OUTRAGEOUS: Fort Worth Police Press Charges Against Rainbow Lounge Patrons

After the Fort Worth police and the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission staged a widely criticized raid of the Rainbow Lounge last June, authorities from both organizations admitted wrongdoings that resulted in the firings of three TABC officers and a rewriting of the rules regarding nightclub raids. But despite all of that and an abject apology to the gay community from the mayor of Fort Worth, police are pressing charges against two of the victims of the raid, including the man who suffered a severe brain injury at the hands of sheriff's deputies.

City prosecutors in Fort Worth, Texas, announced on February 24 that they would press charges against two patrons of the Rainbow Lounge Gay bar who were injured in a police raid last June. Chad Gibson suffered a severe brain injury while in police custody that kept him hospitalized for a week. Officers said he fell and hit his head while handcuffed. He said he was injured when officers slammed him against a wall inside the bar. Gibson is being charged with "public intoxication" and "assaulting a state agent." George Armstrong suffered severe bruising and muscle strain while being arrested. He is charged with "public intoxication." Adam Seidel, the attorney for both men, said his clients are not willing to accept a plea bargain and asked that a date be set for the trial. He declined to state categorically if prosecutors offered a deal, but said he was surprised they did not drop the charges entirely. "The city's message has been, 'Let's learn from this and move forward and get past it,'" Seidel said. "That doesn't seem to be consistent with prosecuting these two victims."

Good for the two men for refusing a plea deal. This bullshit needs to go to a VERY public trial.