07/31/2008
Indiana Troopers Fired for Assault on Gay Bar Patron
Two Indiana State police troopers were relieved of their duties this week for a May assault on a patron who had just left a gay bar in Indianapolis:
"The victim, who wants to remain anonymous, said he was legally parked along Alabama Street around the corner from Greg's Place on May 31. As he was leaving he said two state police officers told him to get out of his parking space immediately. 'They had a police car; they used their emergency equipment so I fully felt that it was an incident involving police officers. They were later identified as troopers,' said the victim. Curtis Swanson and Marcus Baxter were in an unmarked patrol car with lights flashing. Both had been state troopers for just 10 months. 'They weren't doing an official police action. They told me to move my car,' said the victim. He said when he didn't follow orders from the troopers he was assaulted."
WTHR reports: "Both Baxter and Swanson were off duty at the time of the incident. The victim says he refused to give them his parking space and that's when one of the troopers forced him against a brick wall."
Said ISP Major Carlos Pettiford: "One officer had been drinking, he was not driving a police cruiser, he was not riding one. The other officer wasn't drinking and was in a cruiser."
Posted 11:00 AM EST by Andy Towle in Crime, Gay Bar, Indiana, Law Enforcement, News | Permalink
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Depending on what local news you watch here, there are conflicting reports. Some reports have stated that the troopers wanted to park where the victim was parked and told him to move his car because they wanted that space in order to go to into the bar. So, we have two off-duty troopers going to the gay bar for... what? The known gay officers are regulars, these guys were not and are suspected of visiting just to harass people.
Posted by: johnny | Jul 31, 2008 12:26:03 PM
Johnny,
I love your "harass" comment. SURE officers, you where just going into the bar to harass patrons. Cough *GAY* Cough
Swanson clearly has "gay-face" and Baxter has "self-hating paranoid gay-face". It's really sad and pathetic that nine times out of ten the homophobes that harass are closet cases!
Posted by: Jake | Jul 31, 2008 12:48:15 PM
It sounds like these were just 2 drunk a-holes on some power trip. I didn't see anything that ties a gay angle other than the victim left a gay bar.
And yes, they both have the face/look of someone with issues about their sexuality/masculinity.
Guess it's a good thing they didn't last long on the force.
Posted by: ATLSteve | Jul 31, 2008 12:58:31 PM
I can tell Swanson wants some cock. I see it in his eyes.
Posted by: Joe | Jul 31, 2008 1:20:04 PM
Cops are generally horrible people. The job attracts bullies and twists those few who enter the force for the right reasons.
Posted by: Miles | Jul 31, 2008 1:53:57 PM
Jake: LOL, "gay face"??? I'll have to remember that. I didn't know we could be spotted just from what our faces looked like. Now I know the secret code!!!
From what I've heard on the radio and TV here, the bar owner had stated that those two officers had been in his bar once or twice in the past (in uniform) harassing people. Not saying they AREN'T gay, but it didn't seem like getting blown that was their first objective, but maybe it was their second.
As for cops, they can be easily divided into 2 groups, power tripping assholes and those who truly want to help society and care about their fellow man. Sadly, there's an awful lot of the first type.
Posted by: johnny | Jul 31, 2008 3:33:52 PM
I live here in Indianapolis, I know one of the State Troopers, the media is making it out to be a hate crime, where in essence, (without outing said officers)it is more a crime of power, drunkenness and most of all...Stupidity.
I agree that what both former state troopers did was reprehensible, and since both were only sworn officers for less than a year, a power trip is a good point to draw from. the Trooper I know is a nice guy, albeit has a bit of a temper, and has made some poor decisions which is not a defense of him, it is what it is.
On another note the victim in this has filed a civil suit against both former officers.
Even though I know one of them, I wish the Victim luck in his quest for justice. he deserves it.
Posted by: Bonafide | Jul 31, 2008 7:14:11 PM
They both look like major mo's with major issues. Maybe this was some form of foreplay for them?
Posted by: scott1607 | Jul 31, 2008 11:00:46 PM
The trooper Baxter (who I also know) is a total hothead who is always fighting with someone - I was at a party about a week ago he got thrown out of for verbally attacking someone over a friendly game of pool volleyball. Basically a crazy person who is always completely drunk. A few years ago, I also saw him in a massive screaming match in the middle of a bar with a guy he was dating. He should NEVER have been made a cop. But it wasn't a "gay bashing" incident. He's just a general idiot.
Posted by: Baglady | Jul 31, 2008 11:18:30 PM
This doesn't speak well of the Indiana State Police's psychological screening procedures for prospective officers.
Posted by: RJ | Aug 1, 2008 2:17:52 AM
It's so nice to see that across the pound american gays can tell whether someone is gay or not from just looking at his face. The nazis tried it before, when they could tell if someone was jew or not from the shape of their nose. Anyway, harrassment is what it is, independent of who's doing it sexuality, no?
Posted by: Luis | Aug 1, 2008 3:52:49 AM
Welcome to Indiana, the Idiot State! I've lived here since 1978. It is the Idiot State!!
Posted by: William Miller | Aug 1, 2008 5:14:28 PM
So has everyone gotten the bile out of their systems yet? No? Yes? Not sure?
I find it interesting that no one offered up any constructive suggestions that both officers seek out real help (re: counseling, personal intervention, etc.). If both men are struggling badly with their sexual orientation (as alluded to in some of the “I know them” postings), then why is everyone so quick to turn their backs on them?
I'm not condoning state troopers’ actions, but surely there has to be some way to help these guys turn their lives around – personal and/or professional. I realize some people can’t be saved or refuse to admit they problems, but the indifference of some comments really make me question just how stalwart the gay community really is.
And William, if Indiana is the idiot state you say it is, then why are you still living there? Seriously, it took you 30 years to figure that out about Indiana? Wow! Your parents must be really proud of you.
Posted by: Barry | Aug 2, 2008 8:06:49 PM