Jason Jones was a Sheriff’s deputy in Marion County, West Virginia, until he was swept up in a rather suspicious case of “he said, he said” earlier this year.
A former member of the military, Jones says he stayed in the closet after being hired as deputy because he was afraid of homophobia in the region, which sports a population of less than 57,000 people. (We don’t know anyone from Marion County, but we’re inclined to understand his concern.)
After a rather drunken St. Patrick’s Day celebration in March, Jones wound up going home with a 21-year-old male 911 dispatcher who had been flirting with him throughout the night. According to Jones, the men got into the dispatcher’s bed and started performing frisking each other. Things started to heat up until the 21-year-old panicked, said he had a girlfriend, and ran outside for a cigarette. The younger man then called a mutual friend, a female 911 dispatcher, who told Jones the 21-year-old was “freaking out” and came to pick Jones up.
The next day, when Jones went into work, his boss, Sheriff Joseph N. Carpenter, said the male 911 dispatcher had made allegations of “battery and inappropriate touching in a provoking nature.” Jones says he was basically forced to resign without being able to tell his side of the story because Carpenter “does not like gay people.” Jones claims that “nothing objectionable or forcible took place between the two men,” according to the Charleston Gazette.
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But Carpenter insists Jones resigned of his own volition and was trying to ignore the fact that he had been inappropriate by playing the gay card. He says Jones’ sexuality isn’t an issue with him—he has gay friends!—but that Jones is a fibber who can’t get his story straight.
Thus it seems like Jones, Carpenter and a pair of 911 dispatchers are in the eye of a maelstrom of finger-pointing which, even months after the alleged incident, they are still trying to hash out.
Hyhybt
Yet again regretting that there is no way to subscribe to a thread without posting.
Mr.BoPeep
I mean come on who here hasn’t made out with a 21y/o straight guy on St. Paddys day? The decent thing to do would have been to have him blow you at the Irish bar down the block from work (while his GF was throwing up in the next stall) instead of going to his house. Now you’re just a home wrecker trying to get freaky in their bed.
I mean really, that’s how people end up in other peoples fridges.
Joe
Don’t shit where you eat, Bubba. Dumb ass.
Jeff
I agree Joe, he gets what he deserves for hooking up with someone he works with even if it is indirectly as a 911 operator.
Dave Lara
I want pictures!
shannon
DUMB SHITS….NO “STRAIGHT” MAN WILL MAKE OUT WITH >>>YOU<<<………ANOTHER MAN!!!! HE IS BI/GAY! JEEZ…NO WONDER PEOPLE THINK SO LOW OF US….
Michael
In West Virginia, you can be legally fired from your job simply because your employer THINKS you’re gay.
Jason (not Jones)
Well, Queerty, you now know someone from Marion County, West Virginia! This story has its own complications and problems, but I think the inconsistent stories (from both Jones and Carpenter) raise the bigger issue of why these stories change. As Michael points out, it is legal to fire someone in West Virginia because of their sexual orientation—even if it is only suspected or assumed.
Either way, Jason Jones should settle this matter and run as fast and as hard as he can from that state
Satire
I went to college in Marion County. While living there and in Harrison County just down I-79, I was fired three times for being gay. That was 30+ years ago. Sad to see things have not changed much. PS to Jeff & Joe above, I stand in awe of your divine knowledge of how life works. What a perfect world in which you live. Seen any unicorns lately?