Mass Attorney General intercedes in gay-bashing case

Mass. A.G. Intercedes In Gay Bashing
by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff

Posted: October 27, 2005 9 :00 pm ET


(Boston, Massachusetts) Massachusetts Attorney General Tom Reilly on Thursday obtained a civil rights order against a 46-year-old New Bedford woman accused of verbally assaulting four men, including two gay men.

The preliminary injunction, issued by Bristol County Superior Court Judge E. Susan Garsh, prohibits Sharon Brunelle from threatening, intimidating or coercing any of the four male victims, or anyone else in the Commonwealth, on the basis of their actual or perceived sexual orientation.

A violation of the order would constitute a criminal offense punishable by up to 10 years in state prison if physical harm results.

Reilly sought the court order after Brunelle allegedly shouted anti-gay slurs from her second floor window at two gay men, who live in the same building, while they were having dinner in their backyard.

<snip>

Brunelle, Reilly alleges, threatened to kill and beat the two gay men, the next door neighbor and another man visiting next door. Throughout the confrontation, Brunelle continued to yell anti-gay epithets at all four men.

<snip>

According to Reilly’s complaint, she resumed her verbal assault on the four men immediately after the police officer left her home. She was later arrested and charged by the New Bedford Police Department with disturbing the peace and five counts of civil rights violations.

More:
http://www.365gay.com/newscon05/10/102705massAG.htm