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District Attorney Paul Howard is pleased to announce that his
Office will co-host, along with the City of Atlanta Police Department
and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (Atlanta office), the
first-ever symposium on "Defeating the Gay Panic Defense,"
an innovative, three-day training course scheduled for February
23-25. The symposium, which will be held at the Sheraton Midtown
Atlanta Hotel at Colony Square, is designed to inform and educate
criminal justice and law enforcement professionals at all levels
of expertise-prosecutors, police officers, investigators, judges-on
this insidious, illegitimate excuse for unlawful and violent attacks
on men and women in communities across this country. (This "license
to kill" received nationwide attention during the 1999 trial
of two defendants accused of the brutal murder of college student
Matthew Shepard in Laramie, Wyoming.)
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"We
are extremely proud and excited to host this significant training
conference along with the Police Department," says Mr.
Howard. "The notion that a perceived or real sexual advance
upon a person by someone of the same gender justifies a criminal
assault-or worse-is absurd, rooted in prejudice and misunderstanding,
and must be opposed wholeheartedly by members of law enforcement
and the criminal justice community." |
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This unique and important event will feature high-profile
speakers and recognized experts in their fields, including
Elizabeth Birch, former director of the Human Rights Campaign,
the nation's largest gay and lesbian advocacy organization;
Georgia Attorney General Thurbert Baker; Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Editorial Page Editor Cynthia Tucker; City of Atlanta Police
Chief Richard Pennington; Thomas Charron, executive director
of the National District Attorneys Association; and Jeffrey
Montgomery, recognized expert on the "gay panic defense"
and director of the advocacy group Triangle Foundation;
to name just a few.
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panel discussions, and instructional sessions, the seminar
will also feature the "Ahmed Yusef Dabarran Awards
Banquet" on Friday evening, February 25. The event
will honor an individual who has dedicated him- or herself
to educating communities on the importance of human
rights and fighting for equal justice for all people.
The award is named for Ahmed Dabarran, a Fulton County
prosecutor whose quiet, dignified voice was abruptly
and maliciously silenced nearly four years ago in an
act of violence that ultimately went unpunished. The
man accused of Ahmed's murder was acquitted at a trial
in which the "gay panic defense" was raised. |
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The registration fee for the symposium is $225, and both
Continuing Legal Education and Peace Officer Standards &
Training credit may be applicable. Those interested in attending
this conference should contact Jada Dawkins, director of
community affairs and the conference coordinator, at 404.730.0195
or [email protected] for more information. The
Sheraton Midtown Atlanta Hotel at Colony Square (188 14th
Street, NE) is offering special rates for attendees, as
well. For more information, please contact the hotel at
404.892.6000 or [email protected].
Watch this site for more details!
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Click for Downloadable Registration Forms!
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