• 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

  • Body
  • Daily Resist
  • POLITICS
  • Travel
  • Music
  • Theatre
  • Film
  • TV
  • Sports
  • Business
  • Men
  • Marriage Equality
  • Space
  • Trans Rights
  • Books
  • Science
  • Gay Iconography
  • TowleREAD

Activists Push For Hate Crime Designation in Brutal Knoxville Beating

November 5, 2014 by Sean Mandell

Hatecrime

The Tennessee Equality Project is pushing law enforcement in Knoxville, Tennessee to prosecute the brutal attack of a local gay man, David Keck, as a hate crime. Keck was savagely beaten by suspect Dennis Wilder after Keck allegedly made sexual advances towards Wilder. The report of the night's events is according to Wilder who turned himself into police after beating Keck unconscious and stealing $100 in cash from him along with his car. WVLT reports:

According to witnesses, two men, identified as Wilder and David Keck, left Bullfeathers Bar and headed to Keck's place at the Brendon Park apartments off Cedar Bluff.

Wilder is quoted in a police report telling officers he had hit Keck "several times" after David came on to him sexually at the apartments.

When police showed up, they found David Keck "beaten unconscious," and say Wilder told them he was afraid he'd killed Keck.

Keck is currently suffering from short term memory loss due to the heinous attack. Wilder does not currently face any hate crimes charges, only aggravated robbery chargers, a fact the Tennessee Equality Project is looking to change:

"Thankfully because Tennessee does have sexual orientation under hate crime law the D.A. can ask for enhancement, which would be a stricter penalty as well," [said Gwen Schablik, the Tennessee Equality Project Committee Chair for Anderson, Knox and Blount Counties.]

The Knoxville Police Department says it is unlikely the district attorney's office will bring hate crime charges against Wilder.

Wilder is scheduled to be in court on Friday.

Keck shared the images above with WVLT "because he wants us to show and tell his story."

Filed Under: News Tagged With: crime, hate crime, Knoxville, News, Tennessee

Recent Posts

  • Jonathan Bailey, Billie Eilish, Lawmaker Threat, Moderna Vaccine, Armie Hammer, Rolex, Prince Harry: HOT LINKS

    Jonathan Bailey, Billie Eilish, Lawmaker Threat, Moderna Vaccine, Armie Hammer, Rolex, Prince Harry: HOT LINKS

    6 hours ago
  • Liz Cheney Spox Mocks Matt Gaetz for Carrying ‘Beauty Bag’: ‘In Wyoming, the Men Don’t Wear Make-Up’

    Liz Cheney Spox Mocks Matt Gaetz for Carrying ‘Beauty Bag’: ‘In Wyoming, the Men Don’t Wear Make-Up’

    8 hours ago
  • Biden Signs Executive Order Reversing Trump’s Ban on Transgender Troops

    Biden Signs Executive Order Reversing Trump’s Ban on Transgender Troops

    9 hours ago
  • Sycophancy and Failure: Dr. Birx Criticized for Failing to Speak Out on Trump’s ‘Parallel’ COVID Data

    Sycophancy and Failure: Dr. Birx Criticized for Failing to Speak Out on Trump’s ‘Parallel’ COVID Data

    11 hours ago
Previous Post: « Incredible Go-Pro Video Follows A Lioness On The Hunt In Africa: WATCH
Next Post: Family Research Council Files Brief with 5th Circuit in Same-Sex Marriage Case »

Primary Sidebar

  • Jonathan Bailey, Billie Eilish, Lawmaker Threat, Moderna Vaccine, Armie Hammer, Rolex, Prince Harry: HOT LINKS

  • Liz Cheney Spox Mocks Matt Gaetz for Carrying ‘Beauty Bag’: ‘In Wyoming, the Men Don’t Wear Make-Up’

  • Biden Signs Executive Order Reversing Trump’s Ban on Transgender Troops

Recent Posts

  • Jonathan Bailey, Billie Eilish, Lawmaker Threat, Moderna Vaccine, Armie Hammer, Rolex, Prince Harry: HOT LINKS

    Jonathan Bailey, Billie Eilish, Lawmaker Threat, Moderna Vaccine, Armie Hammer, Rolex, Prince Harry: HOT LINKS

    6 hours ago
  • Liz Cheney Spox Mocks Matt Gaetz for Carrying ‘Beauty Bag’: ‘In Wyoming, the Men Don’t Wear Make-Up’

    Liz Cheney Spox Mocks Matt Gaetz for Carrying ‘Beauty Bag’: ‘In Wyoming, the Men Don’t Wear Make-Up’

    8 hours ago
  • Biden Signs Executive Order Reversing Trump’s Ban on Transgender Troops

    Biden Signs Executive Order Reversing Trump’s Ban on Transgender Troops

    9 hours ago
  • Sycophancy and Failure: Dr. Birx Criticized for Failing to Speak Out on Trump’s ‘Parallel’ COVID Data

    Sycophancy and Failure: Dr. Birx Criticized for Failing to Speak Out on Trump’s ‘Parallel’ COVID Data

    11 hours ago
  • Trump Trolled with Sky Banners Over ‘Sad, Dispirited’ Mar-a-Lago: ‘You Pathetic Loser’ — WATCH

    Trump Trolled with Sky Banners Over ‘Sad, Dispirited’ Mar-a-Lago: ‘You Pathetic Loser’ — WATCH

    12 hours ago
  • GOP Official Resigns After Using Hawaii Republican Party’s Twitter Account to Prop Up QAnon Zealots as ‘Patriots’

    GOP Official Resigns After Using Hawaii Republican Party’s Twitter Account to Prop Up QAnon Zealots as ‘Patriots’

    13 hours ago
  • Biden Cans White House Doctor Who Misled Public About Trump’s COVID Treatment, Condition

    Biden Cans White House Doctor Who Misled Public About Trump’s COVID Treatment, Condition

    13 hours ago
  • GOP Senator Josh Hawley Files Ethics Counter-Complaint Challenging 7 Dem Senators, Writes Screeching Op-Ed Denouncing ‘Cancel Culture’ and Big Tech, Defending ‘Karens’

    GOP Senator Josh Hawley Files Ethics Counter-Complaint Challenging 7 Dem Senators, Writes Screeching Op-Ed Denouncing ‘Cancel Culture’ and Big Tech, Defending ‘Karens’

    14 hours ago
  • Rudy Giuliani Hit with $1.3 Billion Defamation Suit by Dominion Voting Systems Over Election Fraud Lies

    Rudy Giuliani Hit with $1.3 Billion Defamation Suit by Dominion Voting Systems Over Election Fraud Lies

    14 hours ago
  • GA School Board Members Ripped for Refusing to Wear Masks During 13-Second Moment of Silence for Teacher Who Died of COVID: ‘We See Where Your Priorities Are!’ — WATCH

    GA School Board Members Ripped for Refusing to Wear Masks During 13-Second Moment of Silence for Teacher Who Died of COVID: ‘We See Where Your Priorities Are!’ — WATCH

    14 hours ago

Most Commented

  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • About Towleroad
  • Towleroad on Social Media
  • Privacy Policy

Footer

Copyright © 2021 · Log in