The Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office, including State’s Attorney Dick Devine and top lesbian staffer Kelly Cassidy, met with representatives from the Chicago Anti-Bashing Network last Friday, June 23, to discuss a Jan. 23 incident at the Liar’s Club bar. Also at the meeting was Alan Mills, who is representing the two gay men who said they were the ones attacked—but who have been charged with battery and assault.
Bob Schwartz and Andy Thayer of CABN said their goal is to have the charges dropped against Chad Edwards and Kurt Schneider, who sustained all of the documented injuries in the case—photos show the damage Edwards received to his face. CABN also wants Edwards and Schneider to be allowed to file charges against the Liar’s Club bouncers they said attacked them.
CABN also said that the State’s Attorney’s main witness has turned out to be someone who has also allegedly written letters to newspapers in support of the Liar’s Club.
Cassidy said counter-charges are a rare occurrence, and that the State’s Attorney’s office is giving the “highest level of scrutiny” to the original charges, even though they are misdemeanors