Gay Homeless Colorado Springs Residents Stabbed, Police Unsure Of Hate Crime Status

Colorado Springs' LGBT issues have seen more than their fare share of news lately. Newly elected Mayor Steve Bach made headlines when he first took office for refusing to endorse the city's gay-pride parade. Bach then caused a ruckus when he declinined to sign a resolution condemning the mid-July beating of five gay men in the city.

Now, The Gazette reports that police are not seeking to pursue hate-crime charges in the stabbing of two gay homeless men. The alleged stabbers, Randy Bishop and Cornelius Bates, were arrested Sunday. Geremiah Vargas and Marshall Hamilton-Parks, the homeless men, told police Bishop and Bates called them 'fag' and 'faggots' prior to stabbing them.

Colorado law currently applies hate-crime status if a crime is committed because of a person's race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, physical/mental disability, or sexual orientation. Senate Bill 11-004, introduced last year, attempted to add 'homeless status' to the list of bias-motivated crimes, though it currently has only progressed as far as the House Judiciary Committee.

Quick Poll

Should This Incident Qualify As A Hate Crime?

No -- The stabbing of these men is tragic, but there isn't enough evidence for a hate crime.

Yes -- Calling the victims 'faggots' prior to stabbing is more than enough evidence of a hate crime.

I can't decide!

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Comments

[Roy Rudy]

06:06 PM on 07/23/2011

Steven Bach may have contributed to the stabbings by the actions he as Mayor has taken toward Gay's and their rights. Colorado Springs may become the central home for ballot issues concerning same-sex recognitions, rights, and civil unions or marriages in Colorado and possibly set himself up as committing acts of discrimination while in office. Gay's have the same rights as do all of America's societies, whether or not choices are different than being gay or of another race or religion. The blood spilled may have already stained Steven Bach's hands for eternity. BTW, not all of us are gay, however our souls are all equal in God's eyes and face the same heavenly judgments on Judgment Day.

[chaapai]

12:05 PM on 07/22/2011

It's Colorado Springs: Stabbinagagay guy is just their way of saying: "WelcomeNowGetTheFuckOut!"

You know, like Amendment 2 and FocusFamily!

What was once a great city is now nothing more than a womb for FundieH8groups!

ReligionIsPoision and Cos is where they mix and bottle it!

[cmfrtblebbw]

10:57 AM on 07/22/2011

The elected WHOM took a side about a parade? Aren't all citizens being represented nowdays?

It seems complicated on the outside, but it's really not...everyone has the same rights, we all support everyone's rights to have rights...hold on...someone have a copy of The Constitution hanging around? I think I read something...All men are created with, wait a sec, it's here somewhere...something about Life, Liberty, Pursuit of Happiness....

[TeraWatt60]

10:13 AM on 07/22/2011

Colorado Springs is a notorious hub for Fundamentalist  proselytizing and so has it share of anti-gay bi.gots who of course are going to be very slow to do anything against anti-gay violence . The mayor is either a bi.got himself or is pandering to them. 

Remember, one of the reasons so many Fundie groups are HQ'd in that city is the AF Academy and they have made trouble for those who speak out against their attempts to essentially turn it into a "Crusader U"  by marginalizing all but fundamentalist cadets

[wanagiakicita]

11:27 AM on 07/22/2011

Yeah, but did you see Senator Franken give Mr. Focus on the Family a smack down in the Senate hearings yesterday? It was GREAT! He was coming out against same sex marrige of course and used a report from HHS and misrepresented the report altogether. Franken produced the report, told him he had read it and that he did NOT represent it truthfully. The guy from FoF got beet red in the face and had to admit Franken was right. Great bunch of liars an bigots at FoF!!! Way to go Senator Franken!

[OdinsEye]

01:18 AM on 07/22/2011

Based on what I am reading elsewhere, the police are considering a plain assault because while the attackers used anti-gay phrases during the attack, the motivation so far does not appear to be that the victims are gay, but rather because there had been some issues with the homeless in the area. Motivation will be the issue they use to decide if they will pursue hate crime charges or not. So unless they can show beyond reasonable doubt that the motivation was the se.xual orientation of the victims, it will probably remain a plain assault.

I'd like it if the attackers were charged with a hate crime, but the prosecutors are usually going to stick to what they are pretty sure they can prove.

[Jacques Steen]

03:47 PM on 07/21/2011

Adding Colorado to the "no visit" list of states that STINK.

[lunchstealer]

04:18 PM on 07/21/2011

If that's all it takes, you might want to instead just go ahead and list the states you're willing to visit. Gotta be a short list.

[Kaleb Steven]

04:35 PM on 07/21/2011

Good we don't want you to visit our horrible state. And if you could also tell everyone you know just how horrible CO is, that would be awesome.