3 ARREST IN THE CENTER CITY BEATING OF A GAY COUPLE BY YUPPIES!
Arrest warrants have been issued for three suburbanites in connection with an alleged assault on a gay couple earlier this month in Center City, prosecutors say.
The individuals to be charged are 24-year-old Philip Williams, 26-year-old Kevin Harrigan, and 24-year-old Katherine Knott, according to a news release from the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office. All three are from Bucks County.
The incident unfolded on the night of Sept. 11 near 16th and Chancellor streets. The victims say a group of at least a dozen men and women attacked them after hurling homophobic slurs.
The two men are recovering from their injuries. One of them had to have his jaw wired shut.
Prosecutors say the three suspects will be each charged with two counts of aggravated assault, two counts of simple assault, two counts of recklessly endangering another person, and one count of criminal conspiracy.
Once charged, the defendants will be arrested by police.
"I would like to thank the police for their thorough investigation and the public for the outpouring of information and tips in this case," District Attorney Seth Williams said in a statement. "This vicious attack shocked the entire country. An assault on people because of their sexual orientation has no place in Philadelphia."
Hours after police released surveillance video of potential suspects walking in the area, social media exploded with tips that helped police track down those individuals. A photo shared on Twitter of people apparently from that same group at a Center City restaurant led a Twitter user to check-ins on Facebook at the same establishment.
Soon after, police began holding interviews with some of those folks and their attorneys.
The attack has already cost one person his job at a Catholic high school in Bucks County. He was an assistant basketball coach at Archbishop Wood. The Archdiocese of Philadelphia said the coach resigned when confronted about the incident.
While many were calling it a "hate crime," the Philadelphia D.A.'s office says it will not be prosecuted as such because sexual orientation is not part of Pennsylvania's law.
There is already a movement to change that law, however.
Protesters rallied Tuesday in Harrisburg to push lawmakers to do so. State Sen. Larry Farnese is calling on lawmakers to pass legislation that would expand the state's "hate crime protection law" to include lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender citizens.
Also a Pennsylvania state lawmaker made it public that he’s gay while at a news conference with other Democrats to urge passage of legislation that adds sexual orientation and gender identity to the state’s hate crime law.
Tuesday’s announcement by Allegheny County Sen. Jim Ferlo makes him the first sitting Pennsylvania state senator who is openly gay, and the third state lawmaker.
Ferlo isn’t running again, and he’ll leave the Senate on Nov. 30 after 12 years. Ferlo also notes that he’s never denied being gay.
“I’m gay,” Ferlo said. “Get over it. I love it. It’s a great life.”
Ferlo made the remarks at the Capitol rally.
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