Tag:
Sexual Orientation
Deerfield-Sunderland, MA
Police & Fire
Hate Crime: Sunderland Liquor Store Beating Lands Local Men In State Prison, DA Says
A Franklin County judge sentenced a former Northampton man to state prison for his role in a violent 2024 hate crime at a Sunderland liquor store. Warren Martinez, 31, pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including mayhem, assault and battery to intimidate based on gender identity and sexual orientation, and breaking and entering. Judge John Agostini sentenced him to five to 10 years in state prison. Also sentenced was 25-year-old Thomas Patnode, who admitted to two counts of assault and battery to intimidate and assault by means of a dangerous weapon. He received two and a half years in pri…
Schenectady, NY
News
NY's Mickey Rourke Reprimanded On ‘Celebrity Big Brother’ For Homophobic Comments To JoJo Siwa
Actor Mickey Rourke is facing backlash across the pond after making offensive remarks toward fellow cast member JoJo Siwa on the UK version of Celebrity Big Brother. Rourke, 72, who joined the ITV reality series earlier this week, was pulled aside to the show’s “Diary Room” after using a gay slur and making a series of inappropriate comments regarding Siwa’s sexuality. The tension began when Rourke asked the 21-year-old social media personality if she liked “boys or girls.” When Siwa replied that her partner is nonbinary, Rourke responded, “If I stay longer than four days, you won’t be gay …
Albany, NY
Politics
Election 2024: NY's Controversial Anti-Discrimination Amendment Decided By Voters
New York voters have made their voices heard on a controversial constitutional amendment aimed at expanding anti-discrimination protections. Proposal 1, dubbed the “Equal Rights Amendment,” was approved by voters. The "yes" votes were leading 62 to 28 percent with 34-percent of the vote counted as of 10 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 5, according to the state Board of Elections. It would amend the New York State Constitution to protect against unequal treatment based on the following: Ethnicity, national origin, age or disability Sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression Pregnanc…
Albany, NY
Politics
Election 2024: Here’s Closer Look At NY’s ‘Equal Rights Amendment' Prop 1
New York voters will decide on a whole lot more than just the next president and vice president this Election Day. Earlier Report: Here's When Early Voting Starts In NY, How To Find Polling Places Among the statewide issues being decided is Proposal 1, known as the “Equal Rights Amendment.” If approved, it would amend the New York State Constitution to protect against unequal treatment based on the following: Ethnicity, national origin, age or disability Sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression Pregnancy and pregnancy outcomes Reproductive healthcare and auton…
Pascack Valley, NJ
News
Hateful Images, Messages Sent To Westwood Regional Students Probed By Cyber Crime Detectives
An underage saboteur used the online account of a Westwood Regional High School student to email hateful messages to most of the victim’s classmates – among them, an image of a Ku Klux Klansman accompanied by an anti-Semitic caption, authorities said. The Bergen County Prosecutor’s Cyber Crimes Unit and Washington Township police are investigating the bias incident, which district officials traced to a “non-district minor’s” IP address, Schools Supt. Jill Mortimer wrote in a message to parents and staff members. “Please know this was not a breach of our network or system,” Mortimer emphasiz…
Yonkers, NY
Business
'I Acted Out My Compulsive Behaviors': Popular NY Meteorologist Speaks Out After Firing
Popular New York City meteorologist Erick Adame is speaking out after being fired for appearing on an adult webcam site. In an Instagram post Tuesday, Sept. 20, the 36-year-old Adame confirmed that he had been terminated by Spectrum NY1, where he had worked since 2007, after videos of him were leaked to the public. “Despite being a public figure and being on television in the biggest market in the country in front of millions of people five days a week for more than a decade and a half, I secretly appeared on an adult webcam website,” Adame said. “On this site, I acted out my compulsive …
Westminster, MD
News
Maryland Man Charged With Bias-Motivated Assaults, Posing As Police In DC Park: DOJ
A Maryland man who posed as a police officer is facing multiple charges for allegedly assaulting multiple men in bias-motivated attacks due to their sexual orientation, federal officials announced. Michael Thomas Pruden, 48, was arrested and charged for several assaults at a popular Washington, DC park, several of which were due to his victims’ perceived sexual orientation, according to the US Attorney’s Office. Specifically, Pruden was charged by a federal grand jury of: Five counts of assault on federal land; Impersonating a federal officer; Hate crimes sentencing enhancement alleging …
Jersey City, NJ
News
Bayonne Dry Cleaner Owner Sexually Discriminated Against Lesbian Worker, State Says
The owner of a Bayonne dry cleaners discriminated against a lesbian employee by mocking her in front of workers and customers, state authorities said Tuesday. The counter worker quit her job at Professional Touch Dry Cleaning & Apparel Repairs after two years because the owner “subjected her to a hostile working environment by openly disclosing, discussing, and deriding her sexual orientation,” state Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal said. Throughout her employment there, the owner – whom Grewal didn’t identify by name – “repeatedly made discriminatory comments about the fact that she i…
Massapequa, NY
News
Long Island Man Indicted In Connection With Shootings Of Businesses, Residence
A Long Island man has been indicted in connection with five shootings throughout Suffolk County as well as the alleged harassment of several victims via telephone and social media. District Attorney Timothy D. Sini announced on Friday, April 16, that Christopher Keller, age 36, of Manorville, was an "alleged menace who has terrorized a number of individuals in our community based on his perception of their religion and their sexual orientation." An investigation into a series of five shootings led investigators to Keller. A subsequent investigation revealed evidenc…
