UPDATE on Houston Gay Teen Bashing: Hate Crime Charges and Disciplinary Action

There are new developments in the case of the 16-year-old black gay Houston high school student who was viciously attacked by a group of 8 students, one of whom wielded a metal pipe. Jayron Martin learned the boys were planning to attack him after his school bus ride and asked two principals and the bus driver to help. His pleas were ignored.

The criminal investigation: The 16-year-old pipe-wielding student has been arrested. There were no other arrests. Sources in Houston and at the Human Rights Campaign in Washington tell Rod 2.0 the suspect will be charged as an adult with assault and a hate crimes sentencing enhancement. Texas hate crimes law explicitly includes "sexual preference".

The administrative investigation: Source within the HRC Houston field operation reports disciplinary action is being taken against the bus driver:

When getting on the bus on Thursday PM, the 16 y.o. student told the bus driver he was going to be attacked because he was gay. The bus driver let the 16 y.o. student get off the bus with a crowd of aggressors. He was attacked with a metal yard sign by one individual while other watched/instigated the assault. Cy-Fair ISD [Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District] will likely be terminating the employment of the bus driver that let the 16 y.o.student get off the bus with a crowd exiting behind him.

The HRC memo adds "Cy-Fair ISD is performing an internal investigation to determine if the situation was handled appropriately by administrators." Jayron Martin's mother has reportedly retained legal counsel.

Background: 
Black Gay Teen Beaten with Pipe

Thanks RG and Dave in Houston

Comments

[FQ]

Wow. Well justice is being served at least somewhat. I wish they could arrest the other students too but it iswhat it is...

[Brien]

I don't understand why all the students weren't taken into custody, even to stand lesser charges. This whole scenario was fueled by this jeering mob and are therefore culpable. Just think they're going to continue to think that harrassing is less of a hate crime than wielding a metal pipe. Can't imagine how terrified Jayron must have felt when that bus driver let him off the bus without doing anything. Sad thing is that my comment can be copied and pasted to any of the other vicious attacks that we've read on here for the past several days. Sad indeed.

[Diva1961]

I am so glad that mothers are standing up for their gay children. The Baltimore child didn't have anyone to stand up for him. The teachers of his scholl have stood for him more than his "so-called" family. His grandmother has said something, but there is so much cover-up in that family that it is hard to decipher why a forced sexaul relationship started and continued with knowlegde from certain family members.

I am glad this mother is filing charges. Families have for so long, have tried to keep these type of things quiet, and sweep them under the carpet in order to preserve the "black family image". We all have to shout "NO" to these situations and stand up and break from the status quo. Come out of the dark into the light and demand justice.

[kayman]

It's about time! Good to see that charges are a coming.