Police Arrest Suspect in Sandy Case
By Keith Boykin, in sexuality
Wednesday, October 11 2006, 10:14AM
New York police have arrested a suspect in the hate crime attack on 28-year-old Michael Sandy. Sandy was reportedly lured to the location where he was attacked by an Internet scheme targeting gay men. Once he arrived at the location, he was attacked by a group of four white men. Sandy escaped from his attackers and fled to the street, where he was struck by a car Sunday evening.
In the latest developments, police now consider the attack to be an anti-gay hate crime, although some see it more as a robbery. It's also not entirely clear what role the victim's race played in the attack. At many as four white suspects have been held in custody involving the attack. Sandy is reportedly close to death and unable to breathe on his own, and the family may decide as early as today whether to remove the life support that is preventing him from dying. If he were to die, that would potentially change the charges filed against the suspects. Some reports indicate that Sandy is currently brain dead.
The sad irony of all this is that Thursday will be Sandy's birthday, according to one news report. It's all too much to take at once.
It's a shame that these types of hate crimes are still taking place in 2006. And for all its diversity and liberal policies, New York is no safer than anywhere else it seems. This is a serious crime and it deserves serious attention. Even if it was a robbery attempt, the fact that it targeted gay men would suggest that it was also a hate crime. It's encouraging that police seem to have charged at least one suspect with a bias attack, but it's disturbing to hear an unnamed police official say that it wasn't a hate crime simply because it was a robbery.
Meanwhile, State Sen. Carl Kruger (D-Brooklyn) said he would push to have the park's closing time moved to dusk. The park's closing time had previously been moved to 9 p.m. in 2002, following the stabbing death of a voyeur who wanted to watch another man's girlfriend perform a sex act. "It was originally intended to be a family gathering place, a recreational facility for the community," Kruger said. "Through the years it evolved into nothing more than a snakepit of illegal activity." He also called for installing video surveillance cameras in the park. "We'll do whatever we have to to return it back to the community," he said.
No matter what happens to the park in the future, prosecutors have a responsibility to push for the highest possible charge against the defendants. Many people in the community will be watching closely.
Comments conceal
Blue
October 11 2006, 10:24AM
Damn. I was hoping to read today that his condition had improved. I am glad they caught the suspect, but I am so sorry to hear that the victim is struggling to hang onto his life. I'll keep him in my thoughts. Brothers, please be careful out there!
Rockinrob
October 11 2006, 10:41AM
Two thoughts:
1) May God be with this brother and his family. Only He can help him now.
2) Let them MF's fry! They've been caught and I have zero sympathy for them.
While my thoughts may seem contradictory, that's honestly how I feel.
PEACE
PAUL
October 11 2006, 11:43AM
MY GOD, HATRED IS DAM UGLY..poor guy..im speechless..torn up and speechless..dam!
Donald![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.keithboykin.com/blog2/nav-commenters.gif)
October 11 2006, 11:49AM
Michael Sandy is the nephew of legendary calypsonian Calypso Rose, who's been known to make her own homophobic comments. I wonder how this crime will influence her participation in the conversation about hate music turning into hate crimes.
Darian
October 11 2006, 12:15PM
I've never met Michael Sandy but my heart goes out to him and his family during this extremely difficult time. I've heard many stories similar to this one but I've never been moved to tears before. When we hear about crimes such as this one it's really easy to sympathize for the victim and move on about our daily affairs, but this is different. The climate and tolerance in our country for homophobia and crimes against gays and lesbians have reached a new high and it's time for us collectively as black SGL men to change the face of what it looks like to be gay in this country and begin to curb the homophobia in our community.
Damn! What if there was a place Michael could have gone outside of a park or even a bar to connect with another man and feel safe, maybe this story would have turned out differently.
Blackgayguy
October 11 2006, 12:58PM
I'm glad they that they got the thugs and losers who did this and sad that his life is now on the line for a senseless attack by some two bit chumps who would not get a job. This is one sad story, no matter how one looks at it. The Internet in all its glory is still a place of danger on many levels as this shows. Men who are out here looking for love, sex or trade need to be careful since you don't know what sort of loon is replying to you since it has been open season on gay men for the past few years in this country. And, what is up with these churls from the Carribean and this gay rage they have? I guess they are like the GOP have to have some sort of scapegoat to make up for thier own short comings in life.
Troy
October 11 2006, 1:15PM
NO ONE DESERVED THIS, EVER! And if I could I would move a mountain to change what happned to him. How long must the endless violence and hate continue? How long?
We should be more to each other and our selves. I pray there will be some sort of resolution or peace to this. Our lives matter, WE matter.
andre allen
October 11 2006, 1:24PM
my thought and prayers are with sandy and his family and i hope u is able to make it through the horrible atack and the persons who did this should get death. Thanks for the update.
C. Baptiste-Williams
October 11 2006, 3:10PM
The prevelance of these attacks whether it was because of race or sexual orientation is getting out of control. What are we teaching our kids that has them not valuing another person's life and belongings?
I just have never understood how people feel it is ok to take what is not theirs and what they can't give back.
taylor Siluwé![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.keithboykin.com/blog2/nav-commenters.gif)
October 11 2006, 3:33PM
This case keeps getting sadder.
If there can be a silver-lining to this tragedy, hopefully it would be that we wake up to danger the internet poses not only to children but to grown-ass men like ourselves.
We've all given in to the call of the wild from time to time. So its more important than ever to be extremely careful about meeting people online. For every potential love connection, there's also a Dahmer or a Gacy waiting to kill you.
Think about that the next time a stranger tries to lure you out of your comfort zone.
L. Saunders
October 11 2006, 6:34PM
How very, very sad this is whenever you read about this type of hate or any hate.
james
October 12 2006, 7:58AM
I'm curious to see whether the gay factor will keep the black community from responding to this crime with the sort of zeal that they have in the past when a crime like this is committed against a black person presumed to be heterosexual: Michael Griffith (Howard Beach), Yusuf Hawkins, Eleanor Bumpurs, Amadou Diallo, Abner Louima, etc. etc.
Miss Thang
October 12 2006, 9:38AM
James,
I was wondering the same thing.
Yusuf Hawkins was killed by a white mob not far from where Michael Sandy was killed.
I haven't heard anything from Reverned Al Sharpton or Brooklyn City Councilman Charles Barron.
New York's black community has been silent on this one.
jared
October 12 2006, 11:00AM
thanks for the update on the black "voices" of nyc miss thang, i have to admit, that i'm shocked that rev al has not said a word. and today is mr sandy's 29th birthday, i feel so bad for him and his family.
Derrick from Philly
October 12 2006, 11:32AM
James, unfortunately, too many black folks could'nt give a cotton blossom what happens to black gay people. In fact, sometimes they give white folks permission to abuse black gays. On the job, at school, dealing with the police, etc.: often the white person doesn't even know you're gay until the black person standing next to him says, "you know that's a faggot, don't you?" Then, the white person (who paid you no mind before) has been given the "ok" to insult or attack you because other black folks have let him know, "faggots aint part of the black family, they won't be defended".
In the gay world, feeling alone can be very dangerous.
J. Mathis
October 12 2006, 12:23PM
Derrick from Philly...made a very true and correct statement. Alot of times Blacks give whites the permission to mistreat SGL Blacks by their remarks and comments...they disown SGL people. Not all, but alot do. It is a fight to be a strong SGL Black male. We are fighting our own and the others!
My prayer goes out to this brother and his family.
O
October 12 2006, 1:09PM
James....you couldnt have said it better. HELLO AL SHARPTON where are you? He runs to the beck and call of every "other" issue yet I have not heard him make any comment on this issue. Where are all the Brooklyn black city council members? This is hatred at its highest level. I wish we could organize a group prayer for Michael. I see that user "Miss Thing" states that Micheael was "killed"....I thought he was still on life support. Can someone please update on his current condition.....ALSO BROTHAS PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT THE SECTION OF PROSPECT PARK FREQUENTED BY GAY MEN CLOSES @4PM.THERE ARE NO SIGNS TO INDICATE THIS EARLY CLOSURE. THE REST OF THE PARK CLOSES AT 1AM AND COPS ARE PUTTING BROTHAS IN PADDY WAGONS GIVING THEM TICKETS EVEN IF YOU ARE JUST WALKING THROUGH AND WHATS WORSE IS THAT THEY ARE ONLY TICKETING BLACK MEN WALKING ALONE. IF A WHITE MAN OR WOMAN OR BLACK HETEROSEXUAL COUPLE IS SEEN WALKING THROUGH THE AREA THEY ARE LEFT ALONE....THIS IS RIDICULOUS
edwin greene
October 12 2006, 2:06PM
Derrick from Philly,
Your comments are so true. I have often wondered why so many straight black men and women feel the need or compulsion to "inform" a white person that a particular black man is a "faggot".
The white person's atitude towards you changes, after being told that you are a faggot, from being casually friendly (or at least neutral) to a smirk or maybe outright hostility.
Interestingly, I have never had a white (or Hispanic or Asian, etc.) person tell me that a particular white (or Hispanic or Asian, etc.) guy was a "fag".
Derrick's comments struck me intensely because I have never heard or seen this particular form of black on black abuse acknowledged before now.
Having this happen to you reminds you (if it has ever happened to you and it has happened to me) that you are not considered by many blacks, perhaps most, to be a part of the black community. This is especially painful and one can never get used to it no matter how many times it happens.
Miss Thang
October 12 2006, 2:12PM
All of the newpapers are saying that he is "brain dead" and that his family is going to take him off the machine that is keeping him alive.
They are going to donate his organs.
O
October 12 2006, 2:22PM
I hope they are making the right decisions....I am at work and this thing is really affecting me...even though I didnt know him...I feel like he is my brother....I want to be there in that hospital room to hold his hand...I want him to feel how much we all love him...brothas can we PLEASE WAKE up and love each other....it dont matter if u fem/masc, top/vers/bottom....can we all just recognize that we have to be here for one another no matter what....
Blue
October 12 2006, 4:41PM
Derrick you make a valid point. Michael Eric Dyson wrote an excellent essay a few years back saying that the reason blacks often position themselves against gays is that it gives them something in common with whites - someone to marginalize. Pretty sad, but it is what it is. At the same time, more people are open in the black community than we think, it's just that a lot of them are scared to admit it for fear of being viewed as amoral. But what's amoral about inclusiveness? I'll never understand ...
O
October 12 2006, 6:41PM
I think we are all forgetting the REAL ISSUE here and that issue is that Michael Sandy was gay bashed....whether his bashers were white or black doesnt matter...what matters is that there is a HUMAN BEING LYING IN BROOKDALE HOSPITAL...hes a black man and he has hopes and dreams and fears just like all of us...lets pray for him ...and when were finished lets take action......I WANT TO SEE A SELF DEFENSE CLASS ORGANIZED SO THAT WE AS GAY MEN CAN LEARN ADDITIONAL MEANS OF PROTECTING OURSELVES...SO THAT WE CAN LEARN THE PRECAUTIONS THAT WE MUST TAKE IN OFF THE NET AND OFF THE CHAT LINE MEETINGS...lets not just sit back and talk about the what the black community is or is not doing for us....let us take action ON OUR OWN...we are a community...we have a purpose on this earth....our lives ARE NOT in VAIN...Michael's life will not be in vain...lets just not talk words my brothas....lets turn our words into actions....
marcy
October 17 2006, 6:48PM
Hi, I personally knew Michael Sandy, and he WAS ONE OF THE SWEETEST men I ever met,,,I always went into his father's Health Food Store in Ronkonkoma on Saturdays, the day he worked there, and we would chat about music, smoothies, and his job at Ikea...he always had a smile and a kind word for everyone....always good natured, wonderul human being.
My heart truly goes out to Zeke, his father, and his mother, who truly raised a beautiful son!!!
Lov you all,
Marcy
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