Miscellaneous

Manhattan Cops Bamboozle the Gays

This little scheme the cops are pulling on gay men in Manhattan is downright ridiculous:

Anger is building against the police department in the wake of an increase in arrests of gay men for prostitution at Manhattan adult video stores. Last week, City Council Speaker Christine Quinn joined in the outcry. She said she is working with the mayor's office and commanders of the police department to set up a meeting that will include gay community groups "to get to the bottom of this."

The arrests have been documented by Duncan Osborne of the Gay City News over the last several months. Police are allegedly using handsome young undercover cops to cruise middle-aged gay men, offering to go home with them for consensual sex. As they leave the store together, the cop offers to pay the man for the sex, confusing the victims who can't imagine why the younger man would make such a proposal. Then, as they walk out of the store, the victim, despite never having agreed to any exchange of money, is surrounded by undercover cops, handcuffed and charged with prostitution.

Gay activists and civil libertarians see the arrests as part of a continuing effort to shut down porn operations in the city and a tendency by the police department to criminalize gay sexual behavior.

It's one thing to pose as a prostitute and wait for someone to solicit, but this is absurd. Cruising dudes and then offering free sex, only to suddenly ask for cash?

But then again, isn't that how porn websites are ran? Free Pr0n! Free Pr0n! Just give us your credit card.

Full post as published by Quiz Law on February 02, 2009 (boomark / email).