The Day Michael Sandy Died

By Keith Boykin, in sexuality
Thursday, April 26 2007, 8:19AM

"They told the police that they thought it would be easy to rob the gay man. It was not easy." That's the way the New York Times story began about the Michael Sandy defendants who appeared in court on Tuesday.

The story recounts the videotaped testimony of the three defendants charged with the murder of Michael Sandy. Sandy was a black gay man in New York who was lured over the Internet to a parking lot in Queens, where he was attacked. He fled from his attackers onto the nearby Belt Parkway, where he tried to flag down a car for help. But instead he was hit by oncoming traffic, dragged to the side of the road by his attackers, who then rifled through his pockets and left him for dead on the curb while they went to drink beers.

The three of them were charged with murder as a hate crime, a distinction that the New York Times said "could affect their sentences if they are convicted." Prosecutors say the three young men -- John Fox, Ilya Shurov (also known as Alex), and Anthony Fortunato -- chose their victim because they thought gay men were weak and afraid.

As Congress debates a federal hate crimes law in Washington, it's worth noting that real people are affected by these laws in cities and towns all across America. And as many Americans continue to grieve from the Virginia Tech shootings last week, it's worth asking why so many young men -- all the defendants in this case were under 21 -- are driven to violence.

In court on Tuesday, prosecutors played videotaped confessions that recounted the gruesome details of the murder the men committed. But before a trial date is set, a judge must first decide whether their confessions are admissible, the Times reported.

“I apologize to his family; I know my words can’t help, but I’m just really sorry for what happened,” one of the defendants said on the videotape. In the courtroom, Michael Sandy's mother, Denise Sandy, sat with her son’s friends. After the hearing, she said she accepted the apology. That's an extraordinary act of forgiveness that says a lot about who she is and how she raised her son. It's a shame the rest of the world will now be deprived of the opportunity to see what a gifted young man Michael Sandy really was.

Michael Sandy died on Oct. 13, five days after the attack and one day after his 29th birthday.

Comments (18) reveal

Comments conceal

Nathan James
April 26 2007, 8:46AM

This vile, disgusting murder speaks volumes about the climate of hate which still prevails in our society. These young men (and I use that term loosely) had very clear ideas about gays. In saying that gay men were fit only to be robbery targets, these killers reinforce stereotypes that could only have been taught to them by their parents, teachers, clergymen, or public figures (Tim Hardaway comes readily to mind).

We still live in a society which makes it easy to hate and when a "socially unacceptable" man like Michael Sandy is brutally murdered, we blame the victim. We will not see these killings stop until the acceptability of hatred stops...

Cocoa Rican
April 26 2007, 9:33AM

There's sad and then there's a lesson needs to be taught here...
We as a community need to keep this story in the headlines via blogs, our local news channels, etc. We MUST have them remember the victim in a positive light and the accused as the barbaric morons that they are. Life sentences seem in order...

shindo[TypeKey Profile Page]
April 26 2007, 11:52AM

I'm horrified to read this. It's so easy to be complacent and think gay rights are not an issue anymore (especially if you live in a big city). This certainly didn't happen in a small town, and it is appalling how predatory these gay bashers are.

Um, it's nice that one of the assailants apologized, but does his "I'm sorry" bring Michael Sandy back or undo what happened? However, Sandy's mother is an extraordinary person to show forgiveness. My thoughts and prayers are with her right now.

Ostend Street
April 26 2007, 12:37PM

I sat at my desk and weeped and I know my tears are not going to help the situation. It just makes you so angry that, in a civilized nation, this is going on. Will this insanity ever end. In some black communities there is a church on every corner and most of those churces are filled will black mothers praying and crying for their children and the race. Sometimes it makes you wonder if God is listening to them. This type of homophobia and racism that we still face is truly a test of ones faith.

Mel Smith
April 26 2007, 12:54PM

Michael Sandy mother is a strong person.

C. Baptiste-Williams
April 26 2007, 1:39PM

I have said it before but... we need to teach our kids and each other about tolerance and the value of life.

Black Gay Journeys
April 26 2007, 2:29PM

What can we do to push the current legislation on hate crimes? (That's not to say that people won't be motivated by their hate of gay Americans, only to say that deterrence might prove to be effective in some cases.) I have encouraged people to write to their representatives on my website, but I feel weak in the big scheme of things.

VERB
April 26 2007, 6:07PM

The defendant said, "I apologize...but I'm just really sorry for what happened"

"What happened?" He didn't say "...sorry for my actions" or "for what I did." It angers Me how this defendant seems to take absolutely no personal responsibility in this crime.

My prayers are with the Sandy family.

sueluv
April 26 2007, 7:06PM

When I read this my heart became heavy. Here this young man was livin and enjoying his life to the fullest, and to be hunted down like an animal makes me angry. When they enter into their jail cell and meet the men in there, I will bet that they wish they never met Michael. To The Sandy Family Stay Strong. Michael may you rest in peace.

Monica
April 26 2007, 9:53PM

OK - I'm going to go to the left with this arguement. I'm a straight black woman. Black people - we've got too much homophobia in our community. It's sickening. I think a lot of it comes from Black churches. How many sermons have I sat through when the pastor was railing against homesexuality. I also think our music is contributes to this sickness.

Just the other day, I walked past a circle of black young males. I'm older, 35 years old, so they ignored me. BUT a effiminate man walked behind me. (I had passed him earlier). These young men started callin' him despicable names and quoting rappers. "Like Ice Cube says - faggots must die".

Black men - especially gay black men. Gangsta rap music inspires soo much hatred. It's poison. These young kids can't seperate a rap song from reality. Black folks we really need to go after our churches and these irresponsible black entertainers.


Miss Doo-Dirty
April 27 2007, 6:25AM

Keith, there is a fundtion to raise awareness regarding hate crimes being held in Chicago on June 9th. It is headed by the Coalition for Justice and Respect, and it regards the shooting death of a gay man in their state. Marc Loveless is one of the organizers and he has asked DJ of Da Doo-Dirty Show to host. Maybe this should be a nationwide affair? Although "Stop the Violence" is now a common cry again, I think it is important to demand that violence against LGBT individuals get special attention.

Kenneth Winfrey
April 27 2007, 10:00AM

I hate to sound like a conservative here, but I have to agree with C. Baptiste-Williams. We need to do a better job of teaching the value of life...even though I am totally pro-choice...

I have long since believed that music, movies and even video games that are saturated with gratuitous violence only desensitize our young people.

I'll be 35 this year, and I can clearly remember when we lived in a world where the violence young people see everyday was not so common place...and even in my neighborhood in North St. Louis where there was plenty of violence, we knew that it was wrong.

edwin greene
April 27 2007, 10:18AM

I realize this has nothing to do with Michael Sandy tragic death but click on "Black Gay Journeys" above and watch a 20 minute video about four straight black man who appear to be in their 20s and 30s as they express their views on the "down low". They appear to be "together" young men, sitting around a table playing a game in what appears to be a pleasantly appointed house or apartment.

They managed to express their dissatisfaction with the DL phenomenon without, it seems to me, bashing gay men (or the straight black women they say question them about their sexual orientation). It's good viewing.

Verb: "this defendant seems to take absolutely no responsibility in this crime". They almost never do, do they?

Derrick from Philly
April 27 2007, 11:21AM

Monica:

Thank you for contributing your personal experience witnessing gay-bashing. Even though, Mr Sandy's lynching had a slightly different motivation on the part of the murderers--robbery, as well as hate; what you witnessed could have easily been the start of a lynching. It happens much more than people realize or care. Too often black folks' response to a anti-gay lynching is, "well, he shouldn't be no faggot." And, unfortunately, too many black homosexuals' response is, "well these fem types shouldn't act that way in public...they bring it on themselves."

But guess what: anti-gay hatred in black communities across this world is as much to blame for Michael Sandy's murder as those white-trash boys' anti-gay hatred intensified by their hatred of black people. It was more than just robbing an "easy target"

ChicagoChild
April 27 2007, 6:21PM

Nobody is safe from this kind of violence. These kind of men are also the type that disrespect their own female relatives and friends.

Women are just elevated a little above the effeminate man. Only they would rather leave her alive-- with a wrecked life full of psychic and physical pain and a truckload of abandoned children to boot.

Mike
April 27 2007, 8:22PM

His Mom is a class act, I don't know if I could have accepted that apology. Two things irk me about this, one, that his life is now all over the gay media like it is with a white kid and they would be demanding "justice, "and two, that people still don't care for the loss of a black life, gay or straight. And, lastly, hopefully, this sad loss of life should be a lesson to all men who go online looking for love and or hookups, too many nuts and kooks out there.

Jeff
April 28 2007, 10:59AM

You know what cracks me up about homophobes, racists, etc,? They always work in in groups and yet they say we're the weak ones? Please. Let it be one on one then if we're so weak. Maybe they're AFRAID that the outcome may be different, that they may get their ass kicked by a fag. They're the cowards.

Blue
April 30 2007, 1:04PM

This is still quite scary to me ... the fact that his mom has forgiveness in her heart for those men says a lot about her character. She has the right idea though, because holding onto anger and venom will eat you alive. I hope his family is at peace.


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