

Pabllo Vittar to perform at WorldPride

Brazilian drag queen, singer, joined Madonna on stage in 2024 Rio concert

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Pabllo Vittar (Screen capture via Pabllo Vittar/YouTube)

A Brazilian drag queen and singer who performed with Madonna at her 2024 concert on Rio de Janeiro’s Copacabana Beach will perform at WorldPride.

The Capital Pride Alliance on Thursday announced Pabllo Vittar will perform on the Main Stage of the main party that will take place on June 7 at DCBX (1235 W St., N.E.) in Northeast D.C.

Vittar and Anitta, a Brazilian pop star who is bisexual, on May 4, 2024, joined Madonna on stage at her free concert, which was the last one of her Celebration Tour. Authorities estimated 1.6 million people attended.

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District of Columbia

$3.7 billion RFK stadium proposal draws support from Team DC

Washington Commanders ‘proud’ to champion LGBTQ community

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The long-suffering RFK Stadium will be razed to make way for a new domed facility that could one day host the Super Bowl. (Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)

Miguel Ayala, president of the D.C. LGBTQ sports organization Team D.C., has expressed support for the $3.7 billion deal reached between Mayor Muriel Bowser and the Washington Commanders football team to bring the team back to D.C. in a redeveloped site on the grounds of the city’s long shuttered RFK stadium.

With the deal calling for the city to provide $1 billion in taxpayer funds for infrastructure related costs for the massive redevelopment project — and with the Commanders to provide the remaining $2.7 billion — as of this week the deal did not have majority support on the D.C. Council, which must vote to approve it.

Ayala’s support for the project on behalf of Team D.C. raises the question of whether members of the city’s influential LGBTQ community might play some role in urging the D.C. Council to approve the project.

The proposal comes at a time when the Washington Commanders team includes a message of support for the LGBTQ community on its website. The message follows its hosting last October of its 4th annual LGBTQ Pride Night Out at the Commanders game against the Cleveland Browns.

“The Washington Commanders are proud to champion the LGBTQ+ community and its allies,” the team states on its website. “Through the unifying power of sports, we aim to create a culture where all feel welcome and celebrated.”

In a statement released to the Washington Blade, Ayala points out that the Commanders are among every D.C.-based professional sports team that hosts a Pride Night Out event, which Team DC helps to organize.

“Each year, our events have grown stronger, with vibrant tailgates, on-field celebrations, and powerful moments that shine a spotlight on our community,” Ayala said. “We can’t wait to kick off our first Night Out at the Commanders Stadium in 2030.”

He was referring to plans by the Commanders organization and the D.C. mayor’s office to have the stadium deal approved by the D.C. Council in July, with construction of the new stadium to begin then, and with a planned completion in time for the 2030 professional football season.

Ayala also points out that the RFK stadium grounds currently serve as home to LGBTQ-related sports activity, including the D.C. Gay Flag Football League and the D.C. Front Runners group. He added that the RFK grounds will serve as the playing fields for this year’s WorldPride Capital Cup sports competition, where LGBTQ rugby and soccer teams from around the world will compete.

“This new stadium will be more than just a field – it will be a powerful new addition to the vibrant, diverse, and proud communities we champion every day,” he said in his statement.

At an April 28 news conference, Bowser, Washington Commanders owner Josh Harris and other city officials provided details of the stadium project, noting that it includes a massive development of the new stadium and the surrounding 180 acres of land.

In addition to the 65,000-seat domed stadium, officials said the project would include 5,000 to 6,000 residential housing units, with 30 percent designated as “affordable” for low- and moderate-income residents. They said the project would also include parks and recreation areas, hotels, restaurants, retail, and neighborhood amenities.

“As we focus on the growth of our economy, we’re not only bringing our team home, but we’re also bringing new jobs and new revenue to our city and to Ward 7,” Bowser said in a statement

Opponents of the project, including D.C. Council Chair Phil Mendelson (D-At-Large), have said they don’t believe the city should use its own funds for a stadium and the related development. 

So far, just four Council members have expressed support for the project. Mendelson and two other Council members have expressed opposition, and the remaining five have not yet said whether they would vote for or against it. The project needs seven of the current 12-member Council for it to be approved.

Council member Zachary Parker (D-Ward 5), the Council’s only gay member, who initially had not taken a position on the proposal, this week said he was looking at the project more favorably, according to news media reports. 

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