WASHINGTON D.C.
Director of Capital Area Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce Arrested For Unlawful Entry
WASHINGTON -- The leader of the D.C.-area gay and lesbian chamber of commerce, and recipient of the 2012 Chamber of the Year award, was arrested earlier this month and charged with unlawful entry, according to court records obtained by LGBTQ Nation.
Mark Guenther Mark Guenther, Executive Director of CAGLCC (Capital Area Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce) was charged Nov. 5 by the U.S. Attorney's office for the District of Columbia after a male neighbor in Guenther's apartment building was awakened at 3 a.m. on October 26 to find Guenther standing over his bed while he had been asleep.
The complainant told police that he yelled at Guenther, causing him to flee from the apartment; moments later, he said he heard Guenther's door shut from across the hall.
The complaint stated that Guenther sent him an e-mail several hours later apologizing for, and acknowledging, the intrusion.
Metropolitan Police investigators showed the victim a picture of Guenther on November 5, whom he positively identified as the person who had entered his dwelling without his permission or knowledge and "who was standing over me as I slept."
Guenther was arrested later that day on a single charge of unlawful entry and released. The charging documents did not indicate how Guenther gained access to the complainant's apartment, or how he knew the complainant's email address.
Further court appearances are pending in the case. Guenther and his attorney both declined to comment on the case when contacted by LGBTQ Nation Tuesday.
Guenther took the position as Executive Director of the Capital Area Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce two and half years ago and has brought the chamber national recognition, including the prestigious Chamber of the Year 2012 award by the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, according to Laura Berry, Director of Communications for the NGLCC.
Berry declined to comment on the legal case now facing Guenther.
Guenther has also headed up CAGLCC's hosting of the LGBTQ gala event G-life, a major business event showcasing the LGBTQ business community in Washington on Saturday, November 17.
Mark Guenther Mark Guenther, Executive Director of CAGLCC (Capital Area Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce) was charged Nov. 5 by the U.S. Attorney's office for the District of Columbia after a male neighbor in Guenther's apartment building was awakened at 3 a.m. on October 26 to find Guenther standing over his bed while he had been asleep.
The complainant told police that he yelled at Guenther, causing him to flee from the apartment; moments later, he said he heard Guenther's door shut from across the hall.
The complaint stated that Guenther sent him an e-mail several hours later apologizing for, and acknowledging, the intrusion.
Metropolitan Police investigators showed the victim a picture of Guenther on November 5, whom he positively identified as the person who had entered his dwelling without his permission or knowledge and "who was standing over me as I slept."
Guenther was arrested later that day on a single charge of unlawful entry and released. The charging documents did not indicate how Guenther gained access to the complainant's apartment, or how he knew the complainant's email address.
Further court appearances are pending in the case. Guenther and his attorney both declined to comment on the case when contacted by LGBTQ Nation Tuesday.
Guenther took the position as Executive Director of the Capital Area Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce two and half years ago and has brought the chamber national recognition, including the prestigious Chamber of the Year 2012 award by the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, according to Laura Berry, Director of Communications for the NGLCC.
Berry declined to comment on the legal case now facing Guenther.
Guenther has also headed up CAGLCC's hosting of the LGBTQ gala event G-life, a major business event showcasing the LGBTQ business community in Washington on Saturday, November 17.
Nebraska
Woman Accused of Filing False "Hate" Crime Attack Report Slams Police Department
By Chris Dyer | LINCOLN, NE -- The woman accused of staging a "hate crime" and filing a false police report in a highly publicized incident this past summer continued to maintain that she is a victim and denies making up the incident which garnered national attention.
In e-mails sent to local media this week, Charlie Rogers, 34, accused the Lincoln police Department of botching the investigation. Rodgers also slammed investigators in a YouTube video posted late Tuesday. In the e-mails and on YouTube Rogers claimed that "she probably will go to jail for a crime in which three men broke into her house on July 22, bound her arms and legs, carved anti-gay slurs into her skin and tried to light her house on fire."
“I will keep fighting. I will keep trying to be heard. I will keep telling the truth,” Rogers wrote in her e-mail. "The perpetrators of my crime are still out there. They are. It wasn’t me,” Rogers said in the 15-minute video. “I wouldn’t say I did it then, and I won’t say I did it now. I am innocent.”
Lancaster County Attorney Joe Kelly said Tuesday no plea agreement is in the works and his office is ready to go to trial. Rogers’ attorney, Brett McArthur, said in September he expects the case to go to trial.
In her email, Rogers said she’s set on getting the chance to tell her story.The Journal Star contacted Rogers, McArthur and some of her friends after receiving the email. Rogers declined to speak over the phone or meet in person in a reply message.
According to the Journal-Star, Rogers lashed out as she accused police of not taking her version of the events in the incident seriously. Rogers said that instead detectives immediately considered her as a suspect, and didn’t seriously consider any options other than that she was responsible.
Lincoln's police chief Jim Peschong disputed Rogers’ claims telling the paper that his department's investigators worked the case hard, also bringing in an FBI agent to "put an outside set of eyes on the case."
The chief said investigators interviewed all the key players at least once, and several of them multiple times.
“We took this particular case seriously from the get-go,” Peschong said.Investigators, he said, never found evidence to back up Rogers’ story. ~ The Journal Star
The Journal-Star also reported that Rogers has declined all interview requests but in her e-mail said that police released “an alarming” amount of details to the press and more or less convicted her in public opinion without a trial.
“I am perceived as guilty by my community. No trial needed. No questions asked,” she wrote.
Idaho
Council in Idaho's Capital City Considers LGBT Anti-discrimination Bill
BOISE, ID -- Tuesday evening the Boise City Council met to debate the passage of an LGBT anti-discrimination bill. Dozens of the capital city's residents spoke in support of the measure in a crowded Statehouse auditorium during the public hearing for the ordinance which would prohibit discrimination in the city based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
The council has scheduled a December vote regarding the proposed ordinance. If it’s approved, Boise will be the second city in Idaho to prohibit employers, housing agents and other businesses from discriminating against employees, renters, leasers or customers because they’re gay or transgender.
The Idaho Statesman reported:
Though support was overwhelming Tuesday night, at least one person spoke in support of “traditional marriage” and warned of the dangers of sodomy. Boise resident Curt Vieselmeyer urged the council to reject the ordinance, saying it infringes on his religious freedom and is not necessary.
“I do not believe this is an issue in our city. I believe that this is a stirring of the pot,” Vieselmeyer said.
The only other Idaho municipality with anti-discrimination LGBT protections is the tiny far-northern town of Sandpoint.
Both houses of the Idaho Legislature are controlled by the Republican Party with large majorities and lawmakers have prevented attempts to pass a statewide ordinance to protect the state's LGBTQ citizens.
Posts
1 comments:
The very fact that the City is looking at such legislation is proof that it is needed. And why am I not surprised that Curt Vieselmeyer feels that not being able to discriminate is an infringement on his religious rights?
Post a Comment