Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Crime Newark, NJ: Not safe for CEOs, homosexuals, anyone
Posted by Gwynedd Stuart @gwynnstu on Wed, Jul 21, 2010 at 12:26 PM
- Credit Union of Atlanta via nytimes.com
- DeFarra Gaymon
Gaymon, CEO of Credit Union of Atlanta, had traveled north to attend his 30th high school reunion when he was shot once in the chest by police while visiting a public park.
Interest in the story has stemmed from the fact that Gaymon was the fifth person shot by Newark police in just a month's time, the sixth to die in an officer involved shooting this year.
And then there are the circumstances surrounding the shooting, which include officer allegations that Gaymon — a married father of four — was masturbating in an area known as a gay cruising spot.
Here's Essex County Prosecutor Robert D. Laurino's account of the incident as it ran in the NYT:
“The plainclothes officer was bending down to retrieve his handcuffs [which he'd misplaced during a prior arrest],” Mr. Laurino said, “when he was approached by Mr. Gaymon, who was engaged in a sexual act at the time.” Words were exchanged that the prosecutor said “would lead one to believe that” Mr. Gaymon was propositioning the officer.“The officer pulled out his badge, identified himself as a police officer and informed Mr. Gaymon that he was under arrest,” Mr. Laurino said. Then, he said, Mr. Gaymon shoved the officer to the ground and ran, ignored the officer’s demands to stop, and repeatedly threatened to kill the officer if he approached. The officer cornered Mr. Gaymon beside a pond and tried to handcuff him, Mr. Laurino said, but again Mr. Gaymon resisted.
“Mr. Gaymon reached into his pocket and lunged at the officer in an attempt to disarm the officer,” Mr. Laurino said. The officer, “fearing for his life,” the prosecutor said, shot Mr. Gaymon once, and he died at the hospital three hours later.
Sadly, Gaymon won't have the opportunity to defend himself or his reputation, but his family reportedly plans to call for federal investigation into the shooting.
Comments (5)
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very sad. hope the cop who shot gaymon gets what he has coming.
but a gay man named "gaymon"? is this a joke?
What a fucking ridiculous story. I can't believe the prosecutor delivered with a straight face. And here I thought Nathan Deal hated the gays most.
I guess they'll need to take down the billboard @ Northside and Bankhead w/ Gaymon's pic on it.
No, but seriously, this is awful.
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