• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • About Towleroad
  • Towleroad on Social Media
  • Privacy Policy

Towleroad Gay News

Gay Blog Towleroad: More than gay news | gay men

  • Travel
  • Sports
  • Law/Justice
  • Celebrities
  • Republicans
  • Madonna
  • Books
  • Men
  • Trans Rights
  • Royals
  • Monkeypox
  • Madonna SLAMS Haters Of Her ‘Unrecognizable’ Face At The Grammys: ‘You Won’t Break My Soul’
  • Judge denies DeSantis’ request for ‘mental examinations’ for minors seeking gender-affirming care
  • ‘Habibi’ beams light onto queer love in the Arab region

Denver Cop Under Investigation for Ignoring Gay Bashing

Andy Towle March 21, 2007

Denver police officer Richard Boehnlein is under investigation for refusing to take action against a gay basher. Nima Daivari, a law student visiting the city from New York, claims the officer refused to do anything after Daivari was assaulted.

DaivariWe were sent a statement from Daivari on Monday (warning, contains strong language):

So, Saturday night my cousin Janet, her boyfriend Evan, and myself were walking home from dinner in downtown Denver. We passed by a couple and the male said “Keep that faggot away from me”. I said “Excuse me?” with an incredulous tone and he stepped up to me and said “Fuck you faggot, I will fuck you up” and punched me in the face.

I retaliated and punched him twice in the face and put him in a headlock to keep him from hitting me again. His girlfriend then proceeded to punch me several times in the face. I couldn’t let go of him, so I took several blows to the jaw, head and face as my cousin and her boyfriend tried to restrain her. Officer R. Boehnlein (and his partner) of the Denver police department arrived and physically restrained me and my two assailants. I told him I wanted to press charges, he said “No, go home”.

Three times I insisted that I wanted Officer Boehnlein and his partner to arrest my attackers and to every request he said “No, go home”. I told him I was a second year law student and that I know I had the right to defend myself after I was attacked. I told him that I have the right to press charges. I told him this was a hate crime. He didn’t care. So we went home and cleaned me up. We then went straight to the 6th precinct of the Denver police and attempted to file a report against Officer Boehnlein. They wouldn’t let me. They said I had to wait until a sergeant arrived. My cousin Janet managed to convince them to at least allow us to leave statements. We did and were told a sergeant would call us.

Sergeant Marion Penn called me at 4:00am and after I related the attack to him he said he would call me back the next day, after speaking to Boehnlein and his partner. Sunday afternoon Sergeant Penn called me back and Janet and I went into the precinct. There, Penn and another off-duty sergeant began apologizing to me for Officer Boehnlein’s behavior. They then brought Boehnlein in to apologize to me and made him fill out the police report that I had requested him to fill out 20 hours earlier.

For every question he asked me, I said “Well, you were there, what time do you think it was”, “Well, you were there, how tall do you think he was”, “Well, you were there, how bad were my injuries”. Officer Boehnlein was unfazed by this. I know in his mind not only am I the faggot who got beat up, now I’m the faggot who’s getting his ass in trouble.

Sergeant Penn assured me that Officer Boehnlein is going to be reprimanded and investigated and they assigned Detective Vasquez my case. He is going to go and see if there are any surveillance cameras in the area or to see if he can locate any witnesses.

While all this makes me feel a little better (as does the fact that I fucked up that homophobe and for the rest of his life he’s going to know that [I] fucked up his face), the bottom line is that 1) I was randomly attacked solely because I am gay. I chose to wear white pants and a fairy necklace and thus was subjected to a physical attack and 2) Officer Boehnlein did not give a flying fuck. The asshole, who very well could have pummeled me into a pulp, (if I were someone who was unable to defend myself) was in physical police custody, a gay guy said he wanted to press charges, and instead of allowing me to press charges against him, the officers chose to release him and we all know he will never be found and never be punished.

This is precisely the reason I go ballistic on gay rights and equality. If I were a straight white man, do you, dear reader, think that I would have been attacked? Would I have been denied the right to press charges? This entire debacle is complete and utter bullshit.

From the Rocky Mountain News: “The entire incident is being investigated by the police department’s internal affairs division, said Detective Virginia Quinones. According to police documents, the suspect and Daivari exchanged words before he punched Daivari in the face. Daivari, an amateur boxer, responded by punching the man twice and putting him in a headlock to restrain him. The man’s girlfriend punched Daivari several times in the face before police arrived, he said. The suspect is described as a white man between 20 and 30 years old, about 6 foot, 2 inches tall and 200 pounds. He was wearing a green shirt and blue jeans.”

More on this as it develops…

Gay man says police ignored hate crime on 16th Street Mall [rocky mountain news]

Topics: News More Posts About: Colorado, Colorado, crime, Denver, Denver, gay slurs, Law Enforcement, News

Related Posts
  • Gay Craft Stall has £10k of stock stolen overnight at the Dickensian Christmas festival in Rochester
  • Thousands in US join abortion rights protests ahead of elections
  • S.I. Revisits A Sportscaster’s Apology For An On-Air Gay Slur And The Home-Run Hitter Who Interrupted It And Has Interrupted Somber Moments Since
  • Judge denies DeSantis’ request for ‘mental examinations’ for minors seeking gender-affirming care

    Judge denies DeSantis’ request for ‘mental examinations’ for minors seeking gender-affirming care

    Published by AlterNet A federal judge ruled against Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ request for minors seeking gender-affirming treatment to be subjected to two-hour mental examinations, Orlando Weekly reports. The ruling from U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle …Read More »
  • ‘Habibi’ beams light onto queer love in the Arab region

    ‘Habibi’ beams light onto queer love in the Arab region

    Published by Al-Araby In a colourful setting on level -1 of the Arab World Institute (IMA) in the heart of Paris, installations, videos, paintings, drawings, designs and embroideries are showcased until February 19 under the title …Read More »
  • Christina Aguilera and Bad Bunny to be honoured at GLAAD Media Awards

    Christina Aguilera and Bad Bunny to be honoured at GLAAD Media Awards

    Published by BANG Showbiz English Christina Aguilera, Bad Bunny and Jeremy Pope will be honoured at the GLAAD Media Awards. The trio will be recognised for their contribution to the LGBTQ community at the ceremony that …Read More »
  • Bret Easton Ellis returns with ‘The Shards’ – dark autofiction

    Bret Easton Ellis returns with ‘The Shards’ – dark autofiction

    Published by DPA Bret Easton Ellis, the cult author behind "American Psycho", is back with a massive novel about wealthy teenagers, a mysterious newcomer student and a serial killer, all narrated by a teen who shares …Read More »
Previous Post: « Join Arjan’s “Glee” Club and Rock your iPod
Next Post: NFL and Indianapolis Colts Coach Dungy Raise Money for Anti-Gay Hate Group »

Primary Sidebar

Adjacent News

  • ‘Most disrespectful bill’ — Missouri lawmakers push to ban teachers from discussing LGBTQ identity

    ‘Most disrespectful bill’ — Missouri lawmakers push to ban teachers from discussing LGBTQ identity

  • First gay married vicar attacks Church of England’s same-sex marriage blessing rule

    First gay married vicar attacks Church of England’s same-sex marriage blessing rule

  • European cost of living crisis: Berlin paying young people to go clubbing

    European cost of living crisis: Berlin paying young people to go clubbing

Good Trash: Going to Read It Somewhere, Y'know

  • ‘At Least You Know I’m Singing Live’: Adele FORGETS The Lyrics To Her Award-Winning Song At Las Vegas Residency Before Grammys

    ‘At Least You Know I’m Singing Live’: Adele FORGETS The Lyrics To Her Award-Winning Song At Las Vegas Residency Before Grammys

  • ‘Leaving Neverland’ Director SLAMS Michael Jackson Biopic Starring Late King Of Pop’s Nephew, Claiming It Will ‘Glorify A Pedophile’

    ‘Leaving Neverland’ Director SLAMS Michael Jackson Biopic Starring Late King Of Pop’s Nephew, Claiming It Will ‘Glorify A Pedophile’

  • Sarah Michelle Gellar reveals Sandy Gallin and Dolly Parton’s ‘little known’ Buffy the Vampire Slayer role

    Sarah Michelle Gellar reveals Sandy Gallin and Dolly Parton’s ‘little known’ Buffy the Vampire Slayer role

RSS Partner Links

  • Lily Collins Opens Up About Toxic Relationship with Ex who Called Her a 'Whore'
  • Michael Jackson’s Estate Is Closing In On A Deal To Sell Half Of Its Stake In His Music Catalog For Almost $1 Billion
  • A Judge Shut Down A Request From Wendy Williams’ Ex Kevin Hunter To Resume Alimony Payments
  • Iowa GOP Wants To Let 14-Year-Olds Drive To Their Job In The Mines
  • Celebrity 'Great British Bake Off' 2023 Cast Revealed!
  • Pink Explains Her Love for Aerial Stunts, Opens Up About the Loss of Her Father & Going to a Wellness Clinic in 'Women's Health' Interview
  • OMG, DC’s trans non-binary character has arrived

Most Recent

  • Madonna SLAMS Haters Of Her ‘Unrecognizable’ Face At The Grammys: ‘You Won’t Break My Soul’

    Madonna SLAMS Haters Of Her ‘Unrecognizable’ Face At The Grammys: ‘You Won’t Break My Soul’

  • Judge denies DeSantis’ request for ‘mental examinations’ for minors seeking gender-affirming care

    Judge denies DeSantis’ request for ‘mental examinations’ for minors seeking gender-affirming care

  • ‘Habibi’ beams light onto queer love in the Arab region

    ‘Habibi’ beams light onto queer love in the Arab region

  • Christina Aguilera and Bad Bunny to be honoured at GLAAD Media Awards

    Christina Aguilera and Bad Bunny to be honoured at GLAAD Media Awards

  • Bret Easton Ellis returns with ‘The Shards’ – dark autofiction

    Bret Easton Ellis returns with ‘The Shards’ – dark autofiction

  • Indigo Girls in “Protect Trans Kids” T-shirt Are More Than “Fine” At Tiny Desk Show; And Queer Playlist From 10 Years of NPR Concerts:  WATCH

    Indigo Girls in “Protect Trans Kids” T-shirt Are More Than “Fine” At Tiny Desk Show; And Queer Playlist From 10 Years of NPR Concerts: WATCH

  • Dexter Origins confirmed with plans for more serial killer spin offs

    Dexter Origins confirmed with plans for more serial killer spin offs

  • Retired, Single & Sexy! Tom Brady Holds His Hand Over His Private Parts In Nearly Nude Selfie — See Photo

    Retired, Single & Sexy! Tom Brady Holds His Hand Over His Private Parts In Nearly Nude Selfie — See Photo

Most Commented

Social

Twitter @tlrd | Facebook | Instagram @tlrd

Footer

Copyright © 2023 · Log in

×