Salt Lake City Gay Man Acquitted in Kidnapping Burglary Case
David Bell, a gay man who (with his partner Daniel Fair) was brutally beaten by his neighbors after removing their young children from a rowdy party they were having and bringing them next door to their house to keep them safe, has been acquitted of all kidnapping and burglary charges:
Watch the videos, AFTER THE JUMP, for a thorough look at what happened.
This was a complex case, with an ugly flip side:
"There has been heightened interest in the case because Bell is gay, and his attorneys have called the assault on him a hate crime. During closing arguments Friday, Kraft said the defense had refrained from playing the 'gay card.' But Kraft reiterated the theme that 'gay matters,' saying sexual orientation affected how Latu reacted at finding the kids inside Bell's home. 'Lulu [Latu] had preconceived notions about gay men," Kraft said. "It's why she started screaming and hit the defendant.' Kraft said Latu would have had a calmer reaction had the children turned up at someone else's home."
And a trial may yet happen for the neighbors who beat Bell and his partner:
The defense team has long maintained that relatives of the two children, who severely beat Bell and his gay partner, Daniel Fair (pictured), should be prosecuted for burglary and assault. The Salt Lake County District Attorney's Office had previously declined to file charges against Bell's attackers. But prosecutor Alicia Cook said Friday that her office will take another look at assault charges, now that complications imposed by the kidnapping trial. In fact, testimony at Bell's trial, which implicates the father of one of the children, could be used against him, Cook said. Announcement of the not guilty verdicts by Judge Paul Maughan's clerk was greeted by tears, cheers and smattering of applause...Lulu Latu, the mother of one of the allegedly kidnapped children, sobbed all the way down the hall, surrounded by family, and into the elevator. Family members declined comment."
A report on the case and an interview with Bell and his attorneys and an update on the investigation into the beatings, AFTER THE JUMP...
A report on the investigation regarding the beatings:
Absurd quote for the day: "the defense had 'played the Polynesian card' by claiming the parents were neglectful for getting drunk and letting their children wander.
Wait, what?
Typical faulty parenting and then trying to blame it on someone else.
Good, job Lulu.
Posted by: Beefandfur | Sep 26, 2009 11:15:30 AM
Let's not forget that the neighbor was also drawing on the stereotypical associations that exist homosexuality and child molestation. I mean: I *seriously* doubt she found her children in her neighbor's bedroom, but mentioned it just to raise a stink.
What a bitch!
Posted by: Smokey | Sep 26, 2009 11:58:30 AM
Maybe we could convince the Israeli government to stop wasting concrete on the Palestine wall and put it to good use around Utah?
Posted by: Moroni | Sep 26, 2009 1:07:39 PM
i will be very interested to find out the exact ethnic background of the latu family. in studies of alcoholism,and associated family dysfunction, certain ethnicities, north atlantic peoples and indigenous tribes, are predisposed to heavy and early alchol addiction, and child rearing problems and violent social interactions are common results. and yes, that does include polynesian peoples such as samoans and tongans and the few full blooded hawaiians that remain.
i think it very likely this family will tuen up on police and/or child welfare rolls prior to this incident.
Posted by: jack | Sep 26, 2009 1:25:06 PM
This entire story is so insane. Those "parents" (more like sperm/uterus donors) will pay for their neglect and drunken ways. Talk about not being fit to be parents. The children should be taken away from those sick creatures.
Posted by: KFLO | Sep 26, 2009 1:41:09 PM
Utter trash. What a waste of humanity. And what a terrible tragedy for these children to have been born to such slime. If the Mormon dolts in the DA's office don't have the stomach to seek justice for the beatings, I hope those guys take these neanderthals to the cleaners.
Posted by: The Milkman | Sep 26, 2009 2:12:05 PM
Total white trash.
Posted by: Randy Novak | Sep 26, 2009 5:46:04 PM
I hope they give those bigots something to remember for life. Whatever it is.
And bly the way people, (gay people that is) beware of crazy people and world, when you are gay you are guilty until proven otherwise.
Posted by: Lexxvs | Sep 26, 2009 7:57:29 PM
What a horrible story.
Posted by: ty | Sep 26, 2009 8:55:42 PM
It's such a relief the justice system reached the verdict they did. Also it's heartening they are seriously considering charges against the drunk family members who beat these men. It has been a dificult local story for me. I didn't want to make it worse and polarize public opinion against the defendant by being strident and reactionary. That danger is clearly demonstrated by some of the posts above. What could possibly be wrong with outrageous stereotypical assumptions about Polynesian families, or families who drink at their home parties, or stay up late, and I'm sure a wall around Utah would solve all the local legal and political problems one person seems to have. Internment, really? What a progressive idea. Will I be allowed to leave, or wear a pink triangle if I stay? There are crazy bitches everywhere, Lulu Latu probably among them, though some of them posting here too. Celebrate the hopeful resolution of sound legal process. Hope for more to come.
Posted by: Rikard | Sep 27, 2009 12:38:55 AM
@ RIKARD,
Race was not mentioned in the original story I read at another site. They did not mention what race the Latu family was just that all members had extensive criminal histories and probably were under the influence of meth as well as alcohol at the time of the crime.
Most people are still bitter about the Mormons *constant* interference in LGBT equality in California (prop H8) and around the country. Many people are bitter their missionaries are exporting their ignorance, lies, and bigotry globally as well.
And lets be honest, the Utah police would *never* have arrested Bell and Fair if they'd been straight. They would not have had to *consider* arresting and charging the Latu family (after a lot of bad PR), they would have done it immediately.
Posted by: Wheezy | Sep 27, 2009 12:57:06 AM
Why didn't the reporter why the DA halted the investigation of the other charge of a crime (the beatings???)
Clearly the DA stopped looking at ALL the evidence when they got the storyline that fit their attitudes (gays are child molesters).
Posted by: Shawn | Sep 27, 2009 1:38:07 AM
Samoans. The ugly side of the culture came out during prop 8. That's all I needed to see.
I like people who are free thinking- not those who have a couple missionaries come in their island and suddenly you're whole freakin habitat is Jesus praising worshippers within hours. Talk about lack of originality.
And I've met enough Samoans to know homophobia, lack of temper, AND education is a running theme.
Posted by: Bayley | Sep 27, 2009 1:50:22 AM
Problem: Bible.
Answer: Drop your bibles and step away from the religion.
Posted by: Roger ramjet | Sep 27, 2009 10:30:17 AM
Damn. I thought all Polynesians were cool happy tiki people.
Posted by: JT | Sep 27, 2009 1:39:37 PM
everybody on here just shut up with the "bad parenting" and "omg i can't believe they were drinking" like none of u do the same thing. if you drink than trust me you are the same as the latu family, meaning you like were just drinking for the holidays. but drinking does not automatically make you a parent who neglects. it just means you are a parent who drinks.
now about the beating thing....i'm not saying it's right b/c it's not. but if somebody kidnapped your kid and you found them in someones bedroom, you tell me what you would do. well actually you can't b/c you actual have to experience it to know what you would do in the heat of the moment. and yes alcohol does bring out the mean in people. but i'm pretty sure if the latu family knew their kids were going to be kidnapped that day they wouldn't have drank, so it wouldn't come up all the time when the trial is going on.
and one last thing
all of you stop feeling sorry for the homosexual guy b/c he's a homosexual. i mean you won't be prosecuted if you just say how your feeling and not what the world wants you to think. i promise....:]
and please stop feeling sorry for the
Posted by: debbie | Oct 5, 2009 11:59:11 PM
Ummm...calling all polynesian people drunks who lack education and are haters is hateful. And prejudiced. I agree that the family in this case has a lot of problems. I'm angry that this case ever went to trial. But the problem here is prejudice. Why is it okay to be prejudiced against a whole race of people?
Posted by: kim | Oct 6, 2009 9:00:48 PM
Stuff it up your ass Debbie.
Posted by: Tralfaz | Oct 22, 2009 5:18:14 PM