Monday - December 8th
Support Alexander Ruppert:
Survivor of Gay-Bashing
By Chicago Police
On Monday, Chicago police officers accused of savagely beating a Chicago gay man in June 2006 will go on trial in federal court 219 S. Dearborn Street, Room 2119.
Besides being roundly beaten, Alexander Ruppert still suffers from the psychological trauma inflicted upon him that evening outside of Crew, a popular gay sports bar in the Uptown neighborhood.
Please show your support for Mr. Ruppert by attending the trial in federal court next Monday. Mr. Ruppert's attorneys, Jon Erickson and Michael Oppenheimer (www.EricksonandOppenheimer.com), suggest that the best time to show up would be for opening arguments in the case, which are expected to be at about 3 PM in the federal courthouse, 219 S. Dearborn Street, Room 2119 (we suggest that you leave a little extra time to go through the court's metal detector).
For background on the case, we suggest that you check out this Channel 2 report made shortly after the attack:
"Lawsuit: Police Beat Chicago Man Because He Is Gay
by Mike Parker
"CHICAGO (CBS) ― A North side man's accusation is the latest in the string of misconduct claims against Chicago police officers. The man filed a federal lawsuit Thursday that police beat him because he is gay.
"As CBS 2's Mike Parker reports, in March 2006, Alexander Ruppert, a gay man with AIDS, lay injured in the hospital. A beating left him with facial and head wounds and 16 stitches. Thursday, a federal lawsuit claimed he was beaten without provocation by two Chicago police officers from the 20th District.
"'They beat him not only with their fists but they beat him with their words of hate,'" said attorney Jon Erickson.
"The incident began in the Uptown Lounge when two officers arrested Ruppert for disorderly conduct. The suit claims the officers then drove him to a spot a few blocks away and beat him badly.
"'He begged them to stop,' said attorney Michael Oppenheimer. 'It was only when he told them he had AIDS that they stop the vicious beating. And it was only after he bled all over their car that they called for medical attention.'
"Ruppert's partner, David Flood, said '[Ruppert] is seeking justice not only for himself but for our community.' . . .
"After the incident, police filed charges of aggravated battery against a police officer against Ruppert. The officers claimed Ruppert injured their knuckles. The charges were later dropped by the Cook County State's Attorney's Office."
Ruppert "injured" the cops' knuckles?!? What, by slamming his face into their fists?! These guys have GOT to be kidding! See the full story and pictures at
http://cbs2chicago.com/topstories/alexander.ruppert.uptown.2.337681.html
Some may remember that Attorney Jon Erickson ignited the crowd as one of the featured speakers at GLN's annual Matthew Shepard March this past September. Please show your support for his client, Alexander Ruppert, by showing up in court next Monday!