Anthony Fortunato will go to prison for his role in Michael Sandy's 2006 death.

Fortunato and his friends lured Sandy to a Brooklyn highway and attacked him. Fearing for his life, Sandy ran into traffic, where a thoughtless - and unidentified - vehicle hit the 29-year old. He died a few days later.

The jury apparently had a tough time deciding what to do with Fortunato, who came out during the trial. Eric Zaccar, the 46-year old jury foreman, said, I'm never going to feel good about this. Not one person on that jury believed that it was a hate crime." Zaccar and his peers convicted Fortunato of manslaughter as a hate crime.
The twelve men and women evidently struggled with Fortunato's verdict, particularly the hateful aspect: "…No one felt he had any hatred or animosity toward homosexuals… No one thought he was a bad kid."

Fortunato will be sentenced next month.

• Rosie O'Donnell didn't have much to say about Britney Spears' baby drama. A confused looking Roseanne Barr, meanwhile, plans to give the pop tart a call, "I think she needs a mother. She needs help".

• GLAAD takes on NY Post, again:

The Post's Oct. 4 edition contained a Page Six item about an upcoming dating show on Fox Reality Channel (also a News Corporation property) called There’s Something About Miriam. The item referred to Miriam, a transgender woman from Mexico, using the slur “she-male.”
…
GLAAD contacted Page Six editor Richard Johnson this morning to discuss the description of Miriam. His e-mailed response read, “You're kidding me, aren't you? I would have used ‘chick with a dick’ but we're as [sic] family newspaper.”

Yeah, right.

CONTINUED »

Prosecutors grilled accused killer Anthony Fortunato yesterday. Fortunato and his chums John Fox and Ilya Shurov are on trial for their role in Michael Sandy's death last year.

The boys allegedly used the internet to lure Sandy to the Beltway Parkway, where the attempted to rob him. Fearing for his life, 29-year old Sandy ran into traffic, where an unidentified car hit him. He died less than a week later.

Fortunato's defense has relied on his reported homosexuality, which they hope will clear hate crime charges. Just yesterday we heard from a number of his gay tricks. Fortunato certainly wasn't feeling gay when Prosecutor's asked him to confirm his involvement in Sandy's death. Anna-Sigga Nicolazzi pushed, "And you were lucky enough to have Mr. Sandy come back online and make a sexual overture?".

"There was nothing lucky about it," replied Fortunato.

Nicolazzi snapped, "That's clear".

CONTINUED »

A Brooklyn jury got an earful yesterday as Anthony Fortunato finally took the stand in the ongoing Michael Sandy murder trial.

Fortunato and two of his friends - John Fox and Ilya Shurov - stand accused of luring Sandy to a Beltway Parkway, attempting to rob him and administering a beating that led to Sandy's death. All three men face hate crime charges.

Fortunato's lawyer, however, contends that the 21-year old wasn't motivated by hate, but by lust. Fortunato's alleged homosexuality came up earlier in the trial, but got hung out during yesterday's proceedings. When asked to describe his sexuality, Fortunato told the court, I don’t know. I could be homosexual. A homosexual. Bisexual.” He went on to say, "I was living two complete double lives.”

CONTINUED »