A California man was sentenced to death on Thursday for the killing of a young boy who prosecutors said was tortured because he believed the child was gay, and the boy’s mother was sentenced to life in prison. Los Angeles County state court Judge George Lomeli sentenced 37-year-old Isauro Aguirre after he was convicted late last year of first-degree murder in the death of 8-year-old Gabriel Fernandez.
The child’s mother, Pearl Sinthia Fernandez, 34, pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in February and was sentenced on Thursday to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Aguirre was Fernandez’ boyfriend. Gabriel died in May of 2013 in the working class high desert community of Palmdale, north of Los Angeles. Prosecutors said the boy’s skull was fractured, 12 of his ribs were broken, he was forced to eat cat feces, and that he slept, bound and gagged, in a cabinet.
That doesn’t even begin to describe the tortures that this child endured. His body was riddled with BB pellets, and I won’t even go into more detail because it’s just horrifying.
Last I heard, social workers that were involved in the case might also be up for charges, as there were, IIRC, dozens (over 50?) calls made by people who were concerned with Gabriel’s well-being, and nothing was ever done to help him.
Transgender woman Islan Nettles, 21, died of her injuries yesterday after a savage LGBT hate crime by a man shouting homophobic slurs and beating her mercilessly when he realized that Islan was transgender in Harlem on Saturday night.
Islan Nettles, 21, was taken off life support at Harlem Hospital after she was declared brain dead from injuries she suffered in the attack, cops said. She had been clinging to life since being rushed to the hospital late Saturday night, police said.
Nettles was out with several other transgender women at 11 p.m. Saturday when she ran across a group of men near West 148th Street and Eighth Avenue — directly across from the housing bureau’s Police Service Area 6 precinct.
When the man realized that Nettles and her friends were transgender, they began throwing punches and yelling homophobic slurs, cops said.
A 20-year-old man, whose identity was not immediately released, was arrested in connection with the attack, police said. But he was initially charged with misdemeanor assault, (WTF?) The NYPD has said they expected to upgrade the charges on Friday.
Islan had planned to work in the fashion industry, and had worked as an intern at Harlem design house Ay’ Medici.
“Fashion became a definite decision for my life after my first show with my hand designed garments in high school at the 11th grade,” she once wrote.
Last month we reported on the heart wrenching story Cincinnati, Ohio gay couple, John Arthur and Jim Obergefell following the Supreme Court’s historic overturning of section 3 of DOMA made a difficult journey to Maryland to be married. John suffers from ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease a terminal illness and is in constant pain. Jim is his primary caregiver. But despite the fact that John was unable to travel easily the couple persevered with the help of donations from family members and others, the couple was able to charter a plane that cost $12,700 to fly to Maryland where they wed on the Tarmac before immediately turning around to go home..
Upon returning to Ohio, which has one of the strictest state DOMA’s on record the couple filed a federal suit against the state of Ohio challenging that state’s ban on same-sex marriage, stating that the way the law treats marriages between opposite-sex couples is unfairly different from the way it treats marriages between same-sex couples.
Jim Obergefell said in a release. “When (John Arthur) dies, his death certificate should reflect our marriage just like the records of all the other married couples in Ohio.“
Judge Timothy S. Black issued a temporary restraining order against the State of Ohio ORDERING County Celrks not to accept for recording a death certificate for John Arthur that does not record Mr. Arthur’s status at death as “married” and James Obergefell as his”surviving spouse.” if James passes away before the case is heard.
Yesterday Judge Black extended his previous order, which was set to expire in less than a week, until Dec. 31, which will protect John Arthur and James Obergefell’s marriage as their lawsuit against state and local authorities proceeds and scheduled oral arguments in the case for Dec. 18 and will decide after that whether to issue a permanent order against the state to recognize the couple’s marriage
Cincinnati, Ohio couple, John Arthur and Jim Obergefell have gone through so much to prove their love for each other in the past 29 years. And now they are going to go even further prove it again.
Following the Supreme Court’s historic overturning of section 3 of DOMA, John and Jim made a difficult journey to Maryland to be married. John suffers from ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease a terminal illness and is in constant pain. He has been unable to leave the couple’s home since March. Jim is his primary caregiver. But despite the fact that John was unable to travel easily the couple persevered with the help of donations from family members and others, the couple was able to charter a plane that cost $12,700 to fly to Maryland where they wed on the Tarmac before immediately turning around to go home..
The couple is now going even further to prove their love and has filed a federal suit against the state of Ohio challenging that state’s ban on same-sex marriage,
“The suit, filed by the couple, states the way the law treats marriages between opposite-sex couples is unfairly different from the way it treats marriages between same-sex couples.
‘It’s blatant discrimination,’ said the couple’s attorney Al Gerhardstein. ‘It’s a denial of equal protection.’ The suit points to an example of a marriage between first cousins. In Ohio, it is illegal. But if first cousins go to another state and marry where it is legal, Ohio will recognize their out of state marriage as valid. ‘Equal protection demands that opposite-sex couples and same-sex couples should be treated the same,’ Gerhardstein said in a release. ‘John and James were validly married in Maryland. If they were an opposite sex couple, Ohio would recognize their marriage. Being a same-sex couple is no longer a good enough reason to deny them equal rights.'”
Jim stressed the role that John’s disease played in deciding to file the suit:
“We want nothing more than for our marriage to count in the place we call home,” Obergefell said in a release. “When (John Arthur) dies, his death certificate should reflect our marriage just like the records of all the other married couples in Ohio.“
The case, once heard, will come before United States District Court Judge Timothy Black in Cincinnati, the couple’s hometown
UPDATE– Judge Timothy S. Black has issues a temporary restraining order against the State of Ohio in the matter in the case of the untimely passing of John Arthur before the case is heard and decided finding for John Arthur and Jim Obergefell.
ORDER GRANTING PLAINTIFFS’ MOTION FORA TEMPORARY RESTRAINING ORDER
This is not a complicated case. The issue is whether the State of Ohio can discriminate against same sex marriages lawfully solemnized out of state, when Ohio law has historically and unambiguously provided that the validity of a marriage is determined by whether it complies with the law of the jurisdiction where it was celebrated.Throughout Ohio’s history, Ohio law has been clear: a marriage solemnized outside of Ohio is valid in Ohio if it is valid where solemnized. Thus, for example,under Ohio law, out-of-state marriages between first cousins are recognized by Ohio,even though Ohio law does not authorize marriages between first cousins. Likewise,under Ohio law, out of state marriages of minors are recognized by Ohio, even though Ohio law does not authorize marriages of minors.How then can Ohio, especially given the historical status of Ohio law, single out same sex marriages as ones it will not recognize? The short answer is that Ohio cannot at least not under the circumstances here. By treating lawful same sex marriages differently than it treats lawful opposite sex marriages (e.g., marriages of first cousins and marriages of minors), Ohio law, as applied to these Plaintiffs, likely violates the United States Constitution which guarantees that “No State shall make or enforce any law which shall … deny to any person within its jurisdiction equal protection of the laws.”The end result here and now is that the local Ohio Registrar of death certificates is here by ORDERED not to accept for recording a death certificate for John Arthur that does not record Mr. Arthur’s status at death as “married” and James Obergefell as hi s”surviving spouse.”
In addition to the alleged denial of Plaintiffs’ constitutional rights, the Court must also consider the fact that Mr. Arthur is in hospice care and death is imminent. Without a temporary restraining order, the official record of Mr. Arthur’s death, and the last official document recording his existence on earth, will incorrectly classify him as unmarried,despite his legal marriage to Mr. Obergefell. The death certificate will also incorrectly fail to record Mr. Obergefell as the “surviving spouse,” which status he lawfully enjoys.Furthermore, Mr. Arthur wants to be buried in his family plot at Spring Grove Cemetery.He also wants Mr. Obergefell to be buried next to him someday. The family plot directive limits those who may be interred in the plot to descendants and married spouses.Thus, without a temporary restraining order, Mr. Arthur’s burial may be delayed or his remains may have to be exhumed when this case is finally decided.
See Yankton SiouxTribe v. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
, 209 F. Supp. 2d 1008, 1022 (D.S.D. 2002)(disruption of human remains can be irreparable harm).Finally, the uncertainty around this issue during Mr. Arthur’s final illness is the cause of extreme emotional hardship to the couple. Dying with an incorrect death certificate that prohibits Mr. Arthur from being buried with dignity constitutes irreparable harm. Furthermore, Mr. Arthur’s harm is irreparable because his injury is present now,while he is alive. A later decision allowing an amendment to the death certificate cannot intermediate the harm to Mr. Arthur, as he will have passed away. Moreover, there is absolutely no evidence that the State of Ohio or its citizens will be harmed by the issuance of an order temporarily restraining the enforcement of these provisions against the Plaintiffs in this case. No one beyond Plaintiffs themselves will be affected by such a limited order at all. Without an injunction, however, the harm to Plaintiffs is severe. Plaintiffs are not currently accorded the same dignity and recognition as similarly situated opposite-sex couples. Moreover, upon Mr. Arthur’s death,Plaintiffs’ legally valid marriage will be incorrectly recorded in Ohio as not existing.Balanced against this severe and irreparable harm to Plaintiffs is the truth that there is no evidence in the record that the issuance of a preliminary injunction would cause substantial harm to the public.
Reddit user RegBarc posted this heartbreaking true story and letter from his father after coming out to him in 2007 and the ramifications of the words that anti-gay hate mongers and “loving christians” like Bryan Fischer, Tony Perkins and even Dan Cathy has caused in his life.
In August of 2007, I finally built up the courage to tell my father I was gay. The moment I said it, the phone got quiet and he got off the phone after a few “Okay”s. I decided to give him time to process the news. About a week later, and not long before my birthday, I received the following letter:
“James: This is a difficult but necessary letter to write. I hope your telephone call was not to receive my blessing for the degrading of your lifestyle. I have fond memories of our times together, but that is all in the past. Don’t expect any further conversations With me. No communications at all. I will not come to visit, nor do I want you in my house. You’ve made your choice though Wrong it may be. God did not intend for this unnatural lifestyle. If you choose not to attend my funeral, my friends and family will understand. Have a good birthday and good life. No present exchanges will be accepted. Goodbye, Dad.”
It’s important to know just what this zealotry from Bryan Fisher, Maggie Gallagher, Dan Cathy, et al., does to everyday people. I’ve never done drugs, was an excellent student, an obedient child (far less trouble than many of my classmates), didn’t drink until I was 22 because it terrified me, and have had just 1 speeding ticket in my life. Yet I am still seemingly deserving of this terrible act of hate and cowardice that one person can place on another. 5 years on and I am still doing fine, though this letter saunters into my mind every once in a while. When it does, I say without hesitation: F**k you, Dad.
What type of man would walk away from his little boy forever over something like this?
No REAL man at all.
Another disgusting example of so-called “Christian Love”!
Another innocent life fallen to hate, prejuide, and bigotry. When will this madness ever end?
After years of being bullied Jacob Rogers at senior at Cheatham County Central High School could stand it no longer.
He started coming home his senior year saying I don’t want to go back. Everyone is so mean. They call me a faggot, they call me gay, a queer,‘” friend Kaelynn Mooningham said.
Even aftre dropping out of school to get away from the torment of other students the bullying continued. On Wedensday Jacob could take it no longer and committed suicide.
Jacob lived with his grandmother who primarily took care of him. And before he left us Jacob made sure to leave notes left for her. In those notes Jacob left passwords to his email and his phone so that they could see the messages of hate that he endured so investigators could look into why he chose to kill himself.
And in the end the story gets even sadder.
Jacobs grandmother doesn’t have enough money to hold a proper funeral for this poor lost child
Donations for a funeral are being accepted at Sandman’s Ink Shop, a local tattoo shop in Ashland City. TN- 1102 N. Main Street, Ashland City, TN 37015 -(615) 792-0506
Joe My God , Towleroad, and Dan Savage at Seattle’s Stranger are also raising funds for Jacobs funeral. You can donate by CLICKING HERE
Truly saddening news comes from Long Island, NY today.
Pedro Jones a 20 year old man fatally beat a 17-month-old infant he was babysitting because the child was acting like a girl, and not like a boy.
From WPIX
“The suspect has been identified as Pedro Jones, 20, of South Hampton. He has been charged with first-degree manslaughter after allegedly hitting the boy ‘several times throughout his body with close fists’ and grabbed him by the neck, according to the felony complaint filed by police. Authorities say Jones also told them, ‘I was trying to make him act like a boy instead of a little girl. I never struck that kid that hard before.’ The infant, Roy A. Jones, was reportedly found in cardiac arrest and was rushed to Southampton Hospital where he died around 8:30 p.m.”
The poor little baby. This really tears me up.
Jones also added: “One mistake and I am going to do 20 years.”
Hopefully you sick bastard you will do life and have the shit beat out of him every day until the day he dies.
I swear I just have such a hard time even thinking about this.
Another innocent life fallen to hate, prejuide, and bigotry. When will this madness ever end?