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Comings & Goings
Latest book by Fay Jacobs wins award
The ‘Comings & Goings’ column chronicles important life changes of Blade readers.
The Comings and Goings column is about sharing the professional successes of our community. We want to recognize those landing new jobs, new clients for their business, joining boards of organizations and other achievements. Please share your successes with us at [email protected].
Daniel Hicks
Congratulations to Daniel Hicks who is a contributor to an important new book, “Gay Mental Healthcare Providers and Patients in the Military.” His editor wrote, “On behalf of Springer Science + Business Media, I would like to thank you for your contribution to our pool of clinical medicinal knowledge. This book would not be possible without you.” Hicks said other local individuals included in the book are: Dr. Martin Chin, Dr. Steve Tulin (a neuropsychologist at Howard) and Dr. Cam Ritchie who headed the D.C. Department of Mental Health after she retired from the military.
Hicks retired as an Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry Clinical Educator Track and Medical Director, Psychiatric Partial Hospitalization Program at Georgetown University Hospital in D.C. Previously he worked as a staff psychiatrist at Whitman-Walker and spent years at Walter Reed Army Medical Center HIV Program, providing psychiatric evaluation and treatment of HIV-infected military beneficiaries and their families; education and support services to inpatients, outpatients and staff.
Hicks received his bachelor’s with distinction from Purdue University, his doctorate from Indiana University School of Medicine and did his residency, at Indiana University School of Medicine.
Congratulations also to Jimmy R. Rock who is now Assistant Deputy Attorney General in the Public Advocacy Division of the D.C. Attorney General’s office. The Division has two sections: Housing and Community Justice (which handles housing and public nuisance enforcement along with wage theft cases) and the Public Integrity Section, which handles antitrust, nonprofit and charity enforcement, false claims act cases and environmental work. He is also an adjunct professor at the Georgetown University Law Center.
Prior to this appointment he was Deputy Director, Office of Consumer Protection, where he helped to establish the stand-alone Office of Consumer Protection; managing local and multi-state consumer protection investigations and litigation and overseeing a staff of five line attorneys and three investigators. He has also worked in the private sector for Troutman Sanders LLP and Sidley & Austin, LLP, Washington, D.C. He clerked in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida, Gainesville, for the Honorable Maurice Paul. He received the Charles Resichel writing award (2013); and the Distinguished Service Award for trial of affirmative litigation (2013).
Rock earned his bachelor’s degree, magna cum laude, in Organizational Communication from the University of Tulsa, and his master’s of Theological Studies from Emory University. He earned his Juris Doctor from Emory School of Law. He lives with his husband Tom in D.C. where they spoil their rescue dog Kensi.
Congratulations also to Fay Jacobs whose new book “Fried & Convicted – Rehoboth Beach Uncorked” has been named one of the top three LGBT Books of the Year for 2017 by the International Rainbow Awards. This annual contest included more than 400 books from all over the world, juried by 137 judges, and included submissions from mainstream, independent, and self-publishers. Jacobs is published by Bywater Books. This is Jacobs’ fifth collection of essays from the publications Letters from CAMP Rehoboth and Delaware Beach Life. Upon being notified of the award Jacobs said, “I’m stunned and thrilled to be recognized like this from the Rainbow Awards, especially considering the global reach and number and caliber of entries.”
In “Fried & Convicted,” the author returns with more biting observations and laugh out loud dispatches from her life as a magazine scribe and sit-down comic. She takes on the absurdities of contemporary life from her boardwalk bench in Rehoboth Beach, Del.
Fay Jacobs
District of Columbia
Judge rescinds stay-away order in Capital Pride anti-stalking case
Evidence hearing to determine if order should be reinstated against Darren Pasha
A D.C. Superior Court judge on April 17 rescinded an anti-stalking order he approved in February at the request of Capital Pride Alliance against local LGBTQ activist Darren Pasha.
In a ruling at a court status hearing, Judge Robert D. Okun agreed with defendant Darren Pasha’s stated concern that the initial order was too broad and did not specify who specifically he must stay at least 100 feet away from, as called for in the order.
Okun ruled on April 17 that the initial order, which he noted was oral rather than written, would be suspended until an evidentiary hearing takes place in which Capital Pride will need to present evidence justifying the need for such an order.
“I’m fine with scheduling a hearing at which the plaintiff can present evidence, and the defendant can present evidence,” Okun said. “But I’m not fine with just continuing this oral TRO [Temporary Restraining Order] that Mr. Pasha really doesn’t even have notice of. That seems unfair,” he said.
After asking both Pasha and Capital Pride Alliance Attorney Nick Harrison when they would be available for the evidence hearing, Okun set the date for April 29 at 11 a.m. in Superior Court.
The case began when Capital Pride Alliance, the D.C.-based LGBTQ group that organizes the city’s annual Pride events, filed a Civil Complaint on Oct. 27, 2025, against Pasha, accusing him of engaging in a year-long effort to harass, intimidate, and stalk Capital Pride’s staff, board members, and volunteers.
The complaint was accompanied by a separate motion seeking a restraining order, preliminary injunction, and anti-stalking order prohibiting Pasha from “any further contact, harassment, intimidation, or interference with the Plaintiff, its staff, board members, volunteers, and affiliates.”
In his initial ruling in February, Okun issued an order requiring Pasha to stay at least 100 feet away from Capital Pride staff, board members, and volunteers until the April 17 status hearing. He reduced the stay-away distance from the 200 yards requested by Capital Pride.
Pasha, who has so far represented himself in court without an attorney, has argued in multiple court filings and motions that the Capital Pride stalking allegations are untrue. In his initial 16-page response to the complaint, Pasha said it appears to be a form of retaliation against him for a dispute he has had with Capital Pride and its former board president, Ashley Smith, who has since resigned from the board.
“It is evident that the document is replete with false, misleading, and unsubstantiated assertions,” Pasha’s court response states.
At the April 17 hearing, Okun also ruled that, as standard procedure for civil complaints such as this one, he has ordered both parties to enter into court-supervised mediation to attempt to reach a settlement rather than go to trial.
In an earlier ruling Okun denied Pasha’s request for a jury trial, stating that civil cases such as this must undergo a trial with the judge determining the verdict under existing civil court statutes.
The April 17 court hearing was held in a courtroom at the courthouse, but as allowed under current court rules, Capital Pride attorney Harrison and Capital Pride official June Crenshaw participated virtually through a video connection. Pasha attended the hearing in the courtroom.
“This matter is proceeding through the court in the normal course,” Capital Pride released in a statement. “We look forward to presenting the relevant evidence at the scheduled hearing. Capital Pride Alliance remains committed to maintaining a safe and respectful environment for our staff, volunteers, and community, and to addressing concerns through appropriate channels.”
“This is clearly a case of retaliation,” Pasha told the Blade after the hearing. “Today the judge removed the stay-away order and asked Capital Pride Alliance to present enough evidence and examples to see if a stay-away order should be granted,” he said. “Because Pride is coming up in June, we need to see where this is going.”
District of Columbia
Gay D.C. police lieutenant arrested on child porn charges
Matthew Mahl once served as head of LGBT Liaison Unit
D.C. police announced on April 14 that they have placed one of their lieutenants, Matthew Mahl, on administrative leave and revoked his police powers after receiving information that he was arrested in Maryland one day earlier.
Although the initial D.C. police announcement doesn’t disclose the reason for the arrest it refers to a statement by the Harford County, Md. Sheriff’s Office that discloses Mahl has been charged with sexual solicitation of a minor and child porn solicitation.
“On Tuesday, the Harford County Sheriff’s Office contacted MPD’s Internal Affairs Division shortly after arresting Lieutenant Matthew Mahl,” the D.C. police statement says.
“The allegations in this case are extremely disturbing, and in direct contrast to the values of the Metropolitan Police Department,” the statement continues. “MPD’s Internal Affairs Division will investigate violations of MPD policy once the criminal investigation concludes,” it says.
“MPD is not involved in the criminal investigation and was not aware of the investigation until yesterday,” the statement adds.
Mahl served as acting supervisor of the MPD’s then Gay & Lesbian Liaison Unit in 2013 when he held the rank of sergeant. D.C. police officials placed him on administrative leave and suspended his police powers that same year while investigating an undisclosed allegation.
A source familiar with the investigation said Mahl was cleared of any wrongdoing a short time later and resumed his police duties. Around the time he was promoted to lieutenant several years later Mahl took on the role as chairman of the D.C. Police Union, becoming the first known openly gay officer to hold that position.
NBC 4 reports that Mahl, 47, has served on the police force for 23 years and most recently was assigned to the department’s Special Operations Division.
Records related to Mahl’s arrest filed in Harford County District Court, show Sheriff’s Department investigators state in charging documents that he allegedly committed the offenses of Sexual Solicitation of a Minor and Child Porn Solicitation on Monday, April 13, one day before he was arrested on April 14.
The court records show he was held without bond during his first appearance in court on April 14. A decision on whether he would be released while awaiting trial or continue to be held without bond was scheduled to be determined during an April 15 bond hearing. The outcome of that hearing could not be immediately determined.
Maryland
Evan Glass is leaning on his record. Is that enough for Montgomery County’s top job?
Gay county executive candidate pushing for equitable pay, safer streets, and cleaner environment
By TALIA RICHMAN | During a meet-and-greet at Poolesville Memorial United Methodist Church, Evan Glass got his loudest applause of the night with a plan he acknowledged was decidedly unsexy.
“Day one, I’ll hire a director of permitting services,” the county executive candidate said.
Doing so, he added, is a step toward easing the regulatory burdens that can stifle small businesses in Montgomery County.
The only problem? At least one of his fiercest competitors is making a similar pledge.
The rest of this article can be read on the Baltimore Banner’s website.
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Judge rescinds stay-away order in Capital Pride anti-stalking case
