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This is A SAd Story!!!! And Makes Me Piss!
Allentown, Pennsylvania -- A federal jury cleared three small-town police officers Wednesday of allegations that they violated a teen's constitutional right to privacy by threatening to disclose that the teen was gay, causing him to commit suicide.
The American Civil Liberties Union and volunteer attorney David Rudovsky represented Madonna Sterling, the teen's mother, in the federal lawsuit and called the verdict a "heartbreaking injustice" in a statement released from James Esseks, Litigation Director of the ACLU's Lesbian & Gay Rights Project, which follows:
"More than four years ago, these officers threatened to tell Marcus Wayman's family that he was gay. He was released by the police at around midnight. Sometime before 6 a.m., he put a revolver to his face and fired. He missed, and fired again, killing himself.
"In the suicide note read in court this week, he said, 'I'm sorry grandpa, I found my future ... I won't let everyone's life be ruined by mine.'
"We will never know what would have become of Marcus Wayman. We can never begin to understand his mother's grief. Somehow, she found the extraordinary courage to come forward to hold these officers accountable.
"A year ago this week, Mrs. Sterling's lawsuit secured a landmark appeals court decision on the right to privacy for lesbians and gay men. That new precedent is already helping countless teens nationwide, and it will continue to. This week, we sought justice for Mrs. Sterling and her son.
"Tonight the officers were cleared of all charges. This is a heartbreaking injustice. Public officials have a duty to protect and serve everyone, including lesbians and gay men. Rather than 'first do no harm,' these officers directly contributed to a young man's death.
"Sometimes we win cases; sometimes we don't. Rarely is the pain of losing as profound as it is tonight. We grieve all over again for Marcus Wayman, for his mother and for gay people across America. Related Stories from the GayToday Archive:
'Teen Suicide' Trial Underscores Blaming of Police
Savage Attack on Moroccan Teen Mistaken for Lesbian
Teen Gets Anti-Gay Slur Carved into Stomach
Related Sites:
American Civil Liberties Union
ACLU's Rural Gay Program
GayToday does not endorse related sites.
"For so many people who share in this loss and wonder what can be done: Get involved to help gay youth. Volunteer with an LGBT youth group. Give your skills, your time or your money to groups that help families and youth understand sexual orientation. Help get schools, police stations and others to conduct training on handling anti-gay harassment. Let that, not a misguided jury verdict, be the legacy of this family."
Marcus' Story
Marcus and a teen friend were coming from a high school football party in 1997 when they pulled into a parking lot to turn around their car. Minersville, PA (pop. 5,000) police immediately followed the boys into the lot and stopped them.
After a pat-down of the teens, police found that Marcus’ friend was carrying two condoms in his shirt pocket.
Police immediately separated and questioned the boys about there previous whereabouts and their intentions in the empty parking lot.
The responding officer, Scott Willinsky (who still is an officer in Minersville), concluded, after separating the teens (repeatedly questioning them for about 30 minutes), that Marcus and his friend had stopped to engage in sexual activities … based on the fact that they we’re in possession of condoms.
Minersville police, specifically Willinsky, called the boys “queers”, quoted biblical passages and took them into custody for an expired vehicle registration.
Willinsky proceeded with more questions regarding homosexual activity, while the boys emphatically denied such allegations.
Regardless of the teen’s answers, Willinsky concluded, without reason or cause, that the boys were gay. Further, he threatened to out both teens to the rural community, friends and families if they would not out themselves willingly as homosexuals.
Marcus went home … contemplating the issues and impact this would have on his reputation and family … depressed and isolated.
Six hours later, Marcus committed suicide. For More Infor On This Story Check Out.http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=billandkent.com/articles/marcuswayman/marcuswayman.jpg&imgrefurl=http://billandkent.com/articles/marcuswayman/index.shtm&h=133&w=107&sz=16&tbnid=2fK__Twj7uMJ:&tbnh=85&tbnw=69&prev=/images%3Fq%3DPicture%2Bof%2BMarcus%2BWayman%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26ie%3DUTF-8%26sa%3DN
Allentown, Pennsylvania -- A federal jury cleared three small-town police officers Wednesday of allegations that they violated a teen's constitutional right to privacy by threatening to disclose that the teen was gay, causing him to commit suicide.
The American Civil Liberties Union and volunteer attorney David Rudovsky represented Madonna Sterling, the teen's mother, in the federal lawsuit and called the verdict a "heartbreaking injustice" in a statement released from James Esseks, Litigation Director of the ACLU's Lesbian & Gay Rights Project, which follows:
"More than four years ago, these officers threatened to tell Marcus Wayman's family that he was gay. He was released by the police at around midnight. Sometime before 6 a.m., he put a revolver to his face and fired. He missed, and fired again, killing himself.
"In the suicide note read in court this week, he said, 'I'm sorry grandpa, I found my future ... I won't let everyone's life be ruined by mine.'
"We will never know what would have become of Marcus Wayman. We can never begin to understand his mother's grief. Somehow, she found the extraordinary courage to come forward to hold these officers accountable.
"A year ago this week, Mrs. Sterling's lawsuit secured a landmark appeals court decision on the right to privacy for lesbians and gay men. That new precedent is already helping countless teens nationwide, and it will continue to. This week, we sought justice for Mrs. Sterling and her son.
"Tonight the officers were cleared of all charges. This is a heartbreaking injustice. Public officials have a duty to protect and serve everyone, including lesbians and gay men. Rather than 'first do no harm,' these officers directly contributed to a young man's death.
"Sometimes we win cases; sometimes we don't. Rarely is the pain of losing as profound as it is tonight. We grieve all over again for Marcus Wayman, for his mother and for gay people across America. Related Stories from the GayToday Archive:
'Teen Suicide' Trial Underscores Blaming of Police
Savage Attack on Moroccan Teen Mistaken for Lesbian
Teen Gets Anti-Gay Slur Carved into Stomach
Related Sites:
American Civil Liberties Union
ACLU's Rural Gay Program
GayToday does not endorse related sites.
"For so many people who share in this loss and wonder what can be done: Get involved to help gay youth. Volunteer with an LGBT youth group. Give your skills, your time or your money to groups that help families and youth understand sexual orientation. Help get schools, police stations and others to conduct training on handling anti-gay harassment. Let that, not a misguided jury verdict, be the legacy of this family."
Marcus' Story
Marcus and a teen friend were coming from a high school football party in 1997 when they pulled into a parking lot to turn around their car. Minersville, PA (pop. 5,000) police immediately followed the boys into the lot and stopped them.
After a pat-down of the teens, police found that Marcus’ friend was carrying two condoms in his shirt pocket.
Police immediately separated and questioned the boys about there previous whereabouts and their intentions in the empty parking lot.
The responding officer, Scott Willinsky (who still is an officer in Minersville), concluded, after separating the teens (repeatedly questioning them for about 30 minutes), that Marcus and his friend had stopped to engage in sexual activities … based on the fact that they we’re in possession of condoms.
Minersville police, specifically Willinsky, called the boys “queers”, quoted biblical passages and took them into custody for an expired vehicle registration.
Willinsky proceeded with more questions regarding homosexual activity, while the boys emphatically denied such allegations.
Regardless of the teen’s answers, Willinsky concluded, without reason or cause, that the boys were gay. Further, he threatened to out both teens to the rural community, friends and families if they would not out themselves willingly as homosexuals.
Marcus went home … contemplating the issues and impact this would have on his reputation and family … depressed and isolated.
Six hours later, Marcus committed suicide. For More Infor On This Story Check Out.http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=billandkent.com/articles/marcuswayman/marcuswayman.jpg&imgrefurl=http://billandkent.com/articles/marcuswayman/index.shtm&h=133&w=107&sz=16&tbnid=2fK__Twj7uMJ:&tbnh=85&tbnw=69&prev=/images%3Fq%3DPicture%2Bof%2BMarcus%2BWayman%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26ie%3DUTF-8%26sa%3DN
