Crime time
Dear Editor:
The Cook County Crime Stoppers rally on Halsted Street in Chicago's Boystown on Saturday, March 28, attracted limited media attention but also served as a misdirected and ultimately harmful effort toward resolving Kevin Clewer's 5-year old unsolved Boystown homicide. Tragically, Kevin's homicide is one of several unsolved North Side gay murders that haven't received the proper police attention due. While it is true that the Chicago Police Department ( CPD ) has an abysmal record at proactively engaging community resources, establishing dialogue and demonstrating accountability, one of the basic services demanded from any police department is an expectation of competent and thorough criminal investigations. In this regard, the CPD collectively fails in its primary duty to a community they're meant to protect and serve. In the Chicago Police 2007 Annual Report, the CPD reports clearing only 34.2 percent of violent crime—a serious and dramatic reduction from past years.
Regarding the Clewer homicide in particular, the continued insistence of CPD investigators to nominally search for the "Fernando" sketch suspect simply reflects the institutional pattern of deliberate indifference toward this particular gay homicide, a pattern evident in other unsolved gay homicides as well. That CPD detectives located, arrested, questioned and released the male believed to be "Fernando" in April 2005 reflects the attitude of ambivalence so prevalent today. By maintaining the hollow search for "Fernando," detectives can avoid having to develop and follow more fruitful investigative leads. Today, no known information substantially contradicts the premise that "Fernando" was questioned in 2005. While "Fernando" remains a person of interest and a potential suspect, the net result is that no substantive attention is given to the other remaining viable suspects in the Clewer homicide. By maintaining the prime focus on finding "Fernando" instead of identifying the actual killer, "Fernando" becomes an investigative red herring and serves to stymie investigative progress when viewed through this constricted tunnel vision.
The Chicago Police Department should be firmly established as being particularly responsive to recognizing and investigating gay-oriented crime. Chicago has suffered the predations of several high-profile, gay-oriented serial sexual-homicidal predators in the not-so-distant past, and the North Side Belmont/Western detectives' area has included a large percentage of gay murders among its investigative caseload. These gay victims were not disposable members of society, yet these repeated predations have apparently resulted in no heightened levels of police awareness and response to this at-risk community. Now, Chicago-area men and women who have been criminally victimized find themselves essentially abandoned by this seemingly disinterested police department. Capable, professional and thorough investigations are a responsibility owed to all crime victims, not just those crime victims who are evaluated as more socially significant.
It isn't unreasonable for the LGBT community of Chicago to believe that they don't warrant proper police attention when they become criminally victimized. In light of this understanding, it is difficult for the Chicago Police Department to be viewed as progressive and equitable when they collectively fail in serving this endangered population segment of our city.
Bob Zuley
Chicago
Forum feedback
I had the opportunity to attend the informational forum at the Center on Halsted for seniors on March 25.
This was the first of series of public forums that will be held to call attention to the aging issues in the Chicago's LGBT community. I think the response from those attending was overwhelmingly positive, and feedback flowed in from many in attendance. The organizers of the forum presented the results of a senior survey needs assessment, and information on the programs at the Center On Halsted, AARP and SAGE. Feedback was overwhelmingly positive, which encouraged activities specifically slated for elder housing development—a place "just for us" to include a toll-free hot line.
One item not discussed involved items in President Obama's stimulus package that would benefit seniors in terms of employment and housing. If the stimulus money is being used to provide employment for young people between the ages of 18 and 24, why not seniors between the age of 55 and 70 who are able and want to work?
Certainly, if Chicago can produce a "Center on Halsted" we can produce housing geared to LGBT seniors that supports both a positive lifestyle and the specific needs of LGBT seniors in such areas as HIV/AIDS, housing, medical/dental needs and basic needs. The question that needs to be addressed is: Is this just a senior need, or is it a community need?
On the whole, the forum was a great first step, and I would like to thank all who presented, and took part in organizing this needed event. I hope that future forums will be respectful of LGBT senior citizens, and move beyond the Lakeview area and the North Side.
Joe Murray
Rainbow Sash Movement, Chicago
