Jay Abt, the lawyer who wanted to “extend the olive branch to the LGBT community” on behalf of his accused gay-basher client, Dorian Moragne (right), is now claiming Moragne did not yell any gay slurs at the victim, Brandon White.
It seems that every week brings a new twist in this case—last time, unnamed sources said White knew his three attackers and threatened to out them. Could the unnamed source in this story be none other than Abt?
“It appears from watching the video that the person yelling the homosexual slurs is someone who is not in the
actual video, someone who is not being filmed,” Abt told the AP. “Brandon White has said that, the three individuals who were charged—he had never met them before and that’s just simply not true.”
But even if White knew his attackers—and even if he threatened to out them—does it matter? Or does it not count as a hate crime if you attack someone for threatening to expose your secret—that you’re a closeted, self-loathing gay person?
Source: AP via Edge Media. Photo via Atlanta Police Dept.
OHreally
I’m not defending the assault, but if the outing aspect is true then shame on you. We do not know the circumstances of every closet case. Are there safety/security issues with coming out? Please do not project reasons (i.e. self-loathing) for staying closeted. Proclamations handed down from the gay Ivory Tower do not alter the reality for everyone. Your arrogance on the outing smacks of smug. With that he should still get locked up for this beating whatever the motivation.
CBRad
I don’t know what to think about this case. But…is everybody in this Atlanta crowd, on both sides, a dysfunctional mess…or what?