News 8
Man hospitalized after inspection of gay bar 
11:50 AM CDT on Monday, June 29, 2009
INSPECTION SPURS PROTEST
Darla Miles reports
More WFAA Latest News video Related links:
FORT WORTH — A Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission inspection sparked a series of protests in Fort Worth Sunday.
Seven people were arrested during a planned inspection by the TABC and the Fort Worth Police Department at about 1 a.m. Sunday at the Rainbow Lounge on South Jennings in Fort Worth.
Two TABC officers and six Fort Worth police officers went into the newly-opened gay bar to observe how the facility was serving alcohol. It was one of three scheduled checks conducted Saturday night and early Sunday morning by the Fort Worth Police Department and TABC.
"They seemed to just be picking people at random, spinning them around," said Justin McCarty, a Rainbow Lounge employee.
Kristy Morgan said she believes her brother was one of those allegedly picked out by officers. "He has bleeding on the brain that is growing right now in size," she said.
Morgan's brother, Chad Gibson, is in the intensive care unit at John Peter Smith Hospital. He was given a ticket for public intoxication and assault, but he wasn't arrested.
Danny Crockett said he saw four officers detain Gibson. "They choked his head back, pulled him back and then slammed him against the wall," he said.
The Fort Worth Police Department said two intoxicated patrons made sexually explicit movements. They said another drunken patron grabbed an officer in the groin.
"He brought me outside," said Rainbow Lounge patron Raymond Gill. "All of the other people were lined up against the wall."
Seven people were arrested. Gill was questioned and released. "My fear did not even allow me to look in the direction of all these people that were... I was too scared," he said,.
District 9 City Council member Joel Burns, the first openly gay person elected to public office in Tarrant County, attended an evening rally on the courthouse steps.
"It is very frustrating that this did happen," he said. "We're looking to find answers as quickly and as best we can."
News 8 received dozens of phone calls and e-mails in relation to the story. Many said they felt it suspicious that the raid occurred on the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall riots in New York City, when homosexual rights advocates protested a police raid on a gay nightclub in Greenwich Village.
Many gay rights supporters gathered with signs outside the club Sunday, and a group also protested in the evening at the Tarrant County Courthouse.
Fort Worth officials said the Human Relations Commission is investigating the incident.
E-mail dmiles@wfaa.com
