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Pritzker: Almost 500K cannabis arrest records expunged
On Dec. 31, 2020, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker announced 492,129 non-felony cannabis-related arrest records have been expunged at the state level by the Illinois State Police. The announcement happened four years in advance of the deadline ...
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NATIONAL Federal rule, anti-LGBTQ crimes, restroom case, Karamo
The U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs announced a final rule that dramatically expands the ability of federal contractors to claim religious exemptions from federal nondiscrimination ...
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Hate crimes rise to highest level in a decade
The FBI revealed that hate-crime reports in the United States surged in 2019 to the highest level since 2008, CNN.com reported. The new figures indicate that hate crimes reported to the FBI by law enforcement agencies ...
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NATIONAL Texas board, intersex portfolio, hate crimes, beauty queen dies
A Texas regulatory board reinstated protections that bar social workers from refusing services to LGBTQ people and people with disabilities, NBC News reported. The Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council, or BHEC, on Tuesday unanimously reversed an ...
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NATIONAL Attacks, TGNC emojis, lawsuits, 'Divas for Democracy'
A 24-year-old man was punched in the face and called an anti-gay slur while filming a TikTok video with a female friend in lower Manhattan, and police are investigating the attack as a hate crime, according ...
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Study: LGBTs nearly four times more likely than non to face violent crime
--From a press release
LGBT people are nearly four times more likely than non-LGBT people to experience violent victimization, including rape, sexual assault, and aggravated or simple assault, according to a new study by the Williams Institute at UCLA School ...
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NATIONAL Anti-Trump ruling, crime items, Equality California, Texas school
A federal judge slapped a hold on a Trump administration rule that allows healthcare providers to refuse services to LGBTQ people on religious grounds, Bloomberg reported. In a preliminary injunction, U.S. District Judge James Boasberg said ...
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Aurora garden damage seen as possible hate crime
In Aurora, a garden that included a shed painted rainbow colors to support the LGBTQ community was destroyed recently after someone smashed it with a pickup truck—and local authorities are viewing the attack as a possible ...
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Annual event spotlights trans lives lost
On Aug. 30, Valerie Griffin celebrated the life of her daughter—Dejanay Stanton, a trans woman of color—with an annual summer get-together billed as "The Main Event Part 2." The event, in its second year, was also ...
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Quigley introduces Reducing Nefarious Crimes (RNC) Act
On Aug. 25, U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley (D-Illinois) introduced the Reducing Nefarious Crimes Act, or RNC Act, to increase penalties for violating the Hatch Act. The introduction happened while the Republication National ...
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Night three of DNC highlights women, gun violence, anti-trans crime
Emma Gonzalez, a bisexual student who became one of the leaders of a youth movement against gun violence after a 2018 shooting at her high school in Parkland, Florida, was one of the first voices heard ...
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NATIONAL Bakery situation, tribal marriage, anti-LGBTQ crimes, Penn. lawmakers
Extreme right-wing organization the Church Militant requested that Detroit bakery Good Cakes and Bakes co-owner April Anderson (who's LGBTQ) put on a cake, "Homosexual acts are gravely evil. (Catholic Catechism ...
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Restorative juvenile courts coming to Avondale, Englewood
The Circuit Court of Cook County is set to launch its latest effort to address nonviolent crime and prevent recidivism with the opening of new Restorative Justice Community Courts in Chicago's Avondale and Englewood neighborhoods, Chief ...
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Judge tosses Smollett prosecution lawsuit
On April 22, U.S. District Court Judge Virginia Kendall dismissed a suit by embattled actor Jussie Smollett in which he alleged he was the victim of a malicious prosecution over his allegedly staged January 2019 hate-crime ...
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Man behind memorial crosses diagnosed with terminal cancer
Greg Zanis—the Aurora man who has built more than 27,000 white crosses to commemorate victims of gun violence—has been diagnosed with bladder cancer, The Chicago Tribune reported. Also, despite surgery to remove the tumor, the disease ...
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ELECTIONS 2020:
COOK COUNTY STATE'S ATTORNEY Bob Fioretti talks crime labs, LGBTQ issues
Bob Fioretti is certainly no stranger to politics. He's a former Chicago alderman who has also run for mayor, Illinois state senator and Cook County board commissioner president. Now he's one of the candidates vying to ...
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NATIONAL Puerto Rico trans death, APA revisions, conversion therapy, LGBTQ gym
Puerto Rico's governor condemned the killing of a transgender woman—whose death ignited a dialogue about transphobia on the island—as a hate crime, HuffPost reported. The body of Alexa Negron Luciano, who was also known as Neulisa ...
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ELECTIONS 2020 COOK COUNTY STATE'S ATTORNEY Bill Conway on money, LGBT issues, gun crimes
Bill Conway is in one of the most closely watched races locally: the electoral contest for Cook County state's attorney. Current attorney Kim Foxx has single-handedly put the office in the national spotlight—most notably for her ...
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Suspect in fatal stabbing back in custody, being questioned by police
Nearly two weeks after the fatal stabbing of 23-year-old bisexual barista Kenneth Paterimos Jr. outside Richard's Bar in West Town, first-degree murder suspect Thomas Tansey, a 30-year-old U.S. Marine Corps veteran, was taken into Chicago police ...
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Arrest warrant issued in case of bisexual man stabbed at local bar
A no-bail arrest warrant was issued Thursday, Feb. 27 for 30-year-old U.S. Marine Corps veteran and University Village resident Thomas Tansey in the fatal stabbing of 23-year-old bisexual barista and Pilsen resident Kenneth Paterimos Jr. According ...
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NATIONAL Backlash in Tennessee, judge dies, voucher program, hate-crimes bill
More than 140 businesses signed a letter announcing their opposition to Tennessee's recent slew of anti-LGBTQ laws, which has been dubbed the "slate of hate" by activist groups, NBC News noted. The collective, known as the ...
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NATIONAL Fatal shooting, LGBTQ political news, Bayard Rustin, travel ban
In response to the ongoing investigation into the fatal shooting of 17-year-old Ja'Quarius Taylor, from New Orleans, as a possible hate crime, National Black Justice Coalition Executive Director David Johns and Executive Director of the Lawyers' ...
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Reports: Robber uses hook-up app to lure victims
Chicago police are looking for a man who used a hook-up app to meet—then rob—other men, according to ABC 7. The offender reportedly met their victim via Grindr the evening of Jan. 28 in the 900-block ...
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WORLD Trans activist killed, Israeli center, Brazilian priest, Netflix film
In South Africa, Limpopo police are investigating the death of transgender activist Nare Mphela, 28, whose decomposing body was found in a rented room, News24 reported. "The deceased was found with multiple stab wounds and was ...
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NATIONAL Anti-LGBTQ crimes, Richard Grenell, two-spirit marriage, Adam Rippon
A transgender man driving a taxi in McAlester, Oklahoma, was fatally shot early New Year's Day, Advocate.com reported. Dustin Parker, 25, leaves a wife, Regina, and four children, was a founding member of the McAlester chapter ...
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NATIONAL Lily Tomlin, St. Louis, activist slashed, LGBTQ political candidates
Iconic LGBTQ comedian Lily Tomlin joined with several other comedy legends for a PSA in support of aging pets, The Washington Blade noted. In the video that The Grey Muzzle Organization produced, Tomlin is featured alongside ...
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WORLD Marriage status in Cuba, Shigella outbreak, anti-LGBTQ crime
Cuba Justice Minister Oscar Silvera Martinez announced the Family Code—the law that could establish marriage equality in the country—will not be introduced in the National Assembly until December 2021, when ...
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NATIONAL Blind trans woman attacked, Pantene ad, judges, Grindr crimes
Police in Washington are investigating what they believe may have been a hate crime against a blind transgender woman, NewNowNext.com reported. The King County Sheriff's Office said a trans woman was left motionless on the ground ...
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NU professor talks about delving into the heart of 'Infectious Blackness'
The tale of Michael Johnson took a turn this past July—when he was released from a Missouri jail 25 years early. In 2013, Johnson—a Black man who was a college student—was arrested in St. Charles, Missouri, ...
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NATIONAL Subway attack, Matthew Shepard, OUT100, Indiana hospital
In Manhattan, a man was hit with a hammer and pushed onto the subway tracks in what police believe may be a hate crime, LGBTQ Nation reported. The alleged attacker then approached the 21-year-old victim waving ...
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FBI report shows rise in anti-LGBTQ hate crimes
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) released its annual report on hate crimes in the United States, finding that 2018 saw a rise in anti-LGBTQ hate crimes across the nation—up nearly a percent when compared to ...
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WORLD Pride events, UK hate crime stats, lesbian Colombian politician
Hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets of Taipei for the 17th annual pride parade, with organizers expecting a record turnout after the Taiwan government became the first in Asia to pass same-sex marriage ...
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Judge refuses to dismiss Smollett case
On Oct. 22, U.S. District Judge Virginia Kendall allowed the city of Chicago's lawsuit against embattled actor Jussie Smollett that seeks reimbursement for approximately $130,000 in overtime incurred by police to investigate his alleged Jan. 29 ...
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On 10th anniversary of law, Matthew Shepard's parents Challenge Barr, DOJ
Washington DC — On Wednesday, October 16th at the Department of Justice commemorative event to mark the historic 10-year anniversary of the signing of the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, the ...
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NATIONAL Donor arrested, trans worker fired, celebrities in pro-trans video
L.A. County prosecutors charged Democratic donor/LGBTQ activist Ed Buck with running a drug house and other crimes after a man overdosed on methamphetamine at Buck's apartment, NPR reported. The man survived, but two other men (26-year-old ...
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National Black Justice Coalition calls for action on murders of transgender teens
WASHINGTON— Bailey Reeves, at 17-years-young, and Bee Love, at only 18, became the 17th and 18th trans people murdered in the United States this year. Bailey, a trans woman of color, was found dead in Baltimore, ...
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Woman astronaut accused of hacking wife's account
Anne McClain, a former U.S. Army pilot who flew more than 800 combat hours during Operation Iraqi Freedom before joining NASA in 2013, has been accused of identity theft and improper access to estranged spouse Summer ...
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NCAVP Reports on Anti-LGBTQ Violence During Pride Season
August 14, New York, NY- A special report from the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs (NCAVP), Pride and Pain: A Snapshot of Anti-LGBTQ Hate and Violence During Pride Season 2019, outlines incidents and trends of violence ...
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SHOWBIZ 'Elm Street,' 'Crime Story,' Tab Hunter, Lady Gaga
Gay actor Marc Patton is returning to the big screen, as himself, with the documentary Scream, Queen: My Nightmare On Elm Street, The Washington Blade noted. The film tells the story of how his "big break" ...
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Reports: Would-be Vegas bomber targeted Jewish, LGBTQ communities
A man who authorities say worked as a security guard was arrested and accused of plotting to firebomb a Las Vegas synagogue or a LGBTQ-centered nightclub/bar, CBS News reported. An FBI-led anti-terrorism task force arrested Las ...
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Reports: Man to testify about role in suicide-murder plot
An Oxford University official will testify against a Northwestern University researcher with whom he carried out a murder plot as part of a plea deal, according to Chicago Sun-Times. Andrew Warren, who worked as a clerk ...
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NATIONAL Miss Major ailing, NAACP, crime items, Puerto Rico governor
Miss Major Griffin-Gracy—a Stonewall Riots veteran and staple in transgender activism for nearly 50 years—suffered a stroke July 4, Out.com reported. News about the 78-year-old's condition was first shared via ...
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NATIONAL Court briefs, flag burned, Amazon books removed
The Human Rights Campaign (HRC), Lambda Legal, Out & Equal, Out Leadership and Freedom for All Americans announced that 206 major corporations have signed a "friend of the court" brief that will be filed with the ...
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Handyman arrested in gay ex-actor's death
Oregon authorities arrested a man in connection with the death of actor Dennis Day, an original member of Disney's The Mickey Mouse Club, Deadline noted. The former Disney star was 76 when his husband, Ernie Caswell, ...
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Convicted Lake View killer hangs himself
A Chicago man who'd been convicted of killing two gay men in 1987 has died after hanging himself in jail. The incident, which took place the evening of July 2, was reported on the CWB Chicago ...
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CPD unveils 'Pride Squad Car'
In advance of the Chicago Pride Parade on Sunday, June 30, the Chicago Police Department (CPD) has debuted a new vehicle, the Chicago Sun-Times noted. The car will be deployed to CPD's 19th District on the ...
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LGBT flags vandalized at Wicker Park church
Police are investigating a possible hate crime after a message was spray-painted on an LGBT flag at Wicker Park Lutheran Church, 1500 N. Hoyne Ave., WGN-TV reported. Surveillance video shows the vandal armed with spray paint ...
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Video, other items released in Smollett case
On June 24, Chicago authorities released a video of embattled actor Jussie Smollett wearing a noose on Jan. 29, the night when he was allegedly attacked—along with hundreds of other videos as well as hundreds of ...
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Boystown threats send man to prison
A man who invoked the Pulse nightclub shooting while making threats against Boystown nightclubs and various individuals has been sentenced to seven concurrent 42-month prison terms. The June 21 sentencing of the man making the threats, ...
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Another investigation ordered in Smollett case
In the ongoing saga that is the Jussie Smollett case, things have taken yet another turn as Cook County Judge Michael Toomin ordered a special prosecutor appointed to re-investigate the circumstances of the embattled actor's alleged ...
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Zoe Spears is 10th trans woman killed this year
Zoe Spears, a 23-year-old Black transgender woman, was fatally shot in Fairmount Heights, Maryland, Out.com reported. She is the 10th trans woman reported murdered this year in the United States. On June 1, Johana "Joa" Medina ...
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Zoe Spears is 10th Black trans woman slain in 2019, NBJC responds
WASHINGTON — On Thursday, June 13, Zoe Spears (23) was killed in Fairmount Heights, Maryland, a Washington D.C. suburb. Spears is the tenth Black transgender woman murdered in 2019. She was killed just a few blocks ...
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Lightfoot, CPD launch community policing initiative
Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot joined Chicago Police Department (CPD) Superintendent Eddie T. Johnson and Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection (BACP) Commissioner Rosa Escareno to launch a new community-policing ...
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NATIONAL San Jose LGBTQ Center vandalized, rainbow-flag items, Ricky Martin
In California, a San Jose LGBTQ center was vandalized—and rather than being a random incident, it is believed the center may have been targeted, KRON4.com reported. The windows and door were shattered at the LGBTQ Youth ...
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Man charged in dating-app attack
Uptown resident Cedric Johnson was charged with eight counts of aggravated battery to a peace officer and individual counts of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon after a Lake View attack involving another man he met ...
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Dating-app meeting leads to Lake View attack
On June 14, a man was injured after someone he met online attacked him with a hammer in Lake View, The Chicago Tribune reported. Two males connected through a dating app and agreed to hang out ...
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Barrington community members show support after hate crime
Local politicians and Barrington residents were among those who registered support the evening of June 10 at a meeting of the Barrington village board in support of a gay student whose house had been vandalized. Police ...
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Laquan McDonald doc '16 Shots' out June 14
Showtime Documentary Films announced it will premiere the new documentary 16 Shots, from Oscar-nominated director Richard Rowley (Dirty Wars), on Friday, June 14, at 8 p.m. CT. According to a press release, the feature examines the ...
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Smollett not coming back to 'Empire'
Embattled actor Jussie Smollett will not be returning to the Fox show Empire for its sixth and final season, USA Today reported. Show co-creator Lee Daniels took to Twitter June 4 to refute a Variety report ...
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Judge orders Smollett files to be unsealed
Cook County Circuit Court Judge Steven Watkins, on May 23, ordered the case file in the now-defunct prosecution of openly gay Empire actor Jussie Smollett unsealed, The Chicago Tribune reported. Media outlets had sought to have ...
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New study on gun violence against LGBTs highlights need for research
A new report from the Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law examines gun violence against LGBT people, including suicides, homicides, and other forms of gun violence. Researchers conclude that gun violence is a significant concern ...
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Chicagoan alleges discrimination by Nashville employer
A Chicago man has sued his former employer in federal court, alleging that he was dismissed from his pharmaceutical research position after he came out to co-workers. Researcher Guy Stehley alleges that he was dismissed from ...
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Ex-officer charged in Andersonville incident
Eric Elkins—a now-retired Chicago police sergeant who was under investigation and who had a history of sexual-abuse allegations—is among two people charged in an Andersonville aggravated-battery incident that took place ...
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Suspects arrested in murder of queer reporter
In Northern Ireland, authorities have arrested two teens (aged 18 and 19) in connection with the murder of 29-year-old investigative journalist Lyra McKee, who was killed during rioting in Londonderry, CNN.com reported. McKee, who was born ...
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MOVIES Classic lesbian film stages re-'Bound,'and the stars weigh in
The popular 1996 film Bound is a lesbian centered crime thriller written and directed by the Wachowskis in their feature film debut. Jennifer Tilly plays Violet who is a relationship with a member of the mafia ...
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Flyers about murder victim distributed in Lake View
Cook County Crime Stoppers distributed flyers April 13 in Chicago's Lake View neighborhood concerning the murder of Kevin Clewer. On March 24, 2004, Clewer, who was 31, was found murdered with 42 stab wounds in his ...
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Chicago proceeds with suit against Smollett
Mayor Rahm Emanuel's administration has said it has gone to court to try to force Empire actor Jussie Smollett to pay Chicago back for an alleged hate-crime hoax even though Cook County prosecutors dropped all charges ...
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Chicago to sue Smollett for $130K
The City of Chicago is planning on suing actor Jussie Smollett after he allegedly concocted an attack against himself. Outgoing Mayor Rahm Emanuel said the city is suing Smollett to repay the Windy City $130,106 for ...
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Ashanti Carmon murdered, DC transgender and LGBTQ organizations plan vigil
April 2, 2019, Washington, DC—The Transgender community condemns the murder of Ashanti Carmon, a 27-year-old transgender woman who was brutally shot multiple times to death in the 5000 Block of Jost Street in the town of ...
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Lopez fights to retain 15th Ward council seat
Ald. Ray Lopez (15th Ward) has been in a runoff against police officer Rafael Yanez this election season. It's been a challenging race for openly gay Lopez, who's sometimes been criticized for harsh remarks about crime, ...
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NATIONAL Presidential candidates, Truth Awards, Chick-fil-A, hate crimes
Democratic presidential hopefuls will speak about their views and policy platforms regarding LGBTQ rights at a debate at UCLA on Oct. 10—the eve of National Coming Out Day, NBC News reported. UCLA's Luskin School of Public ...
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Jussie Smollett Charges dropped, National Black Justice Coalition responds
WASHINGTON, DC— This morning, news broke that the charges against Jussie Smollett for allegedly orchestrating a hate crime have been dropped. In response to the news David Johns, executive director of the National Black Justice Coalition ...
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Reports: Prosecutors drop Smollett charges
Cook County prosecutors all dropped the 16 counts of disorderly conduct facing Empire actor Jussie Smollett, according to multiple sources. Smollett maintains that he was the victim of a brutal attack in Streeterville the early morning ...
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Smollett pleads not guilty
Embattled actor Jussie Smollett, who is African-American and openly gay, pled not guilty in Cook County court March 14 regarding 16 counts of disorderly conduct for allegedly staging a phony attack and claiming he was the ...
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BB gun shot at A'ville Starbucks
Several people were taken to the hospital after a "female offender" opened fire with a BB gun at the Starbucks at 5300 N. Clark St., in Chicago's Andersonville neighborhood, on March 13, NBCChicago.com noted. Witness Rich ...
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