Video Shows Police Beating. of Transexual at 201 Poplar; Two
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Video Shows Police Beating. of Transexual Memphis Celebrates Pride at 201 Poplar; Two Officers Fir.ed Surveillance video shows a so hard. Like the third time he hit Johnson. An FBI investigation into Memphis police officer beating a me, it split my sk_ull and I had blood possible civil rights violations is suspect at 20 1 Poplar in an appar- coming out. So I jumped up," still underway. ent case of police brutality. Johnson said. Meanwhile, the Memphis Police The video, recorded Feb. 12, But then she sat back down, and Department confirmed to that the shows Duanna Johnson in the book- the officer hit her in the face again. officer holding Johnson was on ing area at the Shelby County Then he maced her. On the tape, probation, and has been fired. Criminal Justice Center after an ar- · other people in the room are seen The officer who threw the rest for prostitution. turning away and fanning their punches is was put on non-enforce- The tape clearly shows a Mem- hands because of the smell. ment status pending an administra- phis police officer walk over to "We wanted some acknowl- tive hearing and ultimately fired. Johnson - a transsexual - and hit edgement - my client did - so · The following statement was re- her in the face several times. she would know that the Memphis leased by the Memphis Police De- '�Actually he was trying to get me Police Department didn't condone partment: <t to come over to where he was, and this," said Murray Wells, Johnson's "The Memphis Police Depart- ., I responded by telling him that 2 attorney. "We were optimistic that ment does not condone any mis- ' wasn't my name- that my mother they would be as outraged about conduct of a police officerthat will ; didn't name me a 'faggot' or a �he- this as we are. compromise official law enforce- she,' so he got upset and ap- "These are the people we depend ment duties or the rights or safety proached me. And that's when it on to protect us, and I think the of our citizens." started," Johnson said. majority of officers in Memphis "As it relates to the February in- Johnson said the officer was at- are good office_rs, and when you cident that occurred at the jail fa- tempting to call her over to be fin- see what you see on that video, it's cility, the police department has gerprinted. She said she chose not a scary sight to s�e that that could been conducting a thorough inter- respond to the derogatory name the happen to any one of us," added nal investigation. officer called her. attorneyArthurllome. "As a . tandard departmental "He said, 'I'm telling you, I'm On the tape, Duanna is eventu- policy, a full, impartial hearing was giving you one more .chance to get ally handcuffed and left on the held with the accused officer. On up.' So I'm looking at him, and he floor. A nurse comes in, and goes Wed., June 26 Officer Bridges started putting his gloves on, and directly to the officer. McRae was fired. seen him take out a pair of hand- "I couldn't breathe, and they just "Officer J: Swain who held cuffs," Johnson said. made me lay there," Johnson said. Johnson was a probationary officer The officer hit Johnson several "Nobody checked to see if I was and has been separated from the times with the handcuffs wrapped okay. My eyes were burning. My Memphis Police Department. around his knuckles. In the video, skin was burning. I was scared to "Memphis Police can also con- you can see the flash of the metal. death. Even thenurse came in and firm the Federal Bureau of Inves- The tape shows another officer she just ignored me, and I begged tigation had been notified and re- holding Johnson's shoulders as she her to help me." quested to look into the complaint tries to protect herself. The video clearly shows the further. After taking several blows, nurse walk right past Doanna as Meanwhile the Sheriff'sDepart- Johnson stands up and swings back. she's rocking back and forth in pain ment which runs the jail is .investi- "I was afraid. I had had enough. in the background. gating how the surveillance tape Like I said, I thought the other of- A copy of the tape was reviewed was released. They said criminai ficers that were witnessing this by both the FBI and the District charges may be placed against that would at least try to stop him," Attorney's office, the latter of person, if found. Johnson said. "I mean, he hit me which dropped all charges against Police Explore Motives in Death of Transgendered Prostitute Memphis Police say 20-year-old Local activists say they would Rodney Whitaker may have been not be at all surprised if Whitaker murdered because of his sexuality, was targeted because he was but caution they are exploring ev transgendered. ery possible motive. "They're often the people most Friends say Whitaker worked as likelyto be fired from a job, kicked a transgendered prostitute. He was out of their homes, ostracized by dressed as a woman when he was their churches... so, it's really hard found shot to death July 2 near for them," said Will Batts of the Whitaker's murder Lamar and Old Getwell. Police be Memphis Gay & Lesbian Commu If you have any information that lieve Whitaker had been working nity Center. can help police, call Crime-Stop in the area the night before. So far, there are no suspects in pers at (9 01) 528-CASH. In Canada, Gay Troop� March in Pride; Anti-gay Organization Finds In U.S., Another Gay Soldier Discharged Itself in Hot Water Up north, our Canadian cousins welcomed GLBT soldiers into the The American Family Association of Tupelo, Miss., is always up to mix the last weekend in June for To ronto Pride. Here at home, a gay (\ something. Usually something related to sex. Often it involves a boycott. soldier interviewed in Iraq by, television newsmagazine 60 Minutes Time was when the AFA seemed Microsoft, Anheuser-Busch, has been discharged for violating the U.S. ban on openly gay and most incensed about nudity, por- Comcast, Johnson & Johnson, lesbian troops. nography, suggestive clothing and Viacom. The dirty details are at www.afa.net. The inclusion of GLBT sdldiers elsewhere." the like. A decade or so ago it news The AFA has recently made big in the Toronto Pride event marks But such up-front honesty can be mailed organizations still ger waves with a software program the first time gay troops have taken risky for gays and lesbians in uni photographs of what might have been a bare breast flashing by in a it developed that automatically re part in the Toronto parade, reported form who have to choose between CBS promotional film. People in places the word "gay" on its news the Toronto Star in a June 27 ·ar serving their country and telling the Darren Manzella newsrooms around the country no web site with the word "homo ticle. The troops were joined in the truth about themselves. In the a time of war." doubt studied that mailing very sexual." The idea is that "gay" parade by others in uniform, in United States, the military ban on Ebbin continued, "National se carefully. leaves a more positive impression clucti"ng police officers and GLBT troops serving honestly has curity requires that Congress lift The AFA still objects to nudity. than "homosexual." firefighters. claimed its_ latest casualty, Sgt. the ban on gays in the military and Its web site features a complaint That policy caused a few raised Gay Naval officer Lt. Stephen Darren Manzella, a decorated allow commanders to judge troops that the Department of Defense is eyebrows the other day in a report Churn. was quoted in the Star ar Army officer who was interviewed on their qualifications, not their allowing Playboy publications to about U.S. Olympic sprinter Tyson ticle as saying, "This will send out last December by Lesley Stahl on sexuality." be sold on military bases. It's pro- Gay. The AFA software on its One a national message that the Cana the CBS news program 60 Minutes. servicemembers Legal Defense . moting a House bill that would end News Now web site took an Asso dian Forces is an employer of In a June 27 article posted online Network (SLDN) is a watchdog that practice. But in recent years, ciated Press story and altered it to choice for all people." at Gay News Blog, Manzella was .and advocacy group dedicated to homosexuality has become the read: Churm will be one of 17 Cana cited as telling the correspondent ushering full integration and equal AFA's greatest preoccupation. Cur- "Tyson Homosexual wa:s a blur dian servicemembers appearing at that he had not bothered to hide his ity into the Aniericanarmed forces. rently, it's urging people to stay in blue, sprinting 100 meters faster the parade, the Star reported. sexual orientation for the better part Though "Don't Ask, Don't Te ll" away from McDonald's because, it than anyone ever has. His time of As for the day 's dress code, of his military career, and that far has not been repealed, SLDN said says, the company promotes "the 9.68 seconds at the U.S. Olympic Churm said, "We're not going to from creating the breakdown in dis that it is diminishing in effect, with homosexual agenda, including ho- trials Sunday doesn't count as a be in fu ll uniform.