Dallas Voice

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Posted on 11 Jan 2012 at 3:20pm

2011 Pride Houston Logo "Live, Love, Be"2010 Pride Houston Logo "Pride Not Prejudice"2009 Pride Houston Logo "Out 4 Justice"

It’s the start of a new year, that special season when Houstonians break out their winter T-shirts, when the grass changes colors from brown to green and when Pride Houston unveils the new theme and logo for the June pride parade and festival. The grand unveiling ceremony is at F Bar (202 Tuam) on January 17 and 7:30 pm. The Grand Marshal Nominees for 2012 will also be revealed. Finalist from the 2011 Pride Star singing competition will provide entertainment throughout the evening.

— admin

US Marshal harassing DADT protesters who were arrested at White House fence

Posted on 27 Jan 2011 at 4:14pm

On the heels of the news that the Obama administration continues to hound Dan Choi, and other DADT dischargees, to pay DOD thousands of dollars because they were discharged under DADT, today we learn that the US Marshal is visiting the homes of the protesters who locked themselves to the White House fence in the past few months. Ostensibly the visits are to inform the protesters of their upcoming court case in March, but I’m told by Robin McGehee of GetEqual that previous court notices were mailed to them – they’ve never had the US Marshal show up at their homes.

It smacks of intimidation.

These cases shouldn’t even exist. They should be, and should have been, dismissed. If the President is going to brag at the State of the Union about how all troops, gay and straight, are now one, thanks to him, then he needs to start acting like it. This is his administration. He has the power to make these court cases against the protesters go away (he has the power to stop defending DADT and DOMA in court as well), and he has the power to stop the Defense Department from trying to force servicemembers discharged under DADT to pays thousands, and in some cases tens of thousands of dollars, because they were discharged under DADT.

This is the reason so many of us are constantly perturbed with this White House. It doesn’t seem that anyone there fully understands that they’re in charge, that they have actual power. We constantly hear how powerless they are, how the president isn’t king and isn’t God. No, he’s not – but he is the president of the United States, which is no small shakes. It’s not entirely clear they full get that fact. If the administration’s representatives continue to harass our troops and our civil rights organizers, then it is the White House’s fault, because they are not doing nearly enough to stop it.

They have the power to stop it. So stop it.

AMERICAblog Gay

— admin

Man shot with Taser during aggravated robbery early Thursday on Rawlins Street in Oak Lawn

Posted on 24 Sep 2010 at 12:26pm

A man was shot with a Taser during an aggravated robbery at an apartment complex on Rawlins Street in Oak Lawn early Thursday.

According to Dallas police reports, the victim and several friends were standing in the parking lot of an apartment complex at 3913 Rawlins St. at about 1:15 a.m. The suspect, wearing a black-and-white ski mask and dark baggy clothing, approached yelling “empty your pockets” and “give me your money.” When the victim and his friends refused and yelled “no,” the suspect shot the victim in the upper body with a Taser, bringing him to his knees. The suspect then fled northbound in the alley between North Hall and Rawlins streets.

The victim refused medical attention and pulled out the Taser probes himself, according to police reports. The suspect didn’t take any property.

We’re awaiting a response from Dallas police as to whether they believe this case may be related to an incident last weekend in which a man posing as a U.S. marshal threatened a traffic patrol volunteer with a gun.

UPDATE: It’s not the same guy, according to DPD Sr. Cpl. Kevin Janse, who described the suspect in the most recent case as a black male, 5 feet 2 inches tall and weighing 120 pounds. “The U.S. marshal guy was white,” Janse said.

— John Wright

WATCH: Dash-cam video of the fake U.S. marshal who terrorized Oak Lawn last weekend

Posted on 23 Sep 2010 at 3:02pm

Above is a report from Fox 4 that includes dash-cam video of the suspect who claimed to be a U.S. marshal and threatened a traffic control volunteer with a laser-sighted semi-automatic weapon early Sunday in Oak Lawn.

The dash-cam video was recorded by the 66-year-old volunteer, Douglas Ervin, who followed the fake marshal after witnessing him make a bogus traffic strop near Wycliff and Lemmon avenues. According to the police reports, the suspect got out of his vehicle near Rawlins Street and Oak Lawn Avenue, approached Ervin and said, “Who the fuck are you?” Ervin responded by saying “Who are you?” before the suspect pushed Ervin’s face in, knocking out his dentures, and aimed the weapon at his head. When Ervin told the suspect he was being recorded, he got back in his vehicle — which had rolled backward down the street because he hadn’t put it in park — and took off. As Deputy Chief Craig Miller explains to Fox 4, it’s not exactly the type of behavior you’d expect from a real cop.

The Dallas Observer has posted an enhanced photo of the suspect, and The Morning News reports that police are looking for other potential victims because they believe the same man may have been arrested in the past for pretending to be a cop.

Anyone with information can call 214-671-3616 or better yet, if this guy’s anywhere near you, 911.

— John Wright

Police release photos of suspect who posed as U.S. marshal, put gun to man’s head in Oak Lawn

Posted on 22 Sep 2010 at 8:23pm

Dallas police are looking for a man who posed as a U.S. marshal and threatened a motorist with a black semi-automatic handgun near near Rawlins and Wellborn streets in Oak Lawn early Sunday morning. Below is the full alert from DPD, which was posted on Wednesday along with photos. A special thanks to DV’s Gary Karwacki for the heads-up on this one:

On September 19, 2010, at about 12:30 am, the pictured suspect was seen by a complainant performing a traffic stop in an unmarked, black Ford, 4 door sedan, at Lemmon Avenue and Wycliff Avenue.

The complainant suspected that the suspect was not a police officer and began to follow the suspect in order to obtain the license plate of the suspect vehicle. The suspect vehicle came to an abrupt stop at 3700 Rawlins and the suspect confronted the complainant.

When the complainant questioned the suspect’s identity, he replied by saying, “I am a U.S. Marshall”. The suspect then drew a black semi automatic handgun, with laser sights, and pointed it at the complainant’s head. The suspect then fled the location in the suspect vehicle and he remains at large. The Dallas Police Department is trying to identify this suspect and also would like to speak with the citizen the suspect had pulled over at Lemmon and Wycliff. Anyone with information regarding the below listed suspect or this incident, please contact the Dallas Police Department Crimes Against Persons Division at 214 671 3616 or call 9-1-1. This suspect is considered armed and dangerous.

Suspect: W/M 30, 5’11″, 190 lbs, brown hair, brown eyes

Vehicle: Ford 4D black in color with LED lights on the dash

Weapon: Black semi automatic handgun with laser sight

— John Wright

Today's Best Bet

Tag Archives: marshal

Pride Houston to unveil new logo, theme for 2012

US Marshal harassing DADT protesters who were arrested at White House fence

Man shot with Taser during aggravated robbery early Thursday on Rawlins Street in Oak Lawn

WATCH: Dash-cam video of the fake U.S. marshal who terrorized Oak Lawn last weekend

Police release photos of suspect who posed as U.S. marshal, put gun to man’s head in Oak Lawn