The lawyer for Vinzen Matthew Williams, 21, sought the delay so that his client could undergo a psychological evaluation.

“I need more time to complete a proper statement in mitigation,” wrote attorney Paul Rodriguez in a motion filed with the court on behalf of his client.

Judge Kathleen Lewis allowed for the delay, which lasts until September 10, so that she could consider the evaluation in her sentencing.

Rhythm Turner, 25, was sent to the hospital on May 14 with two facial fractures, one on her nose and the other under her eye socket, after Williams punched her in the face. Turner, a singer and guitarist, later made a Youtube video in which she explained the assault and revealed that Williams made several slurs against lesbians during the attack.

Williams could be sent to prison for a maximum of four years, though the District Attorney’s office agreed not to oppose a one year sentence with probation.

Read the full Gay & Lesbian Times story here.

Petty Officer Jonathan Campos of Lancaster, Calif., was charged Thursday in connection to last month’s fatal shooting of Seaman August Provost of Houston.

Provost was shot multiple times as he stood guard at Camp Pendleton on June 30. The 29-year-old’s family believes the shooting may have been a hate crime. The family says Provost complained of being harassed about his sexuality in the days before his death.

Navy officials have rejected those claims and say there is no record of Provost filing a harassment report.

They say Campos, a 32-year-old gas system technician, is being held at the brig and is cooperating with investigators.

The Empowering Spirits Foundation says the “kiss-in” is intended as a peaceful rally to encourage dialogue between The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the gay community.

The event is scheduled for Wednesday evening at the temple near La Jolla, Calif.

It would be the third kissing demonstration held since Matt Aune and Derek Jones were cited for trespassing on the church-owned Main Street Plaza on July 9 in Salt Lake City.

The couple refused to leave the plaza when security guards who saw the kiss said the behavior was inappropriate.

Sterling, a Republican, was one of about 20 elected officials who had sent letters of support to the nonprofit San Diego LGBT Pride organization. After her letter was posted to the group’s website, Hartline told her he thought she should have it removed. Sterling said she initially refused.

Last month, Sterling sent a second letter to the group after she discovered more about “the nature of some of the activities that take place” and that she “was shocked and shaken to my core to learn of the lewd and lascivious behavior and unconscionable activities portrayed.”

“Her letter was just disappointing,” said Ron deHarte, executive director of San Diego LGBT Pride. “The words she was using were disappointing coming from an elected official in the year 2009.”

Read the full San Diego Union-Tribune story here.

City Council voted 7-0 in a closed session to file the appeal.

The firefighters – Alex Kane, Chad Allison, Capt. John Ghiotto and Capt. Jason Hewitt – claimed they were subjected to sexually charged conduct and lewd comments while riding a fire engine in the July 2007 parade, which drew about 150,000 spectators.

The firefighters’ attorney, Charles LiMandri, said during his closing argument that his clients were targets of vulgar gestures and catcalls while being forced to watch barely clothed men and women simulate sex acts and touch themselves and one another.

“The Fire Department knew what goes on there,” LiMandri told the jury. The jury deliberated for nearly three days in reaching its decision last month.

This was the second trial on the firefighters’ claims. In October, jurors were unable to reach a verdict.

LiMandri requested up to $1 million for each client at the first trial. He didn’t propose specific damages at the second trial.

A crew that volunteered to ride a fire engine pulled out shortly before the parade because the captain’s mother died. LiMandri told the jury that department supervisors didn’t try to find other volunteers, but gave the assignment to the crew in the city’s Hillcrest area, home to a large gay population where the parade is held.

The firefighters’ attorney argued that his clients objected but weren’t taken seriously. The city said the firefighters expressed discomfort but didn’t complain of sexual harassment at the time.

Deputy City Attorney Don Shanahan had argued that the firefighters weren’t satisfied after Chief Tracy Jarman apologized and promised to change the department’s policy and use only volunteers in the parade.

“The department bent over backwards,” Shanahan told jurors.

Steven Paul Hirschfield, 37, of West Hollywood, went overboard during a July 19 pride- related cruise in San Diego Harbor.

Harbor Police were notified by the operators of the charter boat and Hirschfield was rescued, but reportedly began fighting with officers who pulled him onto their boat.

He allegedly grabbed a Taser from one officer and struck him in the face.  Police said he then attempted to take the officer’s handgun.

As the two struggled, a second officer shot Hirshfield. He was pronounced dead by paramedics when the police boat docked.

In its finding the District Attorney’s Office report said that the officer’s use of deadly force was “..reasonable under the circumstances,” since the other officer “..had told him Mr. Hirschfield had gotten possession of one of his guns.” In reality, however, Hirschfield did not have the gun.

Last August, the county coroner said that Hirschfield’s death was a homicide.

The coroner’s report says that the fatal shot was fired by a “departmentally-issued Glock 40 loaded with issued 0.40 caliber jacketed hollow points.”

“The gunshot wound entrance was on the right midback,” and exited through the right part of his chest the report said.

The report also noted that Hirschfield’s blood showed “the presence of methamphetamine, doxylamine, and trace ketamine in his blood.” There was no sign of alcohol in the blood, the report noted.

Hirschfield’s family has accused the investigation into the shooting of being biased in favor of the officers. The family has filed a $20 million wrongful death lawsuit against the police.  A hearing is scheduled for next month.

The shooting was one of two incidents involving county workers at last year’s gay pride.

Four firefighters assigned to ride atop a fire truck in the parade sued the city alleging they were sexually harassed by crowds on the parade route. Last month, a jury awarded them combined damages of $34,300.

In his ruling, Anello rejected a motion from the the firefighters’ attorney for an injunction barring the city from from requiring participation in parades.

Charles LiMandri had argued that pride parades are a political event whose purpose is to advocate for LGBT rights including “the controversial concept of gay marriage” and that the department improperly used the four to support a political cause. He said the order is a violation of the firefighters’ constitutional right to free speech.

In rejecting the motion, Anello cited rulings by other courts that held that when citizens enter government service they must accept some limits on their constitutional rights.

In his written ruling, Anello said the appearance by firefighters at the parade was part of the San Diego Fire Department’s “community building activities,” and was required under state and municipal anti-discrimination laws.

Anello also noted the argument was moot, since the city has already amended its policies to make future participation in parades voluntary.

The ruling came after a jury deadlocked last week on a sexual harassment suit brought by LiMandri on behalf of the four firefighters who claimed they had become emotionally distressed as a result of their treatment by crowds along the parade route last year.

The jury of six men and six women became hopelessly deadlocked after four days of deliberations.

LiMandri had urged the jury to award $500,000 to $1 million to each firefighter.

City Attorney Michael Aguirre said the lawsuit “was about greed” and declared the jury’s deadlock a total victory.

Last month, one of the firefighters told the court that he was sexually taunted by crowds on the street and has been undergoing counseling to try to cope with the aftermath of the experience.

Charles Kane testified that participating in the parade has affected his family life and that he has been ridiculed by some at his fire station.

“I felt confused, embarrassed, used, abandoned by my leadership … I had to fight through it,” he testified.

But under cross-examination by city attorney Michael Aguirre, Kane acknowledged that the fire hall is in the largely gay Hillcrest neighborhood, and that he actually lives in the area.

Anello has scheduled a retrial to begin on Jan. 16.

The four claimed they were victims of sexual harassment and became emotionally distressed as a result of their treatment.

Judge Michael Anello declared the mistrial Monday when the jury of six men and six women became hopelessly deadlocked after four days of deliberations.

Charles LiMandri, the firefighters’ attorney, in his closing arguments asked the jury to award $500,000 to $1 million to each firefighter. He called the mistrial “frustrating” and suggested the suit may be refiled.

The four firefighters claimed in the suit that they followed the order that they appear in the parade, fearing that if they refused they would be suspended or punished.

The lawsuit claimed that the pride parade is a political event whose purpose is to advocate for LGBT rights including “the controversial concept of gay marriage” and that the department improperly used the four to support a political cause.

A spokesperson for the fire department said that the men were assigned to the parade at the last minute because the volunteer participants backed out at the last minute when one of them had a family crisis, and that the four worked in a fire station near the parade route.

City Attorney Michael Aguirre said the lawsuit “was about greed” and declared the jury’s deadlock a total victory.

Last month, one of the firefighters told the court that he was sexually taunted by crowds on the street and has been undergoing counseling to try to cope with the aftermath of the experience.

Charles Kane testified that participating in the parade has affected his family life and that he has been ridiculed by some at his fire station.

“I felt confused, embarrassed, used, abandoned by my leadership … I had to fight through it,” he testified.

But under cross-examination by city attorney Michael Aguirre, Kane acknowledged that the fire hall is in the largely gay Hillcrest neighborhood, and that he actually lives in the area.

Aguirre said some of the “overtly sexual” behavior at the parade that Kane complained about likely occurred on a daily basis in the area.

Kane replied that he had seen gay sexual behavior but that he could go home and close the door. 

“Well, you could have closed your eyes during the parade. You could have averted your eyes.” Aguirre shot back.

The lawsuit does not mention the dollar amount sought, but reports citing settlement negotiations say the four want $3 million.

One of the firefighters told the court this week that he was sexually taunted by crowds on the street and has been undergoing counseling to try to cope with the aftermath of the experience.

Charles Kane testified that participating in the parade has affected his family life and that he has been ridiculed by some at his fire station.

“I felt confused, embarrassed, used, abandoned by my leadership … I had to fight through it,” he said.

During his testimony, Kane became noticeably upset and Judge Michael Anello called a recess so that Kane could compose himself.

But under cross-examination by city attorney Michael Aguirre, Kane acknowledged that the fire hall is in the largely gay Hillcrest neighborhood, and that he actually lives in the area.

Aguirre said some of the “overtly sexual” behavior at the parade that Kane complained about likely occurred on a daily basis in the area.

Kane replied that he had seen gay sexual behavior but that he could go home and close the door.

“Well, you could have closed your eyes during the parade. You could have averted your eyes,” Aguirre shot back.

In another development, Judge Anello rejected an attempt by Aguirre to question another firefighter, Capt. John Ghiotto, about Playboy magazines that were reportedly in open view at the fire station.

Aguirre wanted to show that sexual images were not uncommon to the four and that the suit was plain homophobia.

Anello ruled that the line of questioning was irrelevant.

The four firefighters claim they followed an order that they appear in the parade because they feared that if they refused, they would be suspended or punished.

In previous years, firefighters were encouraged but not ordered to take part in the parade.

The lawsuit claims that the pride parade is a political event whose purpose is to advocate for LGBT rights including “the controversial concept of gay marriage” and that the department improperly used the four to support a political cause.

A spokesperson at the time for the fire department said that the men were assigned to the parade at the last minute, because volunteer participants backed out when one of them had a family crisis, and that the four worked in a fire station near the parade route.

Attorneys for the firefighters are expected to being their summations on Monday.

The investigation concluded that there were “substantial and unjustified” Title IX violations in Mesa’s athletic program.

The violations OCR identified were initially the subject of a complaint by former head basketball coach Lorri Sulpizio shortly before she and her domestic partner, the former director of basketball operations, Cathy Bass, were terminated from their employment with Mesa.

Sulpizio and Bass in July filed a discrimination suit against Messa.  The suit alleges that despite Sulpizio’s and Bass’s dedication and demonstrated track record of success leading the women’s basketball program at the community college, Mesa officials unlawfully fired both coaches at the end of the 2007 academic year after they spoke out publicly about the unequal treatment of female athletes and coaches in a local paper. The article identified them as domestic partners.

Both women are represented by the National Center for Lesbian Rights.

The complaint alleges that Mesa officials retaliated against Sulpizio and Bass for repeatedly raising concerns about unequal treatment of female athletes and faculty, as well as discriminating against them and ultimately firing them based on their gender and sexual orientation.

The complaint names Mesa athletic director Dave Evans, San Diego Mesa College, and the San Diego Community College District as defendants.

It alleges they violated numerous federal and state laws, as well as the California constitution.

The OCR investigation focused on gender disparities in the treatment of student-athletes and did not include Sulpizio’s and Bass’s employment discrimination claims.

OCR investigated whether Mesa operates an intercollegiate athletic program that provides benefits, opportunities and services to female athletes that are equivalent to those provided to male athletes.

Based on its investigation of Mesa’s treatment of male and female student athletes, OCR “identified disparities with respect to the scheduling of games, the provision of locker rooms, practice and competitive facilities, and the provision of medical and training facilities.”  OCR concluded that: “These disparities were more than negligible and collectively established a violation of Title IX.”

Specifically, OCR found that:

- Mesa had scheduled football games at the same time as a women’s basketball tournament, and “the result of this was that the female basketball players were not allowed to use the women’s locker room.”

- “Only female athletes have been scheduled to play at a time when they were not able to use their own locker rooms.”

- “The women’s basketball team has been displaced from the women’s locker room by a visiting football team,” forcing the women’s team to use inferior facilities and preventing the visiting team from using any restroom facilities.

- “Softball is the only college team that shares its competition field with another team of a different sport. The baseball field is used exclusively by baseball, while the softball field is shared with the men’s and women’s soccer teams.”

- Mesa’s policy with respect to student-athletes’ access to athletic service trainers “has a disparate, negative impact on female athletes.”

- The OCR determined that these gender inequities have “a negative impact on female athletes,” are “of a substantial and unjustified nature” and “established a violation of Title IX.”

As a result of OCR’s investigation, Mesa entered into a resolution agreement with OCR that addresses the issues that OCR identified.  Mesa’s compliance with the agreement will be monitored by OCR.

“Mesa should comply with the law and ensure that women student-athletes and coaches have the same resources and opportunities as their male counterparts. We are pleased that the Office of Civil Rights is addressing these inequities at Mesa,” said Helen Carroll, sport project director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights, in a statement to the media.

Sulpizio served as Head Coach of the Mesa women’s basketball team for five years, from 2002-2007, after spending three years as an assistant coach and then a year as interim head coach. She regularly led the team to championship play at tournaments, and secured high-level finishes in Pacific Coast Conference Championship tournaments in several seasons.

The Mesa women’s basketball team won first place in the 2001-2002 season and third place in both the 2005-2006 and 2006-2007 seasons.

Bass began working at Mesa as assistant coach to the women’s basketball team in 1999, and was appointed as an adjunct faculty member and made director of basketball operations for the team in 2006.

Sulpizio and Bass are registered domestic partners in the State of California, and together they have three children.