*Head-Desk-Thud* moment. Please join me....

This article appeared buried in a news email on one of my lists that I follow....ARGH!

Jamaican police claim murder of British consul was not homophobic despite note calling him a 'batty man'


http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-14046.html


The murder of a British honorary consul in Jamaica was unlikely to be a homophobic attack, local police have said.
John Terry, 65, was found at his home last Thursday with severe head injuries and a cord and piece of clothing around his neck. He is thought to have been beaten around the head and upper body with a lamp. Post-mortem examination results showed he died of strangulation.
A note was reportedly found on the bed called him a "batty man" – a homophobic term of abuse. It added: "This is what will happen to ALL gays" and was signed "Gay-Man".
However, police believe the murder may have been the result of an argument between Terry and someone he knew.
There were no signs of a break-in at the property and neighbours said they had seen him with a young black man in the days leading up to his murder.
Head of serious and organised crime, assistant commissioner Les Green, said evidence made the killing unlikely to be a hate crime.
"I don't think it is a homophobic attack, although it's been run in the UK press. It isn't consistent with the information that we have. It is unlikely," he told the Sunday Observer.
Green also played down reports of high homophobic murder rates, saying although attacks happen, few end in death.
He said: "There have been attacks mainly in the Corporate Area but they have never ended in murder. There are openly gay people in Jamaica and they live quite openly and mingle freely."


(see link for complete article.)


So-o-o....
if you are assaulted, but not killed then its a hate crime motivated by homophobia, but if you are murdered, then it's not. Not to mention the note which announced motivation of said murder to the world, lets disregard that, please. Maybe they do have something they know that they are holding back that changes the picture, but you know...I kinda doubt it.



Oh - AND...that line above? "There are openly gay people in Jamaica and they live quite openly and mingle freely." Gay sex between two men can carry a ten-year jail sentence or hard labour in Jamaica. Sex between two women is currently legal but many lesbians face persecution.

Please join me for a group moment - ready?


*Head - desk - thud* repeat as needed!
And remember John Terry's family and friends in your prayers this day.