Did Atlanta Gay Beating Victim Brandon
White Lie, OR did he tell the truth?
Members of Change Atlanta, a gay rights organization,
report Brandon White is a lier and got the ass whipping of a life time cause he
was trying to expose all his DL friends.
White is the 20-year old Atlanta man who was beaten by three men outside a neighborhood store in Atlanta’s Pittsburgh community on Feb. 4. While the men were beating White, they yelled gay slurs at him.
White is the 20-year old Atlanta man who was beaten by three men outside a neighborhood store in Atlanta’s Pittsburgh community on Feb. 4. While the men were beating White, they yelled gay slurs at him.
CBSATL reports Devin Ward was among the first in the
community to speak out against the beating. Ward said he supported White when he
first saw the beating video on TV. He thought the three men beat White because
he is gay. But Ward said now he doesn’t believe that’s the case.
“If indeed this is shown to be truthful in that Brandon did have prior interaction with these young men, Brandon needs to come forward and make his wrong wright,” Ward said.
“If indeed this is shown to be truthful in that Brandon did have prior interaction with these young men, Brandon needs to come forward and make his wrong wright,” Ward said.
Terik Jackson is also with Change Atlanta.
“In the beginning we thought this was a random attack because Brandon was gay, because of his sexual orientation. The video did depict that there were some slurs that were used,” Jackson said.
When White spoke publicly for the first time after the beating, he told reporters he did not know his attackers.
“I have never seen those guys before. I go to that store plenty times. I don’t bother anybody I don’t talk to anybody. No, I have never seen those guys before,” White said.
“In the beginning we thought this was a random attack because Brandon was gay, because of his sexual orientation. The video did depict that there were some slurs that were used,” Jackson said.
When White spoke publicly for the first time after the beating, he told reporters he did not know his attackers.
“I have never seen those guys before. I go to that store plenty times. I don’t bother anybody I don’t talk to anybody. No, I have never seen those guys before,” White said.
Several days after the attack, police arrested Dorian
Moragne, Christopher Cain and Dareal Williams.
Gary Nichols said he and several other members of the
community searched for White’s attackers before they were arrested. Nichols said
when they interviewed witnesses and those in the Pittsburgh community who know
White and his alleged attackers, he found out new details about White’s prior
relationship with some of his attackers.
“I would tell the Atlanta community we were duped. We were all duped and it’s a shame. It’s a bitter shame,” Nichols said.
“I would tell the Atlanta community we were duped. We were all duped and it’s a shame. It’s a bitter shame,” Nichols said.
Nichols said the attack was not a hate crime. The
motivation was revenge.
“Brandon was agitating these young men about personally exposing them for being DL gay – on the down low possibly gay. The young men responded because they don’t want their families to know,” Nichols said.
“Brandon was agitating these young men about personally exposing them for being DL gay – on the down low possibly gay. The young men responded because they don’t want their families to know,” Nichols said.
Jackson said he spoke directly with one of the
suspects, Dorian Moragne, who also confirmed that they knew White.
“He was very clear about being sure that Brandon White in fact knew the other attackers in question,” Jackson said.
“He was very clear about being sure that Brandon White in fact knew the other attackers in question,” Jackson said.
Jackson and Nichols said the attack was centered around a video that’s supposed to be on White’s phone. The video of the attack shows one of the men grab White’s phone.
“It’s a video of somebody
performing a sexual act with one or a few of these young men,” Nichols
said.
“That’s why the cell phone was a
target. They didn’t just beat him up because he was gay,” Jackson
said.
Atlanta Police is still investigating the beating. A spokesman said
whether or not White knew his attackers will not affect their case. A crime was
still committed. The FBI is investigating as to whether or not a hate crime was
committed.
However, There seems to be new developments in the
case. Brandon White's attorney has slammed the allegations from gay "activists" who have accused the young man of lying about
knowing the three men who viciously attacked him and videotaped the beating.
Allegations surfaced late last week that the phone stored incriminating video
evidence to "out" gang members on the "down low".
Those stories are false,
White's attorney tells the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
"Brandon White did not know his
attackers," his attorney, Christine Koehler, told the Atlanta
Journal-Constitution. "The thought that we would watch a video that speaks for
itself, and somehow flip it so that the men that beat my client are somehow
victims of fraud is frustrating," she said. "Brandon stands by his assertion
that he doesn’t know these gentlemen. It’s irrelevant because they won’t be
prosecuted by a hate crime law that does not exist in
Georgia."
One of the "activists" who
accused White of lying is now backtracking, reports
The GA Voice.
Devin Barrington Ward, who also was quoted on CBS saying that
White should "come forward to right his wrong," said he was only responding to
information that CBS presented to Change Atlanta. "We merely commented on
information CBS brought to us. I guess that information came from Gary Nichols
who said that there was a prior relationship [between White and his attackers],"
Ward said in an interview.
Accusing Brandon White of lying based on a news
report? Meeting with the attackers' attorneys and family before an indictment or
trial? Dear Jesus…..what an advocacy group!
Koehler, who is Brandon’s attorney
however, has doubts about Change Atlanta's claims that it truly wants to help
White as well as the community find healing.
"The idea that our community,
or the community at large, will reconcile in front of cameras is either naive or
disingenuous. To me, this seems more and more like a race to get 15 minutes of
fame," she said.
She said she and White were not invited to the
community forum on Saturday, which will include Moragne's mother and defense
attorney, and they would not attend anyway.
"You don't call people liars
and then say you are trying to reconcile at the Rush Center," she
added.
"It is exceptionally reckless to
accuse someone of fraud without ever, ever talking to him," Koehler said.
She also said it was "brilliant strategy" by the defense attorneys to get the
gay community to turn its back on White.
"To get these so-called gay activists to
talk to a suspect's mother and to alienate Brandon White from the community is
brilliant," she said. "I am not going to stand by while Brandon is attacked
again."
Three suspects have been arrested in connection with
the assault. Seventeen-year-old Darael Damare Williams surrendered to
Pennsylvania authorities on Thursday. Nineteen-year-old Dorian Moragne
surrendered on Feb. 25. Eighteen-year-old Christopher Cain was arrested on
February 11.
All face charges of aggravated assault and robbery. Williams is
awaiting extradition from Pennsylvania.
The U.S. Attorney's Office in Atlanta and Federal
Bureau of Investigation have joined the case. The suspects may face federal hate
crimes charges because Georgia is one of only five states without a hate crimes
law.
NOW I’M SORRY Change Atlanta needs to be ASHAMED of
themselves. You take the word of some DUDE over the victim? And you wonder why
Black LGBT’S do NOT get heartfelt involved in the LGBTQ community with friends
like these??? And it’s a shame No major LGBT blog did not run this until a week
after it happen. Rod 2.0 which is an LGBTQ Blog that caters to The African
American LGBTQ community is the only that is staying on top of this.
And Change Atlanta doesn’t even have a website? All
you have is a facebook page? BTW which is https://www.facebook.com/ChangeAtlanta
you can get a damn blogspot site for FREE until you upgrade…NO EXCUSES
You'll
never get a dime from me. African Americans and everybody else for that matter
don’t desert this man he needs our support right now and for Justice to be
served! But as for the CHANGE Atlanta children????? Well......................
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