A Northwest Side gay couple filed suit in Cook County Circuit Court July 1 against their next-door neighbors, alleging they have been harassed, threatened and subjected to pervasive and outrageous abuse because of their sexual orientation.
Richard and Roel Doherty-Roque allege that their neighbors, Alex and Elizabeth Zentano, have harassed their family since 2000. According to the file, the Doherty-Roques have two small children, ages 6 and 22 months, and have been in a relationship for 16 years. Pro bono attorney William M. Gantz told Windy City Times the Doherty-Roques are seeking the 'full gambit' of monetary damages and injunctions available to them by law. These damages and injunctions, according to the lawsuit, include compensatory damages for damage to their property, emotional distress, trespassing, battery, assault, and violation of the Illinois Hate Crime Act as well as punitive damages.
'No one should have to endure abuse, harassment and intimidation in their home where they are living for discriminatory reasons,' another of the Doherty-Roques' attorneys, Betsy Shuman-Moore, said.
The file states that since 2002, the Zentanos and guests at their backyard picnics would point, laugh and make anti-gay comments at the Doherty-Roque family from their backyard. The suit also alleges that on July 5, 2004, Alex Zentano and his brother, Maicol Zentano, insulted them and Maicol threatened to harm them. Maicol was arrested and later pled to disorderly conduct.
The lawsuit also states the Zentanos have allegedly caused property damage since 2000 by intentionally watering their yard 8-24 hours a day, especially during the summer, flooding the Doherty-Roques' backyard and spraying them with water. According to the suit, verbal and written requests to curtail the watering resulted
in anti-gay insults.
The Doherty-Roques have lived in their home since 1998. The file states that they have been forced to stop using their own backyard when the defendants had friends over for picnics. In addition, the suit states that the Doherty-Roques were forced to relocate their entryway to avoid the constant barrage of water and have delayed securing a tenant for their coach-house apartment as a result of the spraying and flooding.
The couple hopes to gain more than money. 'I think that my clients are very unique, brave individuals who are willing to go through the process to not only get their own peace, but dissuade people from this type of behavior,' Gantz said.
'The reasons for the case are to bring this to a stop, recover and show others these kind of acts are harmful and there is legal recourse to prevent it from happening again,' Shuman-Moore said.
Shuman-Moore would not say the exact amount of damages the plaintiff is seeking, but asked, 'What dollar amount would compensate for what they've had to endure? And what damages would qualify as punishment?'
