Looks like the other shoe is dropping on June 28’s Rainbow Lounge raid in Ft. Worth. A 32-page report from the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission, which joined the Ft. Worth Police Department in raiding the bar for allegedly “overserving,” fingers two agents and their sergeant for 19 policy violations. The report backs up previous statements of wrongdoing. The biggest missteps? Agents Christopher Aller and Jason Chapman “failed to get approval for the operation from their supervisor; wore improper attire and violated other established procedures during the raid; failed to later report their use of force in Gibson’s arrest; and failed to report the injuries sustained by [Chad] Gibson.” The agents now have five days to file written responses — and lip-sync for their lives.
MORE:
Jon Nelson, one of the founders of Fairness Fort Worth, the LGBT group that was formed in the wake of the raid, said he was pleased with Thursday’s report from TABC.
“I think it’s a step in the right direction, and I think the TABC has done a very good job on this portion of it,” Nelson said. “I think they did a thorough job on this and made the correct findings.
Nelson noted that the Fort Worth police are conducting two of their own internal investigations into the raid. And the Fort Worth City Council has requested that the U.S. Attorney’s Office conduct an independent investigation.
“It’s a first step,” Nelson said of Thursday’s report from TABC. “I think it’s a significant step, but it is just a step.”
terrwill
Of course they were out of uniform!!!!!! As a public service to those agents here is a shopping suggestion for them to check out for help in securing the proper attire they should be wearing while conducting such raid, try “Nazi Uniforms R US” I am sure they will find something that fits………………………….
In No Mood to Forgive
Good news/bad news.
The good news is that the TABC internal report seems to have appropriately faulted the idiot cowboy cop lead agent for numerous policy violations. Will he be terminated? Will that agency be held liable for the brain injury suffered by Chad Gibson? I encourage people to read the account of what happened. You will read the accounts of two agents spinning and lying in an attempt to minimize their actions and cover up their motives. Both should be prosectued.
The bad news is that the FWPD internal investigation will NOT be completed by its mid-August target date. One has to ask if the FWPD will carefully review the TABC report and carefully tailor its account to minimize the liaiblity of the FWPD. Even more interestingly, the U.S. Attorney’s office in the region has refused to review the internal investigation, despite a request by the FW Mayor and the FW City Council, claiming that it (the U.S. Attorney’s office)lacks the authroity to do so. Is the U.S. Attorney’s office just giving the FWPD a great, big wink as if to say, “Your report can say whatever it wants to. We’re not going to be putting any heat on you after the fact.” Can the GLBT community expect the Obama administration to encourage the Justice Department to take a look at the case?
To anyone within the GLBT community who thinks that too much protest was made over the Rainbow Lounge Assaults–this strongly suggests that some of the hetero ‘powers that be’ will gladly, GLADLY, look the other way when the rougher-necked gay bashers among them get out of hand.
This ain’t over yet.
Get Smart
Ugh….! And what does Queerty lead with?
“The 5 Black Homo-Hop Artists You Need to Know About”
Becoming clearer and clearer that Queerty’s ‘editorship’ doesn’t have what it takes intellectually or testicularly to be a serious media agent for change for our community.
Their one-note symphony is to squeal about whatever perceived Obama slight du jour, and then show pictures of skin.
grimwig
Of all of the violations listed, why is dress code the one that makes the headline?