Florida Agenda

PORTLAND, TEXAS – The Texas Rangers and local police authorities released a sketch this week of the man suspected in the killing of Mollie Olgin, and the wounding of her girlfriend, Mary Kristene Chapa.

Olgin and Chapa were shot on June 22 in a local park. Olgin, 19, was pronounced dead at the scene. Chapa, 18, was shot in the head, and taken to a hospital in critical condition. Portland Police say that Chapa worked with a forensic artist to refine a sketch that was released earlier this month.

Officials say Chapa’s sight and speech have improved, and that she is helping them identify her shooter, and Olgin’s killer, who is described as a white man in his 20s, about 5’8”, weighing approximately 140 pounds, with brown hair, and an unkempt beard.

Investigators say there is no evidence at this point to suggest that the women’s relationship was a factor in the shooting.

IRVING, TEXAS – On Tuesday, the Boy Scouts of America reaffirmed its longstanding policy to exclude LGBT persons, setting off a firestorm of criticism directed at the 102-yearold organization. The decision of an 11-member special committee— which deliberated in secret for two years—upholding the ban means that BSA’s national executive board will take no further action with respect to the rule.

Jennifer Tyrrell, the gay mother who was forced to quit serving as her son’s Scout den leader, was in Dallas this week, where she delivered a 300,000-signature petition to the national headquarters of BSA. The petition, launched in April after Tyrrell’s unceremonious ouster, asked BSA to end their policy prohibiting gay scouts and scout leaders, and to reinstate her to her Scouting post.

Scouting officials cited support from parents across the country as a reason for upholding the exclusion policy. BSA national spokesman Deron Smith said that the ban “is absolutely the best policy” for Scouting. According to Smith, the decision of the committee—which was comprised of professional scout executives and adult volunteers— was unanimous.

It reaffirms a longstanding policy that was upheld in 2000 by the U.S. Supreme Court. LGBT rights groups expressed anger over the decision. “With the country moving toward inclusion, the leaders of the Boy Scouts of America have instead sent a message to young people that only some of them are valued,” said Chad Griffin, President of the Human Rights Campaign (HRC).

DALLAS, TX – An openly-gay Texas jurist refuses to perform legal marriages in her jurisdiction until same-sex marriage is legal for all Lone Star State citizens. Dallas County Judge Tonya Parker says to do otherwise would be “oxymoronic.” Parker, who was elected in 2010 and is the first lesbian to be elected as a county judge in Dallas, said at the Feb. 21 meeting of Stonewall Democrats of Dallas: “I use it as my opportunity to give them a lesson about marriage inequality in this state because I feel like I have to tell them why I’m turning them away.”

Parker said that when she is asked to perform a wedding ceremony, she is apologetic. “I’m sorry,” she tells couples. “I don’t perform marriage ceremonies because we are in a state that does not have marriage equality, and until it does, I am not going to partially apply the law to one group of people that doesn’t apply to another group of people.”

“It’s kind of oxymoronic for me to perform ceremonies that can’t be performed for me, so I’m not going to do it,” Parker added. “I do not perform [marriages] because it is not an equal application of the law. Period.” Parker said she passes marriage ceremonies on to other judges.

In a statement last week, Parker clarified her position and her responsibilities to her jurisdiction. “I faithfully and fully perform all of my duties as the Presiding Judge of the 116th Civil District Court, where it is my honor to serve the citizens of Dallas County and the parties who have matters before the Court,” she wrote. “Performing marriage ceremonies is not a duty that I have as the Presiding Judge of a civil district court. It is a right and privilege invested in me under the Family Code. I choose not to exercise it, as many other Judges do not exercise it. Because it is not part of our duties, some Judges even charge a fee to perform the ceremonies. I do not, and would never, impede any person’s right to get married.”

RENO, TX – Reno Police Chief Jeff W. Sugg announced in a two-sentence statement this morning that Daniel Martin, 33, and James “Tray” Mitchell Laster III, 31, have been arrested in the violent beating of 26-year-old Burke Burnett. Friends of Burnett, the gay man, say the savage attack was a hate crime.

Burnett ,  that in the early hours of Sunday morning he was stabbed at least twice with a broken beer bottle and thrown onto a fire at a private party by up to four men who yelled gay slurs during the attack.

Burnett needed more than 30 stitches to close stab wounds to his back and forearm, as well as a cut above his left eye from being sucker-punched at the start of the attack. He also suffered second-degree burns from being thrown onto a lit burn barrel.

Martin and Laster were arrested late Monday. Each is charged with one count of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and one count of aggravated assault causing serious bodily injury – first-degree felonies punishable by anywhere between five to 99 years in prison., according to the detectives’ statement.

Reno police spokeswoman Alicia Myrick said it will be up the Lamar County District Attorney’s Office to determine whether the case is prosecuted as a hate crime.

“That’s not our decision,” Myrick said.

Under Texas law though, there is no penalty enhancement for a hate crime as the offense will be prosecuted as a first-degree felony, meaning it is highly unlikely that prosecutors will pursue the matter.

ALICE, TX – A male cheerleader says he was kicked off the cheerleading squad and suspended from Alice High School after being caught kissing another male student.

KRIS-TV of Corpus Christi, Texas said the young man was caught by a surveillance camera which led the student to believe he was being watched and targeted by school officials simply because of his sexual orientation. The boy said that public displays of affection are a relatively common occurrence at Alice High School and believes the principal would not have targeted him had he been caught kissing a female student.

In a written statement issued Friday, Principal Lucy Munoz said, “the district does not suspend students for kissing other students at school, regardless of the gender of the student.”

The statement did not list a specific reason for the student’s suspension, and only said “the matter is still under review by the District.”