Man Invited Attack Because Of 'Gay' Appearance

[davidinalameda]

http://www.365gay.com/NewsContent/082903victimBash.htm

The lawyer for a man charged with stalking and harassing a gay man says the victim brought it on because of his behavior and clothing.

19 year old Michael Grisson is accused of following and yelling obscenities and threats at the victim, Jimmy L. Bryan, 18.

" wish it wasn't illegal to kill fags out of innocent fun," Grisson is alleged to have told Bryan.

Defense attorney Louis Walrath claims Grissom may have been provoked by Bryan's 'gay' appearance.

In court documents filed by Walrath, the attorney says a person who acts gay "invites these kind of remarks."

**What kind of bullshit is this?????**

[JitterbugPerfume]

1. what kind of BS is this???

the kind that makes decent people mad as hell


that's what kind of BS it is !!!!!

[arwalden]

21. The Same Bullshit "Logic" You Hear From Wife Beaters...

... You drove me to it. If you'd just shut up I wouldn't have to beat the shit out of you, honey. I love you, but you make me so mad sometimes.

-- Allen

[neuvocat]

The same as justifying rape.

See how she was dressed your honor? That's why I did it.

[TahitiNut]

29. It's obviously not bigotry.

It's obviously a problem with "fashion sense" and aesthetics. </sarcasm> :puke: Each day, in more and more ways, I feel like I'm living in 1930's Germany.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

2. It will be interesting to see what happens in this case

Seems to me many of Wyoming's citizens did NOT like the press the Shepard case got them. I will be interested to see if the defense is allowed to prejudice the case with this.

[Andy_Stephenson]

3. It is the kind of Bullshit

that it appears to be.

[lightbulb]

4. Imagine the opposite scenario

A case where a group of gay men accosted a straight man, and their defense attorney claimed that the man was inviting the attack for "acting straight."

[Mairead]

5. It's a lawyer doing his best for his scumbag client

I once asked an attorney friend about defences like this. She said they don't quite violate the ethical code, but they're only resorted to by (a) the stupid or (b) the desperate. Once upon a time, blatant appeals to prejudice like this worked, but these days they're a toss-up and could just as easily turn the jury and/or judge completely against the defendent.

So it's a fair bet that Lawyer Walrath has no better defence to offer: Grisson is guilty as hell.

[gratuitous]

9. Lawyers don't always have an easy job

And in my conversations with attorneys who used to work with the public defenders' office, there are times when they'll just allow their clients to pay out the rope that figuratively hangs them. In this instance, the attorney may be telling the court just what he heard from his client (who doesn't realize how bad it sounds), knowing that it will invite the court's or the jury's wrath.

[soleft]

22. What would your friend say about a defense in a rape case

that said the victim brought it on by wearing a sexy dress?

[Mairead]

33. Same thing: stupidity or desperation

[GOPisEvil]

6. That is the most repugnant, vile shit I've heard in a long time.

Louis Walrath is a walking pile of pig shit for even thinking of this, much less saying it.

Argh...

[David__77]

7. Lynchmob mentality...I hope Wyoming remembers Matthew Shepard.

I remember Matthew. Same bullshit defense for Nazi attacks. I know many people learned from that horrible murder. Especially in Wyoming.

[Caution]

8. The same bullshit used to justify date rape

She was dressed "slutty" She was coming on to me. She wanted it. Just another bullshit excuse in an attempt to convince that one person on the jury who might be a total scumbag to refuse to vote guilty.

[davidinalameda]

16. thank you!

I was thinking the exact same thing!

[atreides1]

10. But....

...isn't this just like the old defense of a rapist. "The lady provoked the attack by wearing sexy clothing and make-up"

I guess we can take it a step further, by his own words, anyone who thinks that defense lawyers are scum can threaten to assault them. And then defend themselves with the claim that they had been provoked by his appearance as a scum defense lawyer.

P.S. I have nothing against defense attorneys, one of my friends is a Public Defender.

[Darranar]

11. How DARE they?

Next theu're going to say that someone who attacks a black person was encouraged because the person was black, and make every African-American paint their skin.

Ignorant, intolerant fools.

[luckyluke]

12. Either the lawyer is stupid, or...

...he's really smart and knows his jury. I hope it's not the latter.

-ll

[KamaAina]

13. This just in: Iraqis invited attack because of "brown" appearance

</sarcasm>

It's the same kind of logic* whether it's coming from a creepy lawyer in Wyoming or from the creep in Al Gore's house.

[0rganism]

14. Try this one: Iraqis invited attack because of "oily" appearance

More meme-ish, whatever that is.

[Walt Starr]

15. Wyoming, makes sense, most reichwing state in the union

The politics in that state are just slightly to the right of Ghengis Khan.

I got my Pagan ass outta there in '97, for good!

[veganwitch]

17. there have been three murders...

of transgender women in DC in the past few months.

and in the latest one, the media is trying to make it seem like it was her fault because money for sex was involved. her murderer discovered she was biologically male and killed her.

yep. bulldykes, trans, drag kings and queens. we "do it to ourselves."

i hate people.

[veganwitch]

18. there have been three murders

of transgender women in DC in the past few months.

and in the latest one, the media is trying to make it seem like it was her fault because money for sex was involved. her murderer discovered she was biologically male and killed her.

yep. bulldykes, trans, drag kings and queens. we "do it to ourselves."

i hate people.

[veganwitch]

19. sorry for the dupe..

computer is apparently being stupid

[Cheswick2.0]

20. ugh

This makes me sick. Who raises these creeps?

[frustrated_lefty]

23. Does this mean

Bush* invites being caged in a research facility because he so closely resembles a chimp?

[baldguy]

28. He would be worthless for research.

Years of alcohol abuse, ya know. Come to think of it, he's pretty much worthless for anything else.

[donco6]

24. This is a defacto hate crime, IMO.

The guy was attacked because he "acted gay."

The purpose of hate crime legislation is to dissuade people from persecuting others simply because they are members of a particular persuasion.

Wonder if they went for that in the prosecution?

[Occulus]

26. I think

Wyoming voted down their hate crimes law, and this after that tragic crucifixion-style murder.

I can't think of an appropriate cussword. English doesn't have one.

[Iverson]

25. Well, when we have a bully culture ...

... then I guess it's a predictable kind of bullshit.

[Mari333]

30. Bullies INDEED

the kind of culture that raises our kids to NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY for themselves..and a government that represents that to our young people..dont like someone? beat them up...get even, get mad, push people around, shoot them, etc etc etc
Immature adults who lash out without thinking, and work from ignorance and illiteracy..scapegoating everyone they percieve as an "enemy" ..
everytime I hear a preacher like John Hagee stand on TV and rail against the evil of gay folks, I see another hate crime in the making, everytime I see the Bush admin pass the buck and lie I see a hate crime in the making, because these behaviours become justified in people's minds, from the top down. When people dont look in the mirror, and accept responsibility for themselves, and their own actions, and admit they were wrong, and when parents continue to bail them out, or society enables their own supposed leaders by bailing them out, we have a nation of bullies and thugs...'
Its barbaric, and increasingly hostile to live here if one is a person of peace.

[PartyPooper]

27. Maybe Jesus will return soon. He needs to set the record straight.

I am so sick of the homophobes beating up on gays!

No wonder this gay man (me!) was driven away from the church! Can you blame me?

:-(

[snippy]

31. How very republican.

[bleedingheart]

32. This kind of bull is why I fear for my brother and his partner

why can't people leave people alone?