Blake Hayes (pictured, top), the NYC radio entertainment reporter who was gay bashed in September, and blames the NYPD for doing all but nothing in investigating his attack, ended up with some major media attention. But better than that? It appears his alleged attacker might finally be brought to justice. He just happens to be an Air Force “hero” stationed in England.
Air Force Staff Sgt. Benjamin Ford (pictured, right), a bomb diffusion expert, received a Bronze Star. In September, however, he was on duty in New York when President Obama visited the United Nations, and that’s where he and two friends allegedly attack Hayes and others. So how’d he get tracked down? The News knows:
The Hate Crimes Task Force was assigned to the case and eventually identified Ford as the suspect and learned he was assigned to an Air Force base five hours outside London.
A NYPD Intelligence Division detective who is stationed in London drove to the base and interviewed Ford, who admitted he was at the scene but insisted his alleged victims started the fight, a source said.
Surveillance video, however, shows Ford attacking them, the source told the Daily News.
As for punishment, while Ford hasn’t been formally charged (um, why’s that again?), “the NYPD and Manhattan prosecutor’s office, after consulting the three gay victims, have agreed to let the U.S. military try Ford and dole out any punishment if he is found guilty in the attack.” Which means this could go two ways: The military could give him a slap on the wrist and hope the controversy goes away. Or, faced with what is now an international spectacle of alleged anti-gay violence at the hands of a military hero, they could use Ford to set an example, and punish him to the fullest extent of military law. Which is a bitch.
rf
Well, nothing says “I’m gay” like being so insecure about your own sexuality that you have to take it out on someone who is secure. DADT investigation…
Mike in Asheville
Lets see, you’re on leave and: you get caught sucking another guy’s cock, you get a dishonorable discharge, loss of pension and benefits, and kicked out of the military OR
you beat-up a couple of fags, and nothing happens? Good job NYPD and the new district attorney.
To the gay community in NYC, the last district attorney was in office since the Civil War; if you let him off the hook now, this story will be repeated into the next century.
Now it is incumbent on the LGBT community to make this an issue with NY’s senators! They have the ability to make calls to the DoD demanding that this criminal is not allowed to walk away from his crimes.
terrwill
@Mike in Asheville: Uhh making a plea to the chuckleheads who run the NY govt. with regards to anyting doing positive towards the Gays isn’t gonna do much for the cause………… :~{
TheAwfulTruth
It’s all DInk Flamingo’s fault.
Jude
Seems like kudos are in order for the Hate Crimes Task Force and the NYPD Intelligence Division for locating this perp.
I hope Queerty and other gay media keep up the coverage on this. I doubt that we can count on adequate coverage from the mainstream media.
Brian
The US military is going to try Ford.
If the military takes the attitude of their commander-in-chief, this guy has no worries.
FakeName
A bomb “diffusion” expert? I think the word you’re swatting at ineffectually is “defusing” since it’s doubtful the guy is an expert in dispersing bomb atoms into a medium.
edgyguy1426
I hope this rattles Ford so much he’ll snip the little red wire when he *really* should have snipped the little green wire all along… Boo-Yah… Ka Boom
Same Crap
You would think the civilian authorities would prosecute an attack on Congressman Aaron Schock. What’s this world coming to?
scott ny'er
“punish him to the fullest extent of military law”
So, what exactly would that be? Does he lose his pension? Get tossed out dishonorably? Get imprisoned? Ha. I foresee a slap on the wrist. But at least all the attention must’ve made this A-hole piss his pants a little.
And while I dislike the decrease in privacy due to cameras, in cases like this, having big brother watching everywhere, it is a blessing.
scott ny'er
@Jude: I actually heard about this situation on my radio news. Which is affiliated with CBS. WCBS 88 (they have a web site, of course). It’s one of 2 major radio news stations.
So it made NYC radio news.
And yeah, I guess thanks are in order, of course, it’s only after this became a huge deal, did the police take this seriously.
Henry Holland
The best part of this (from Towleroad):
“Bell and his pals returned fire by making fun of the suspect’s baldness, cops said”.
Oh snap! Girlfriend got dissed about his male-pattern baldness and went in to beatdown mode. Image how bad this would have been if they’d made fun of his small penis.
Dave
Don’t service members and veterans get free meds?
He should try Propecia.
Malk
Bwha-huhbbuh-WHA?
The civillian police force of the city of New York, USA has… an “intelligence” division? Which possesses offices in FOREIGN COUNTRIES?
What’s next? secret Postal Service death squads?
jhd
Yes, it does, because the federal government does jack shit to protect NY from foreign threats….
B Damion
Jesus christ on on cracker…gay bashing is soooooo 20 years ago. I mean come on this shit is getting really old. Gay people are all over the world deal with it. I can’t belive how lightly the goverment is still taking this type of abuse. People who do this shit should get locked away in a hole for years.
Tom in Lazybrook
Its the Air Force. I’m a bit doubtful that they will do anything to him.
alan brickman
he has issues..but the military is also at fault over this…
purf
Certainly the “hero” needs therapy, or a vacation, or his ass needs to be canned from the military.
purf
Blake : so cute.
Bayonet
Blake: Gayface flamer. Are there any gay guys, except for us muscleboys, who are straight looking or acting! damm!
jimmy
@Bayonet – Did it make you feel like a man to bash him again on Queerty?
Asshole.
Bayonet
@no.22 Jimmy.
Fuck u Jimmy.
James UK
@Bayonet:
Maybe “Blake:Gayface flamer” wanted to to be hit?
Maybe he wanted his face re-arranging so he could be more straight looking?
Maybe this was all part of Blake:Gayface flamer’s masterplan? So he could be straight looking enough to join the line that starts one step behind you, stretches down the street, round the block, all the way to Kansas and then out to somewhere over the rainbow?
Oh, wait. Turns out Blake:Gayface flamer was hurt in that gay bashing. But not brain damaged.
Don’t you just love real men?
@jimmy:
Right sentiment, wrong word.
Shit is more accurate.
Bayonet
@no.24 James UK
go crawl back under ur rock.
Me
While it is ocmpletely wrong what he did and there is no excuse for it, he is still someone who has put his life on the line to fight for our freedom that we have today. Our freedom which allows us to put these types of comments on the internet. While he should no doubt have some sort of punishment, his sacrifices, medals and rank should not be negated nor diminished.
And really, you couldn’t come up with anything better than his balding head? This is someone who protects your freedom as well or did you forget? He should certainly be punished as I said, but to make an example out of him or to diminish his sacrifices is taking it a bit too far.
Rob Moore
@Me: I don’t understand your reasoning. Are you saying he should be given a pass for doing something that would get a civilian tossed into gaol? He should just be given a piece of someone’s mind and sent back to work as usual?