Trans 'Bash Back' Member ID'ed as Colorado Democratic HQ Vandal

A vandal responsible for smashing windows at the Colorado Democratic Headquarters in Denver on Monday night has been identified as a transgender anarchist and member of the radical trans/queer anarchist group Bash Back. The group is profiled in the current issue of Details magazine.

The Denver Post reports: "Anarchist websites lit up across the country as Schwenkler's friends asked for cash to bail out the 24-year-old, who stands accused of felony criminal mischief and was described in the solicitations as 'a transgendered anarchist' using the name Ariel Attack. Schwenkler was released from jail on $5,000 bail Wednesday. Police say Schwenkler and an at-large accomplice took a hammer to 11 plate-glass windows at the Denver headquarters of the Colorado Democratic Party about 2:20 a.m. Tuesday, possibly focusing on posters touting President Barack Obama and his health care plan. Benjamin Yager, a member of local radical protest group Denver Bash Back, said he posted the fundraising notices on several anarchist websites, including Queers Against Obama and Infoshop News."

The paper adds: "Republicans later rejoiced when it was revealed Schwenkler had worked for a Democratic candidate in 2008 and alleged the vandalism was an attempt to frame conservative opponents to Obama's proposal. Now it appears possible that Schwenkler ascribes to neither political ideology."

CBS 4 Denver reports on Schwenkler, AFTER THE JUMP...

(vandalism image via Colorado Independent)

Gay Porn Actor Timothy Boham Found Guilty of Murder in Denver

It was almost two-and-a-half years ago when Timothy Boham (known also by his adult film persona Marcus Allen) was taken into custody just steps away from the Mexico border, on the run following the murder of Denver businessman John "JP" Kelso.Yesterday he was convicted of murdering Kelso, his former boss and sexual partner, and will spend the rest of his life in jail:

"Timothy Boham, 28, was found guilty by a nine-woman, three-man jury in Denver District Court of first-degree murder after deliberation, felony murder and aggravated assault. Colorado law mandates that someone found guilty of first-degree murder must spend the rest of their life in prison, without the possibility of parole. Judge Will Hood Jr. will hand down the sentence Tuesday. The jury took less than five hours to convict Boham, whose lawyers — Amber St. Clair and Kristan Wheeler — claimed that his victim, wealthy Denver businessman J.P. Kelso, committed suicide. They tried to persuade the jury that the murder scene was merely a coverup for a suicide so that Kelso's life-insurance policy would pay out."

Former Gay Porn Actor Guilty of Denver Murder [denver post]

Murder Trial Begins for Former Gay-for-Pay Actor 'Marcus Allen'

It was almost two-and-a-half years ago when Timothy Boham (known also by his adult film persona Marcus Allen) was taken into custody just steps away from the Mexico border, on the run following the murder of Denver businessman John "JP" Kelso. Yesterday his murder trial began in Denver.

Boham had  been hired as a debt collector by Kelso, who founded Professional Recovery Systems, a Denver collection agency, but any relationship beyond a professional one remains unclear, although Kelso was openly gay. Boham, who has a daughter who was five at the time, had "numerous girlfriends" according to the Denver Post and once told a downstairs neighbor that he "sanitized" his apartment "by thoroughly scrubbing it because a gay man had lived there previously." Said the neighbor: "He hated (gays). He hated their lifestyle." Yet he had no problem being "gay for pay" in such movies as Falcon Studio's Through the Woods.

The Post reports: "Chief Deputy District Attorneys Bonnie Benedetti and Diane Balkin told the jury that Timothy Boham, 28, attempted to rob his former boss, J.P. Kelso, in Kelso's home in the 3600 block of East Seventh Avenue in November 2006. But Kelso refused to open his safe, a struggle ensued, and Boham shot Kelso in the head, they said. Defense attorneys Amber St. Clair and Kristan Wheeler told the jury that Kelso had committed suicide because he was despondent over the breakup of two relationships."

Denver Firefighters Get Sexually Harassed, by Choice

Denver's firefighters get objectified. Apparently they all got waxed beforehand too.

Gay Man Arrested After Homophobic Incident at Madonna Concert

Jerome Schroeder was arrested after police were unable to properly handle an anti-gay bias incident at a Madonna concert at Denver's Pepsi Center last month, he says. Schroeder claims he and his boyfriend and a female friend were escorted from their seats following verbal anti-gay harassment from another concert-goer. When Schroeder refused to leave the venue, he was arrested:

"Police arrest documents say only that Schroeder, a Denver radiologist, was taken into custody after he refused to leave and told officers to 'arrest me.'...'We were clueless as to why we were being removed from our seats,' Schroeder said. He said police told him, 'the Pepsi Center wants you to leave.' Police wouldn't say why, telling him only that he could leave or be arrested. 'Since I had done nothing, I said, 'Arrest me,'' Schroeder said. He said a heterosexual couple was seated in front of him at the concert and that the man repeatedly called him and his boyfriend a derogatory name under his breath, but loud enough to hear. The woman then complained that Schroeder had shoved her. He says the allegation is 'ludicrous.' ...'We had no interaction with the female,' Schroeder said. 'I couldn't even tell you what she looked like.' When Schroeder was handcuffed, he said an officer yelled at him and repeatedly poked him in the chest after he asked for the officer's name. Schroeder was taken to the city jail and held for six hours before he posted $100 bail."

It's not the first time Denver law enforcement has been accused of ignoring anti-gay bias crime. In March 2007, it was reported that Denver police officer Richard Boehnlein was under investigation for refusing to take action against a gay basher. Nima Daivari, a law student visiting the city from New York, claimed the officer refused to do anything after Daivari was assaulted.

Denver law enforcement officials say the case is under investigation.

Obama Draws 'Well Over 100,000' at Denver Rally

Obama drew the largest crowd at a U.S. rally to date, topping the massive crowd last week in St. Louis, at a rally in Denver over the weekend:

"'Goodness gracious,' Obama said as peered at the human mass in Civic Center Park."

According to KJCT: "Not since Pope John Paul II filled the park in 1993 have so many people turned out for an event in Denver's Civic Center Park. Later, about 45,000 people filled a lawn known as 'The Oval' at Colorado State University to hear Obama speak. Thousands more stood on the outskirts."

Obama is set to give a "closing argument" today in Canton, Ohio:

"In his speech, Senator Obama will tell voters that after twenty-one months and three debates, Senator McCain still has not been able to tell the American people a single major thing he’d do differently from George Bush when it comes to the economy. Obama will ask Americans to help him change this country, and say that in just one week, they can choose an economy that rewards work and creates new jobs and fuels prosperity from the bottom-up, they can choose to invest in health care for our families and education for our kids and renewable energy for our future, and they can choose hope over fear, unity over division and the promise of change over the power of the status quo."