Tag: NYC

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NYC: Mark Carson’s alleged killer bragged to cops minutes after shooting

Mark Carson's alleged killer bragged about the shooting minutes after being apprehended

Elliot Morales, the suspect in the murder of Mark Carson in New York City, bragged about the shooting to cops afterwards.

In court documents released today, Morales told cops who caught him minutes after the May 17 shooting in Greenwich Village, “Gay thought he was tough in front of his bitch, so I shot him. Diagnosis is dead, doctor.”

Morales was arraigned on charges of second degree murder as a hate crime, menacing a police officer and criminal possession of a weapon.

The murder of Carson was the end of a violent night in Greenwich Village that began with Morales threatened a restaurant worker with a gun while shouting anti-gay epithets. He then came across Carson and a friend, and shouted gay slurs at them, asking, “what are you, a gay wrestler?” Morales then allegedly followed Carson and shot him in the cheek, killing him.

Morales seemed anything but remorseful for killing Carson, according to the court documents. “He thought he was tough, and I shot him. It’s the last thing he’ll remember,” he told police.

(source)

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Press conference called by Anti-Violence Project regarding alleged anti-gay violence by NYPD

Via press release:

The New York City Anti-Violence Project (AVP) will hold a Press Conference on Tuesday, June 11th at 2 pm in response to a bias-motivated assault of Josh Williams, Ben Collins, and Antonio Maenza, three openly gay men in Bed-Stuy Brooklyn on Sunday, June 3rd by New York Police Department (NYPD) officers.

The survivors reported that they were walking past the 79th Precinct when an NYPD officer accused one of the men of public urination and attacked him, throwing him against a police car. The officer was joined by other officers who also attacked the man, throwing him to the ground and pepper spraying him while he was in handcuffs. The survivor was handcuffed tightly, causing lacerations.

The survivor’s injuries were treated at a hospital, where he was again restrained with wrist and ankle cuffs. The group of officers also arrested the other two survivors.

[snip]

Police Violence is a pervasive problem facing lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) people in New York City.

AVP found that in 2012, nearly 40% of survivors interacting with the police in New York City reported police misconduct.

Reports of police misconduct increased significantly from 8 in 2011 to 78 in 2012. The report also found that survivor reports of hostile attitudes from police doubled in 2012, with 43 reports, up from 21 in 2011.

Tomorrow’s Press Conference will highlight these findings and the issue of police violence affecting our LGBTQ communities.

The Village Voice has a lengthy recounting of the incident:

Williams’ ordeal began as the three men walked past the 79th Precinct stationhouse at 263 Tompkins Ave. Williams told his roommates he needed to take a piss, but they told him to wait as they were almost home. An officer standing in the precinct parking lot shouted at them, asking if he had just urinated on the building. Williams said, “no.”

“The officer shouted, ‘Did you really just piss on the precinct?'” Collins says. “Josh says no. The officer didn’t go over and check whether the building had actually been peed on.”

The officer called them over. Williams and Collins complied, and the officer asked for their ID cards. Collins asked whether they were being detained. “He rolled his eyes and sort of snapped, twisting an arm behind my back and slamming me against a car,” Williams says. “I was able to ask him what was going on, and he slammed me against the car and pepper sprayed me. I was blinded and disoriented.”

Collins: “He put his hand on Josh’s neck and pushed his face into the hood of the car twice and pepper sprayed him. Josh never tried to resist or run away.”

Williams says he remembers then being tossed against a fence and then a number of officers putting their hands on him. “I get slammed to the ground and cuffed and then pepper sprayed again. I remember yelling, ‘why are you so angry?’ From there I don’t remember much.”

(source)

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NYC to offer self-defense training in reponse to rise in anti-gay hate crimes

JoeMyGod reports that the disturbing image above was seen scrawled on a poster in a subway station at West 72nd and Central Park West.  It reads “Queers beware – it’s faggot season.”

In light of the recent increase in anti-gay hate crimes, NYC will begin offering self-defense training to LGBT citizens. Note that you do have to call ahead to reserve space in a class.  The lessons will focus on street smarts more than actual fighting, Quinn said.

Via press release from the office of New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn:

Following a string of hate crimes against LGBT New Yorkers, Speaker Christine C. Quinn and the City Council LGBT Caucus today announced they will host a series of free self-defense trainings across the City. The trainings will empower New Yorkers by teaching violence prevention strategies and safety tips to the LGBT community. The kick-off class, led by the Center for Anti-Violence Prevention, will be held on Saturday, June 8th in Room 101 of the LGBT Center at 4:00 PM. An additional evening class has been scheduled for Wednesday, June 12th at the Hudson Guild Elliot Center at 7:00 PM.

Participants should reserve their space by calling (212) 788-5613 or by e-mailing events@council.nyc.gov. “No one should be made to feel unsafe because who they are or who they love,” said Speaker Christine C. Quinn. “The spate of bias attacks against LGBT New Yorkers in recent weeks is unacceptable and must end now. Our free self-defense classes will teach violence prevention strategies to New Yorkers and will provide the community with the tools they need to stay safe.”

Anti-gay hate crimes have doubled in New York City this year.

In addition to the self-defense training, the NYPD has increased foot patrols in the gay neighborhoods of the West Village, Hell’s Kitchen, and Chelsea. Mounted units have been assigned to Christopher Street on the weekends.

(via JMG)

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Another gay-related hate crime last night in NYC

Image by Memeographs

Another anti-gay attack in NYC last night. Ugh.

This time the victim was Eugene Lovendusky, 28, a Queens resident and co-founder of the activist group Queer Rising.

From NY1:

Manuel Riquelme, 19, is charged with hate crime and aggravated harassment after allegedly hitting Eugene Lovendusky, 28, a Queens resident and co-founder of the activist group Queer Rising.

Police say the alleged assault took place at 3 a.m. Saturday on West 42nd Street between Eighth and Ninth Avenues.

At the time, authorities say Lovendusky and his boyfriend and another friend were leaving the XL nightclub and walking towards the nearby subway stop.

Police say a group of nine teenagers passed the group of three men and started calling them anti-gay slurs.

Riquelme allegedly slapped Lovendusky in the face and knocked off the victim’s glasses, according to police.

After the alleged incident, Lovendusky called police and officers found the teens in a pizzeria at West 40th Street and Ninth Avenue.

The incident is being investigated as a bias assault, according to police.

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The Worst Room

The Worst Room is a Tumblr account I’ve been following that encourages folks to send in their nominations for the “worst” sublet rentals in NYC. Every day a “winner” gets picked.

My favorite of late was May 15, posted with the above pic.  See that little section of blue near the top?  That’s what you get for $700 a month. Here’s the description:

“East Village, Manhattan. $700.00  (Loft Bed Above Closet in Kitchen)”

Or my other favorite – a walk-in closet for rent for $1,000 a month.  See below:

The description says ““I am looking for someone to move into a large closet space in one of the three bedrooms of my apartment. The bedroom has two closets but there is no need for it so we are looking to sublet it as a living space to a 4th roommate. The closet is about 5 feet wide and 7 feet long. It has no windows and think it would be ideal for a twin size bed and small night stand. Amazing Location”

You’ve gotta love NYC.

Check out The Worst Room every now and then, and feel better about your living arrangements.

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NYC: Mark Carson’s accused killer indicted by grand jury for murder today

Mark Carson’s accused killer was formally indicted by a grand jury of murder as a hate crime today.  His lawyer entered a plea of “not guilty” even though Morales boasted of shooting Carson after being arrested.

From the New York Daily News:

An attorney for accused killer Elliot Morales briefly appeared in Manhattan Criminal Court to get notification of the grand jury vote Thursday morning.

Morales, 33, did not appear.

The lawyer, Kevin Michael Canfield, later said Morales is not guilty of the slaying and is “devastated by the charges.”

“He didn’t murder anybody,” Canfield said, suggesting there were other factors at play.

“He was sexually abused as a child by a male authority figure which led to a lifetime of alcoholism and drug abuse,” Canfield told the Daily News, adding, “It’s a terrible tragedy.”

Morales was arrested for murder in the second degree as a hate crime and other related charges after the shocking incident on Sixth Ave. near W. Eighth St. around midnight Saturday.

“Look at you faggots, you look like gay wrestlers,” Morales allegedly told victim Mark Carson and his friend minutes before policed say he shot Mark Carson, 32, in the head.

Authorities said he callously laughed as he confessed to the random killing. His gleeful expression came as he allegedly told investigators, “I shot him in the face.”

(source)

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Two more violent anti-gay attacks in NYC

Two more violent anti-gay attacks happened in New York City last night.

In Soho, a couple was assaulted in the early morning hours, according to NBC News:

A gay couple was attacked early Tuesday in SoHo, hours after thousands marched to protest the killing of a gay man and several other bias attacks that have shaken the community, NBC 4 New York has learned.

Law enforcement sources said the two men, 41 and 42, were walking on Broadway between Prince and Houston streets at about 5 a.m. when two men started yelling anti-gay remarks in English and Spanish. The victims are Hispanic. The men were both punched, and one suffered an eye injury, sources said.

Fabian Ortiz and Pedro Jiminez were arrested and are being charged with third degree assault as a hate crime, police said.

In addition, Nightlife Gay reports another anti-gay attack:

“Shock, outrage, anger sums up how I am feeling today as one of my very good friends was gay bashed last night in New York City. Dan Contarino, former promoter of Shampoo Nightclub’s “Shaft” Fridays, was jumped last night at Avenue D & 4th Street.

“Allegedly, witnesses are reporting the assailant was yelling “faggot” as he was kicking and beating Dan. Neighbors rushed to Dan’s aid and chased after the attacker but unfortunately he got away. The police are investigating the assault now and have not determine it a hate crime.”

(source)