Mother of Suspect Charged in TN Pastor's Death Denies Son is "Gay"

There are new developments in the case of the Rev. David Strong, the prominent Chattanooga African Methodist Episcopal pastor who was brutally tortured and killed on October 4. Police have arrested Antonio Henry, a 25-year-old man with a history of mental problems, as well as his 16-year-old cousin Brendan Barnes. Detectives believe Strong was tortured because he refused to reveal the PIN for his debit card during a robbery. Henry initially told detectives that he "snapped" after Strong repeatedly pressed him to masturbate for $100.

At a bond hearing last week, Henry changed his story and now admits that he specifically went over to Rev. Strong's house to perform the sex act and "get money," reports CBS 12. "Henry told police he went to Strong's home in Glenwood to get money. He says the pastor would pay him to perform a sex act. Instead, after the assault, the two took his ATM card."

Speaking to reporters after the hearing, Antonio Henry's mother Anita Burgess told reporters her son is "not gay," reports Newschannel 9.

"Burgess says she doesn't know exactly what happened on Oct. 4, the day police say men confessed to killing Strong. Lead Detective Michael Wenger testified that Henry admitted to taking Strong's debit card and asking for his pin number. But Henry's mother says she doesn't believe her son told police he went to Strong's house to get money for sex acts. 'Antonio Henry is not gay.' she says. 'I noticed when [the detective] said that, my son shook his head, 'no.''

"But, when it comes down to it, Burgess and the detective agree the reason the men were at his home isn't important. 'A man lost his life,' Wenger says. 'It doesn't matter what his sexual preference is and they have not made any allegation of rape or anything like that.'"

Henry and his 16-year-old cousin Brendan Barnes face charges of criminal impersonation, felony murder and aggravated assault charges for stabbing the prominent pastor up to 29 times, taking ATM card and stealing his car. Both are being held without bond.

Interesting that the mother has no comment on her son being accused of a brutal murder, but wants everyone to know that he is "not gay." Apparently to some people, it's better to be accused of murder than being gay ... or gay for pay.

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Comments

[Nathan James]

I once worked for a West Indian boss who admitted he could live with his son being a drug dealer, or bank robber, but not a gay man. Sadly, Burgess' attitude towards the possibility that her murder-suspect son might be gay, is all too common.

[Former COGIC]

The Black church strikes again!
These people will excuse any and every crime and sin including murder, fornication, drug dealing and gang banging. But they draw the line at homosexuality.

And they will welcome ex-cons and drug dealers into the church. Gay people not so much.

[Jim]

“Come on, boy, don’t be a sissy! Man up!”

Only manly men kill other men.

[Charles]

@Former COGIC...nowhere in this commentary was mentioned about the "Black Church" repressing homosexuality. I am certainly not excusing the fact that those situations do occur, but look at what is written in black and white. This is clearly a mother that is in denial about the antics of her son. It would be interesting to interview her and assess the current socio-economical situation of that entire household. "Gay for pay trade" is a recurring theme in today's society and people are stooping to tragic measures into getting what they need in order to make it in today's world. You hear about this more now than ever. Look at what's happening with on-line hook-up sites in the news as of late. Not only does the black church need a wake up call to acceptance of lifestyles, but we all need a wake up call into what is evidently being done in the dark (as if no one knows anything about this subject, directly or indirectly).

[Kevin Perez]

The soco-economic status justifies this level of ignorance and denial? To be perfectly honest, I'm getting tired of these psychological and sociological excuses being made for communities of color and others when it comes to homophobia and what not. The idea that some how being a murder is less worse than being gay or being percived as such just goes to show you how screwed up, not only POC are, but everyone else is. The only thing I find "tragic" about all of this is that it allows morons to continue to make gay men into boogie men and their scapegoats. That's the tragedy.

The Black church and other religious institutions have to do more than be more "accepting". Sorry, it's more complicated than that. Religion, not just the bigotry that comes from it, has such a profound effect that folks will trivialize and downplay the severity of it.

[soulbrotha]

"Before long he was crowned QUEEN
for all the world to see,
bloody body face down.
The wages of sin are surely death
that's what mama used to say
So there was no sympathy"

from "Leviticus:Faggot" by Me'shell N'degeocello

[FREELEO]

@soulbrotha.... i felt that... one of my favorite cds.

[Taylor Siluwé]

"...nowhere in this commentary was mentioned about the "Black Church" repressing homosexuality."

True, Charles, the article doesn't say anything like that. But we all know its true. We all see the trickle down effects of homo-hatred from the pulpit, the callous ignorance of people to accept horrible crimes yet not homosexuality.

Former COGIC was just speaking truth. And yes, this is a mother who is in denial that she raised a monster - but for her to vehemently defend the hetero-ness of this violent murderer brings it back to the root causes of this delusion in our community -- that the very WORST thing a man can be is gay.

We all know where that delusion comes from.

[Chris]

Charles, "lifestyles"? REALLY???

[soulbrotha]

Me too, FREELO. It stays on constant rotation on my mp3 player.

[Kevin Perez]

"Charles, "lifestyles"? REALLY???"

Yeah, I wonder what was that about. Oh well, this punk choose a "lifestyle" of cruising for trade and "chose" to pretend he's straight and hates the gays.

[Bellah]

Rod
where are you

i worry about you when you arent on

[Yall SomeDumb Mfs]

Who cares if he's gay? He's a freaking murderer.