Local
Gay D.C. teacher acquitted of sexual assault
10-year-old witness says alleged victim fabricated allegation
Following a two-week trial, Judge Robert Morin found Leroy Damien Ware not guilty on all counts.
A D.C. Superior Court judge on Thursday found a former D.C. special education teacher who’s gay not guilty of charges that he sexually assaulted on two occasions a 9-year-old male student at Minor Elementary School on Capitol Hill.
Following a two-week non-jury trial, Judge Robert Morin found Leroy Damien Ware, 34, not guilty on two counts each of misdemeanor sexual assault of a child or minor and misdemeanor sex abuse.
In delivering the verdict from the bench in oral remarks, Morin said police and prosecutors failed to show that Ware had intentionally interacted with the boy in a way that constituted sexual assault, according to gay activist Martin Moulton, who attended the trial.
Moulton, who did not know Ware prior to the trial, said the not-guilty verdict came about a week after a 10-year-old boy and classmate of the alleged victim took the witness stand and gave dramatic testimony saying the alleged victim had made anti-gay remarks about Ware and said he planned to do something against Ware.
“Most notably, during the trial, a 10-year-old male peer of the supposed ‘victim’ gave extensive testimony on behalf of his teacher, Mr. Ware, about what was in fact a blatantly homophobic attack from a notoriously unruly and troubled child who had impudently pulled his pants down during class,” Moulton told the Blade.
“On the witness stand, this child’s testimony demonstrated convincing and remarkable wisdom, compassion, and sensitivity to all of the adult issues involved,” said Moulton, who noted that the 10-year-old told others that he has a gay uncle and doesn’t think it’s right to treat gay people in an unfair way.
William Miller, a spokesperson for the Office of the U.S. Attorney, which prosecuted the case against Ware, said the office would have no comment on the case or the acquittal.
A D.C. police arrest affidavit filed in court Feb. 5, 2015 says police learned of the sexual assault allegation from the alleged victim’s mother, who helped arrange for the boy to talk to police investigators. The affidavit says the alleged victim, who is referred to as the complainant in the case, told police Ware “touched my private parts” once in a classroom and another time in a computer lab.
Charging documents say the alleged touching took place sometime between October and December of 2014.
According to the affidavit, Ware told investigators in a “non-custodial interview” on Feb. 2, 2015, that he inadvertently touched the complainant’s penis while “attempting to remove the complainant’s hands from inside his pants” during a session at the computer lab. It says the second incident occurred in a classroom when Ware allegedly touched the boy on his buttocks.
Moulton said that Ware testified at the trial that the touching incidents occurred when the student was acting inappropriately in class and in the computer lab. In the interaction at the computer lab, Ware testified it appeared that the boy was masturbating with his hand inside his own pants, and Ware approached him and removed the boy’s hand from his pants, Moulton recounted.
During a trial session on Jan. 14, in which a Blade reporter was present, Ware’s defense attorney, Chantaye Redmon-Reid, played an audio recording of the police interview of Ware and argued that one or more detectives repeatedly “badgered” Ware into saying things that were not true.
Redmon-Reid said police investigators “lied” to Ware during the interview by claiming they had obtained DNA evidence showing Ware sexually assaulted the 9-year-old. Moulton said police subsequently acknowledged fabricating the DNA claim but have said doing so is a legally permissible technique for interrogating suspects in a criminal case.
“Judge Morin was very critical of MPD detectives’ tactics in deceiving the teacher and essentially badgering him until they obtained the story they wanted to hear,” Moulton said.
Morin called the claim about DNA evidence a “legal” but “concerning tactic in view of the court,” which “was not productive,” Moulton recounted.
In describing Morin’s explanation for his verdict, Moulton said the judge said he carefully looked at the facts in the case.
“And he just said the guy didn’t intend to touch the kid, Moulton recalls. “He wasn’t planning to do it. It took at most like two seconds that he was reaching for his hand and may have accidentally touched the kid’s penis. But it was in no way intentional. And that’s what the case hinged on,” Moulton recounted the judge as saying.
Ware told the Blade in a brief interview on Friday that he plans to release a statement soon, among other things, expressing concern that the news media for the most part downplayed or failed to report that he was acquitted after sensationally reporting the accusations against him at the time of his arrest.
He said he “unofficially” submitted a letter of resignation from his job as a special education teacher in the D.C. public school system shortly after his arrest. But he said the letter was never formally processed through the school system’s personnel office. He said he later informed school officials that he rescinded the resignation and would take a leave of absence until his case was resolved.
Maryland
Md. Commission on LGBTQIA+ Affairs released updated student recommendations
LGBTQ students report higher rates of bullying, suicide
The Maryland Commission on LGBTQIA+ Affairs has released updated recommendations on how the state’s schools can support LGBTQ students.
The updated 16-page document outlines eight “actionable recommendations” for Maryland schools, supplemented with data and links to additional resources. The recommendations are:
- Developing and passing a uniform statewide and comprehensive policy aimed at protecting “transgender, nonbinary, and gender expansive students” against discrimination. The recommendation lists minimum requirements for the policy to address: name, pronoun usage, and restroom access.
- Requiring all educators to receive training about the specific needs of LGBTQ students, by trained facilitators. The training’s “core competencies” include instruction on terminology, data, and support for students.
- Implementing LGBTQ-inclusive curricula and preventing book bans. The report highlights a “comprehensive sexual education curriculum” as specifically important in the overall education curriculum. It also states the curriculum will “provide all students with life-saving information about how to protect themselves and others in sexual and romantic situations.”
- Establishing Gender Sexuality Alliances “at all schools and in all grade levels.” This recommendation includes measures on how to adequately establish effective GSAs, such as campaign advertising, and official state resources that outline how to establish and maintain a GSA.
- Providing resources to students’ family members and supporters. This recommendation proposes partnering with local education agencies to provide “culturally responsive, LGBTQIA+ affirming family engagement initiatives.”
- Collecting statewide data on LGBTQ youth. The data on Maryland’s LGBTQ youth population is sparse and non-exhaustive, and this recommendation seeks to collect information to inform policy and programming across the state for LGBTQ youth.
- Hiring a full-time team at the Maryland Department of Education that focuses on LGBTQ student achievement. These employees would have specific duties that include “advising on local and state, and federal policy” as well as developing the LGBTQ curriculum, and organizing the data and family resources.
- Promoting and ensuring awareness of the 2024 guidelines to support LGBTQ students.
The commission has 21 members, with elections every year, and open volunteer positions. It was created in 2021 and amended in 2023 to add more members.
The Governor’s Office of Communication says the commission’s goal is “to serve LGBTQIA+ Marylanders by galvanizing community voices, researching and addressing challenges, and advocating for policies to advance equity and inclusion.”
The commission is tasked with coming up with yearly recommendations. This year’s aim “to ensure that every child can learn in a safe, inclusive, and supportive environment.”
The Human Rights Campaign’s most recent report on LGBTQ youth revealed that 46.1 percent of LGBTQ youth felt unsafe in some school settings. Those numbers are higher for transgender students, with 54.9 percent of them saying they feel unsafe in school.
Maryland’s High School Youth Risk Behavior Survey reveals a disparity in mental health issues and concerns among students who identify as LGBTQ, compared to those who are heterosexual. LGBTQ students report higher rates of bullying, feelings of hopelessness, and suicidal thoughts. Nearly 36 percent of LGBTQ students report they have a suicide plan, and 26.7 percent of respondents say they have attempted to die by suicide.
The commission’s recommendations seek to combat the mental health crisis among the state’s LGBTQ students. They are also a call for local and state governments to work towards implementing them.
Virginia
Va. lawmakers consider partial restoration of Ryan White funds
State Department of Health in 2025 cut $20 million from Part B program
The Virginia General Assembly is considering the partial restoration of HIV funding that the state’s Department of Health cut last year.
The Department of Health in 2025 cut $20 million — or 67 percent of total funding — from the Ryan White Part B program.
The funding cuts started with the Trump-Vance administration passing budget cuts to federal HIV screening and protection programs. Rebate issues between the Virginia Department of Health and the company that provides HIV medications began.
Advocates say the funding cuts have disproportionately impacted lower-income people.
The Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program, a federal program started in 1990, provides medical services, public education, and essential services. Part B offers 21 services, seven of which remained funded after the budget cuts.
Equality Virginia notes “in 2025, a 67 percent reduction severely destabilized HIV services across the commonwealth.”
Virginia lawmakers have approved two bills — House Bill 30 and Senate Bill 30 — that would partially restore the funding. The Ryan White cuts remain a concern among community members.
Both chambers of the General Assembly must review their proposed changes before lawmakers can adopt the bills.
“While these amendments aren’t a full restoration of what community-based organizations lost, this marks a critical step toward stabilizing care for thousands of Virginians living with HIV,” said Equality Virginia Executive Director Narissa Rahaman. “Equality Virginia plans to continue their contact with lawmakers and delegates through the conference and up until the passing of the budget.”
“We appreciate lawmakers from both sides of the aisle who recognized the urgency of this moment and will work to ensure funding remains in the final version signed by the governor,” added Rahaman.
District of Columbia
D.C. Black Pride theme, performers announced at ‘Speakeasy’
Durand Bernarr to headline 2026 programming
The Center for Black Equity held its 2026 DC Black Pride Theme Reveal event at Union Stage on Monday. The evening, a “Speakeasy Happy Hour,” was hosted by Anthony Oakes and featured performances by Lolita Leopard and Keith Angelo. The Center for Black Equity organizes DC Black Pride.
Kenya Hutton, Center for Black Equity president and CEO, spoke following the performances by Leopard and Angelo. Hutton announced this year’s theme for DC Black Pride: “New Black Renaissance.”
Performers for 2026 DC Black Pride were announced to be Bang Garcon, Be Steadwell, Jay Columbus, Bennu Byrd, Rue Pratt and Akeem Woods.
Singer-songwriter Durand Bernarr was announced as the headliner for the 2026 festivities. Bernerr gave brief remarks through a video played on the screen at the stage.
DC Black Pride is scheduled for May 22-25. For more information on DC Black Pride, visit dcblackpride.org.
PHOTOS: Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade
An undeclared war of distraction by the felon
Talarico beats Crockett in Texas primary
35 years after ‘Truth or Dare,’ Slam is still dancing
