365Gay: Guilty plea in gay porn producer murder

FROM 365GAY.COM:

Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania — One of two men accused of killing a gay porn producer, who he thought was a competitor, has been sentenced to life behind bars.

Under a deal with prosecutors, Joseph Kerekes pleaded guilty Monday to the lesser charge of second-degree murder. It is expected he will testify against his onetime lover Harlow Cuadra, who is still facing a first degree murder charge in the 2006 slaying of Bryan Kocis, the owner of Cobra Video.

Both Kerkes and Cuadra originally were charged with first degree murder and prosecutors said they would seek the death penalty. Second-degree murder carries a mandatory penalty of life in prison.

At a preliminary hearing last year, two medical examiners testified that Kocis died of massive blood loss after his head was nearly sliced off.

Luzerne County Coroner Dr. John Consalvo testified that Kocis suffered between 28 and 29 post mortem stab wounds before his home was torched in an attempt to cover up the killing last January.

When Kocis’ body was discovered by firefighters, more than 80 percent of the body was covered by third-degree burns.

Homicide detectives were able to find Kocis’ computer in the charred remains of the rural home and forensics scientists salvaged and reconstructed part of the hard drive.

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GLAAD UPDATE: Episcopal Conservatives Announce Split from U.S. Church

Via Press Room at GLAAD:

December 04, 2008

Conservative Episcopalians in the United States announced on Wednesday they will split from the Episcopal Church. The group will form its own rival denomination, threatening further the unity of the worldwide Anglican Communion – which traces its roots to the Church of England. The conservatives will seek approval from the global Anglican Communion to form their own Anglican entity in North America.

The new denomination would include dioceses that recently defected from the Episcopal Church because of disagreement over a number of issues, including the ordination of openly gay Bishop Gene Robinson of New Hampshire. Dioceses in Pittsburgh; Fort Worth; Quincy, Ill; and San Joaquin have all departed the Episcopal Church, although not all parishes or members of these dioceses agreed to leave the church.

The group stated the new province would absorb a handful of other dissident groups who left the Episcopal denomination for various reasons, like the ordination of women and theological differences. The Episcopal Church is suing many breakaway parishes and dioceses in order to keep church property – which would likely continue if conservatives attempt to take church property with them as part of a new Anglican province.

Related Media Coverage:

New York Times – December 3, 2008
“Episcopal Split as Conservatives form New Group”
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/04/us/04episcopal.html?pagewanted=2&_r=1

Los Angeles Times – October 4, 2008
“Split in Episcopal Church hits new level”
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/front/la-na-episcopal4-2008dec04,0,526783.story

Media Contact:
Adam Bass, Media Field Strategist – West
Phone: (323) 634-2018
Email: bass@glaad.org

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GLAAD: Poll Shows Religion and Economic Status Influential Factors in Prop 8 Support

Via Press Room at GLAAD:

December 04, 2008

A new poll indicates that the religious beliefs and economic status of voters played a greater role than age and race in determining support for Proposition 8, the ballot initiative that took away marriage for same-sex couples in California. According to the poll, conducted by the Public Policy Institute of California, people who identified as practicing Christians were very likely to support Prop 8, as were voters who did not attend college and voters who earned less than $40,000 a year. The poll also determined that age and race, among others, were less important factors.

Related Media Coverage:
The Associated Press- December 4, 2008
“Poll: Calif. gay marriage ban driven by religion”
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5g3Yrv2lixhDpA_1XiY2rZUm9Ol4wD94RPF600

Media Contact:
Adam Bass, Media Field Strategist – West
Phone: (323) 634-2018
Email: bass@glaad.org

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Windy City Times: Gay dollars, labor and boycotts

FROM THE WINDY CITY TIMES:

By Yasmin Nair
2008-12-03

The gay dollar has never been stronger. The passage of the anti-same-sex-marriage initiative Proposition 8 brought protests across the country. Subsequently, gay activists have released the names of prominent businesspeople who donated to the ballot measure, and called for economic boycotts of their corporations.

Such initiatives, while part of gay history, also prompt new questions. What role do boycotts play when many corporations now woo well-off gay consumers, boast of “gay-friendly” policies and sometimes have gays and lesbians at the helm? What do boycotts say about the connection between gays and labor unions, traditionally among the organizations that call for such boycotts?

The city of Evanston saw the first of recent boycotts in Illinois Nov. 22 when picketers gathered outside the Century Theater. They urged theatergoers not to patronize the business because Alan Stock, CEO of Cinemark, the corporation that owns Century, gave a personal contribution of $9,999 to support Proposition 8.

Gay groups in California have been calling for economic boycotts since the summer. Among the most prominent of these calls is the one about the Manchester Hyatt in San Diego. The hotel is owned by Doug Manchester, but operated by Global Hyatt Corporation. It was revealed that Manchester donated $125,000 to Proposition 8.

In response, Local 30, the San Diego chapter of UNITE HERE, joined a gay group, Californians Against Hate, to demand that Global Hyatt sever its connection with the Manchester Hyatt. UNITE HERE is a union born of the 2004 merger between the Union of Needletrades, Industrial and Textile Employees and HERE ( Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees International Union ) . According to Cleve Jones, a gay organizer with the union, UNITE HERE has had its eyes on this particular hotel since 2006, when the hotel’s non-unionized workers protested unfair work practices.

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