Local
Brett Parson waives right to attend arraignment after not guilty plea
Former D.C. police lieutenant charged with unlawful sex with minor
Former D.C. police lieutenant Brett Parson, who was arrested in Coconut Creek, Fla., in February for allegedly having sex with a 16-year-old boy, waived his right to attend his April 19 court arraignment after pleading not guilty and requesting a trial by jury in a written motion filed by his lawyer on March 1.
Online records from the Broward County Circuit Court, where Parson’s case is pending, show that the arraignment was held as scheduled. The records show a judge who is not identified in the online records scheduled a follow-up “Calendar Call” hearing for May 20 to allow prosecutors and the defense to deliberate over how to proceed with the case.
Prosecutors with the Broward County State Attorney’s Office charged Parson with two counts of unlawful sexual activity with a minor following his arrest for allegedly engaging in oral sex with a 16-year-old he met on the Growlr gay dating app, which requires people using the site to be 18 or older. Sources familiar with the app say the age restriction is not enforced.
An arrest affidavit says the 16-year-old told police he and Parson met on the dating app, exchanged “explicit” photos of each other, and arranged to meet at a location in Coconut Creek near where the 16-year-old lived. It says the two, who were in separate cars, drove to a second location in a secluded parking lot around 1 a.m., where the 16-year-old entered Parson’s car and they engaged in mutual oral sex.
After becoming concerned that they might be seen by people in that location, the affidavit says the 16-year-old persuaded Parson that they each drive their cars to another location. While following each other, police in the area saw the 16-year-old drive into a restricted location owned by Comcast, according to the affidavit. It says police stopped the youth and questioned him while officers in a separate car stopped Parson but allowed him to drive away after he told them he was from out of the area and wasn’t sure where he was.
Without giving a reason, the affidavit says the 16-year-old provided police with full details of his interaction with Parson that police would otherwise not have known at the time they stopped him for driving into a restricted space.
The affidavit makes it clear that the 16-year-old, who is not identified, consented to the sexual encounter. But authorities point out that Florida’s age of consent is 18 and a minor at the age of 16 or 17 cannot legally consent to sexual acts with someone older than 24 under Florida law.
It says that after questioning the 16-year-old, Coconut Creek police contacted his parents, who requested that charges be brought against Parson. The affidavit says police identified Parson through the 16-year-old’s phone, which he used to exchange text messages and photos with Parson.
Court records show that a judge on Feb. 18, six days after his arrest, set bond for Parson’s release at $25,000 for each of the two charges of unlawful sexual activity with a minor, for a total of $50,000. The Blade couldn’t determine at that time if Parson was able to pay the required 10 percent of the bond at $5,000. A check with the Broward County Jail in Fort Lauderdale where most arrestees are held showed Parson was not being held there as of Feb. 18.
However, the current updated court records show that bond for Parson was posted on Feb. 21, raising the question of whether he was held someplace in custody until that time.
A spokesperson for the Broward County State Attorney’s Office, which prosecutes criminal cases, confirmed that neither Parson nor his attorney attended the April 19 arraignment, but declined to comment further, saying the office never discusses pending cases.
Court records identify Parson’s attorney as Michael E. Dutko, whose law office website says he worked as a Fort Lauderdale police officer and prosecutor prior to starting his criminal law practice. Dutko did not respond to phone and email messages from the Washington Blade seeking comment on the Parson case.
Court records also show that upon his release, a judge ordered Parson to remain in Florida at the residence of his parents in Boca Raton, who he had been visiting at the time of his arrest, while his case remained pending.
Parson served as supervisor for the D.C. police LGBT Liaison Unit and later as head of the division overseeing all the department’s community liaison units before he retired from the force in 2020 after a 26-year police career. At the time of his retirement, he announced he was starting a consulting business to advise law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad on police-related issues.
D.C. Police Chief Robert Contee, while saying he could not comment on the circumstances surrounding Parson’s arrest, told the Blade at a press conference in February on unrelated issues that he had worked closely with Parson in past years, saying Parson “served the citizens of the District of Columbia well.”
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Congratulations to Congresswoman Sarah McBride (D-Del.) on being honored with this year’s Stonewall Award from Whitman-Walker Health. Amy Nelson, senior director of Legal Services, said, “Congresswoman Sarah McBride is working to make healthcare accessible to all, and this award recognizes her support of healthcare as a human right. Our legal program supports families facing unprecedented challenges to stay healthy and safe – families that Congresswoman McBride champions with a deep understanding of the issues they face and the legislative expertise of how to support them.”
McBride, in a press release, said, “I am honored to accept this year’s Stonewall Award from Whitman-Walker Health — an organization that has spent 40 years doing vital work to ensure every person can access the dignity of care. In the wealthiest and most developed nation on earth, the ability to receive care should not be a matter of luck—it should be the law of the land. I am proud to be recognized as a partner in this work and to support Whitman-Walker Health in their mission to build a healthier society for all.”
Congratulations also to Wes Drummond who will join Clear Space Theatre Company in Rehoboth Beach, Del., as its third artistic director. Managing Director Joe Gfaller said, “This is an exciting moment of growth for Clear Space as we welcome Wes to join our remarkable team. I am confident he will be an excellent partner as we work with our entire staff, board, and committed team of volunteers, to ensure Clear Space can achieve its full potential in pursuit of our mission to unite and enrich our community through every production on stage, and every arts-based learning program we offer throughout our community.”
On accepting the position Drummond said, “I’m honored to join Clear Space Theatre Company as artistic director, and beyond excited for what we’re about to create together. Clear Space has established itself as a vital and vibrant part of the cultural life of coastal Delaware, and I feel incredibly fortunate to step into this next chapter alongside such a passionate and dedicated team. Rehoboth Beach is a place defined by creativity and community, and I look forward to listening, learning, and building meaningful relationships across the region in the months ahead. My vision is to help Clear Space continue to grow as a bold, forward-thinking, cultural force, that champions fearless storytelling.”
Drummond served in leadership roles at Duluth Playhouse in Duluth, Minn., from 2021 to 2026, including four years as executive director followed by one year as executive producing artistic director, guiding the organization through a period of significant transformation and stability in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. As a director, he has worked extensively in New York City, Chicago, and at regional theaters across the country, directing both musical theater and plays with a focus on storytelling that bridges classical works with contemporary perspectives. He has collaborated with leading figures in the industry, including Tony Award-winning director Matthew Warchus, and Tony-nominated director Michael Greif. He is an associate member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society.
Wes earned his MFA in directing, Penn State University, where he studied under Tony-nominated director, Susan H. Schulman.
Virginia
Va. Supreme Court invalidates Democrat-backed redistricting plan
Voters narrowly approved new congressional districts last month
The Virginia Supreme Court on Friday struck down a Democrat-backed redistricting plan that voters approved last month.
Ten of 11 of Virginia’s congressional districts favor Democrats in the plan that passed by a 51-48 vote margin in last month’s referendum.
The Human Rights Campaign PAC is among the groups that support it. The court by a 4-3 majority invalidated the referendum results.
District of Columbia
Maren Morris to headline Capital Pride Concert
Grammy award-winning singer/songwriter came out as bisexual in 2024
Capital Pride Alliance, the group that organizes D.C.’s annual LGBTQ Pride events, announced on May 7 that nationally acclaimed singer-songwriter Maren Morris, who identifies as bisexual, will be the headline performer at this year’s Capital Pride Concert scheduled for June 21.
The concert takes place as part of the annual Capital Pride Festival held on Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., usually between 3rd Street near the U.S. Capitol and 9th Street.
“Morris, known for her genre-blending sound and outspoken support of LGBTQ+ rights, will be joined by a standout lineup, including acclaimed queer rapper Leikeli47, pop icon Lisa Lisa, Juno-nominated producer and DJ from the ‘Heated Rivalry’ soundtrack, Harrison, and ‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ Season 18 winner Myki Meeks,” according to a statement released by Capital Pride.
“In a moment when LGBTQ+ people are being challenged across the country, the Capital Pride Concert is a space where our community is fully seen and heard,” Ryan Bos, the Capital Pride Alliance CEO and president, said in the statement. “Bringing Maren Morris to the stage reflects this year’s theme: Exist, Resist, Have the Audacity,” Bos said.
The statement notes that the concert takes place as part of the annual D.C. Pride Festival, which is open to the public free of charge, with tickets available for purchase for specific areas listed as the Capital Stage Pit Zone and the VIP Concert Zone.
It says the festival takes place from 12 –10 p.m. and points out that in addition to the music performed by multiple other performers on several stages, festival attendees “can explore hundreds of exhibitors, community organizations, and artisans, along with multiple food courts and beverage gardens throughout the festival footprint.”
Information on the Capital Pride Alliance website shows that the festival takes place one day after the annual Capital Pride Parade, scheduled for June 20 and which is expected to travel from 14th and T Streets, N.W., to Pennsylvania Ave., N.W., where it is expected to end at 9th Street.
The statement adds that following the stage performances during the June 21 festival, which are expected to conclude around 8 p.m., “the celebration will continue with the Capitol Sunset Dance Party, closing out the evening against the backdrop of the U.S. Capitol.”
The online publication Today, which is part of the NBC “Today” television show, reported that Morris came out as bisexual in a 2024 during Pride. It reports Morris “shared several images of herself holding a Pride flag to mark the occasion, writing, ‘Happy to be the B in LGBTQ+’”
Comings & Goings
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