Suspects in alleged gang rape of Richmond lesbian plead not guilty

Three suspects in the alleged gang rape of a lesbian woman in Richmond pleaded not guilty Thursday and were likely to remain jailed until a judge decides whether there’s enough evidence to put them on trial.

Lawyers for Humberto Hernandez Salvador, 31, Josue Gonzalez, 21, and Darrell Hodges, 16, entered the pleas to charges that included kidnapping, carjacking, gang rape and sodomy in the Dec. 13 attack. See Suspects in alleged gang rape of Richmond lesbian plead not guilty

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One hate crime in gang rape?

One hate crime in gang rape?

In Wake of Prop 8, Attack on gay woman in Richmond reflects continuing trend

RICHMOND — News this week of arrests in the Dec. 13 gang rape of a lesbian brought relief to many in the community, some of whom were so outraged that they led police to breaks in the case.

But even as the resolution is lauded, gay-rights advocates and local and national crime statistics portray a gloomy truth about hate crimes against people based on their sexual orientation.

Until the root causes of bias toward lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people are addressed, “we’ll continue to have hate perpetrated against us,” said Shawna Virago, a program director for the San Francisco-based advocacy group Community United Against Violence.

The group reported 304 crimes against Bay Area gays in 2007, the latest year for which complete statistics were available. That amounted to an approximate 6 percent increase from 2006.

Nationally, the FBI recorded 1,265 crimes deemed to have been motivated by the victim’s sexual orientation in 2007, a slight increase from the 1,195 tallied a year earlier but a 24 percent jump from 2005 figures.

Data compiled by the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs — which counts the San Francisco group among its members — show national numbers to be considerably higher, from 1,486 incidents in 2006 to 1,833 the following year.

See Attack on gay woman in Richmond reflects continuing trend
San Jose Mercury News,

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FOUR ARRESTED IN CALIFORNIA GANG RAPEAuthorities treating brutal attack on lesbian as a hate crime

FOUR ARRESTED IN CALIFORNIA GANG RAPE
Authorities treating brutal attack on lesbian as a hate crime

4 sought in gang rape of lesbian

(San Francisco, California) Police in Richmond, northeast of San Francisco, are hunting four men accused of the brutal kidnapping and gang rape of a lesbian. Investigators have appealed to the public for help and have posted a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrests and conviction of the men.

Police …

Police offer $10K reward in lesbian gang rape

SAN FRANCISCO—Police in Richmond are offering a $10,000 reward for information in the alleged gang rape of a woman who authorities say was jumped by four men, taunted for being a lesbian and left naked outside an abandoned apartment building.

Detectives say the 28-year-old victim was attacked on Dec. 13 after she got out of her car, which bore a rainbow gay pride sticker. The men, who ranged from their late teens to their 30s, made comments indicating they knew her sexual orientation, said Richmond police Lt. Mark Gagan.

Along with the brutality of the assault, the fact that the woman may have been targeted because she was gay has unnerved the officers assigned to the case, Gagan said. They went public with some details about the case over the weekend hoping it would motivate witnesses to come forward with information about the suspects, who have not been apprehended.

See Police offer $10K reward in lesbian gang rape
San Jose Mercury News, US