REPORTS: "Gay Panic" Defense in Slaying of Miss. Mayoral Candidate

This was not unexpected but there has been a disturbing development in the tragic case of Marco McMillian, the 34-year-old fundraising executive who was running for mayor of Clarksdale, Mississippi. Murder charges were filed against 22-year-old Lawrence Reed on Thursday. Police investigators and several of the suspects' friends have said the suspect is claiming a "gay panic" defense, according to new reports.

"Friends of Lawrence Reed say a late-night encounter between McMillian and Reed may have caused Reed to snap," reported Memphis' ABC 24.

Friends say Reed and McMillian met at a Clarksdale bar a few weeks ago, and the two became fast friends. The same friends say the two were supposed to go to a party together on Monday night in the nearby town of Walls. Next thing anyone knew, the friends say Reed's girlfriend received a call from Reed. "She said she was listening to everything that was going on, how the guy was trying to get Lawrence to have a homosexual activity," Derric Crump, Reed's friend said.

McMillian's friends say they doubt that's what led to murder "He was such, such a beautiful person. I mean he did not deserve it. Really didn't." said Tamara Moore, a longtime friend of McMillian.

The Clarion-Ledger confirms this version with investigators—but their report adds that McMillian's friends claim the two had a sexual relationship. "[The homicide] stemmed from a personal incident, either between two lovers or between a gay man and a straight man whose signals got mixed."

Reed allegedly snapped, strangled McMillian, then drove McMillian’s SUV to the levee west of Clarksdale and tossed his body near the river. Friends of McMillian, however, say the two men were romantically involved and quarreled immediately before the slaying. "They were having an affair," said 18-year-old Carlos Jones. "They got to tussling."

Afterward, Reed allegedly drove around in McMillian’s SUV until 8:30 a.m. Tuesday when he collided head-on with another vehicle on U.S. 49 near the maximum-security Tallhatchie County Correctional Facility.

McMillian's body was discovered near a Mississippi River levee on Wednesday morning.

McMillian announced his candidacy for mayor last month and was described as "one of the 1st viable openly #LGBT candidates in Mississippi" by the Victory Fund, which helps elect openly LGBT candidates. "Jarod Keith, a spokesman for his campaign, said it was significant because he was believed to be the first openly gay candidate to run for office in the state," reported the Memphis Commercial Appeal.

McMillian apparently had a distinguished career as a fundraising executive, according to the biography at Marco McMillian for Mayor. McMillan most recently served as International Executive Director of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity. Previously he was a development executive at Alabama A&M and Jacskon State, raising helping to raise "$38 million... and more than $16 million" respectively, the bio reports. "McMillian was named in Mississippi Business Journal’s 'Top 40 Under 40' and was recognized by EBONY in 2004 as one of the nation’s leaders who are 30 and under."

"This is a tragic and horrible crime," Dr. Ravi K Perry told Rod 2.0. Perry is assistant professor of political science at Mississippi State University, and was a friend of Marco McMillian and and adviser to his political campaign. JET featured the wedding of Dr. Ravi Perry and Paris Prince in its December 10 2012 issue. "Marco McMillian had so much potential."

Reed "is listed in good condition" at the Regional Medical Center at Memphis. Lawrence Reed is scheduled to make his first court appearance on Monday morning. Prosecutors are expected to request his extradition to neighboring Mississippi.

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Comments

[paulmsmith@yahoo.com]

“Gay panic” may be a good theoretical defense strategy for an attorney wanting to defend his client, but I hope that a discerning judge or jury will look beyond the surface of such a defense in this case. Those who were close to Mr. McMillan most likely knew who their close friend was involved with and if his friends had knowledge of an affair between these two men, then more than likely it was true. They apparently knew each other, McMillan was openly gay and they were out together at a bar, so Reed apparently was no stranger to socializing with gay men (albeit possibly for nefarious reasons). Even if McMillan did show a sexual interest in Reed, it should not have come as a complete surprise. It should never have resulted in his murder. I can’t imagine that he was so panicked that he unable to turn him down and exit the scene. Let’s call it what it is, but I really don’t think IT was a case “gay panic”.

[Tony]

34 y/o and a 22 y/o? That had disaster written all over it.

[Noirbear2]

I am SO over this Gay panic defense. This is just a bad idea all the way around. So one day some women is going to wind up dead because a gay man killed her and claimed "Straight panic". You can't have one without the other.

[Will]

We all know how sometimes these things work, but damn, do you have to kill someone because you either (a) was involved with them and didn't want to be involved with them or (b) you were not involved with them and they wanted you to be involved with them? At what point did Reed decide that McMillan's life become completely meaningless because of what Reed had going on between his ears? This is a sad and tragic story and, unless, I am wrong, we hear about every 1.5 years now. Whatever the configuration of their relationship - no reason, except to save his own life, should this have come to this.Smh...

[kayman]

I'm seeing this is another situation where you have a closeted bisexual or even homosexual male that messed around with one that was open and comfortable in his own skin gone wrong. *sigh*

This is why you cannot deal with anyone without doing a background check on them. There are still too many dudes nowadays that are still "out-of-their-minds" but will engage in homosexual acts. In the end, you either get away from those types or unfortunately wind up becoming a statistic.

[Black Pegasus]

@Kayman

What good will a "background check" do you if there isn't anything that would point to an sudden explosion of murderous violence?

I say Gay Men must learn how to defend themselves! Gay Men spend madd cash on gym memberships and pro-health nutrition, but most of them couldn't knock out an old lady if they had to.. Learn to protect yourselves from these damn animals! We don't have to be weak and timid. 1-2 days a week of boxing classes mixed in with your regular workouts is all you need to get started.

You never know when you might have to punch the sh*t out of some fool who is threatening you (or your friends) because you're gay.

FIGHT BACK!

[Cool Curt]

I read on another blog site (The Advocate)about this very unfortunate story and it leaned towards saying that it wasn't a hate-crime. I didn't read into the story too much because I appreciate The Advocate for the many years they have devoted to LGTB community. Now with that said about The Advocate, I have to say that sometimes when it comes down to stories about LGBT men and women of color, the stories don't seem to have the same urgency and importance as that of white LGTB persons. Now to learn a bit more about the guy responsible, I'm feeling some kind of way. The age gap between these two individuals shouldn't be the frightening aspect at least to me but the fact that Mr. Reed also had a girlfriend is the scarier finding. Was Lawrence Reed on the down low or bisexual or an opportunists? I'm not going to lie when I say that the occasional homo thug intrigues me because that is far from what I am. I'm not saying the very out and open gay men doesn't satisfy me because that would be a lie. As a younger man, I was trying to figure things out for myself and some of dealings would have me in some serious and very sticky situations. Our gay Black men targets for violence? I can say that I experienced some violence being gay and being Black. Even when someone is just talking about what they are going to do to you, isn't as bad as it happening but even the thought should worry most. I pray Marco's soul is resting in peace because he didn't deserve to die like he did. I even pray for Mr. Reed because he is going to have to live with some hard truths. What if they were experiencing a lover's quarrel that went somewhere that most lovers never want it to go.