Texas Agency Probes Role in Bar Raid

By Julie Bolcer

The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission, the state agency that conducted a joint raid of a Fort Worth gay bar with local police on Sunday, said that it has launched an internal investigation into the action that left one patron hospitalized with a serious head injury.

On Tuesday, Fort Worth police chief Jeff Halstead said that the patron, 26-year-old Chad Gibson, was in the custody of a TABC agent, and not local police officers, when he was injured in the early morning raid at the Rainbow Lounge.

The commission said Wednesday that it would start an internal affairs probe of its agents' actions and examine the facts surrounding Gibson's injury, according to the Associated Press .

Seven patrons including Gibson were arrested for public intoxication during what authorities called a "routine inspection."

Witnesses say the officials used excessive force, and they deny allegations that bar patrons groped the police officers and state agents.

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Name: Val
Date posted: 7/3/2009 5:19:00 AM
Hometown: London

Comment:
Two words: independent inquiry.
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Name: Mark
Date posted: 7/3/2009 3:11:00 AM
Hometown: Los Angeles

Comment:
In Ft. Worth I was arrested outside a gay night club in the mid 1980s for having backup lights that didn't work. I don't drink and I turned down a hustler when sipping my coca cola. On the way to the Ft Worth police station I saw the "Hustler" with other police, obviously a try to entrap. After posting $200 I was on my way. That was more than 20 years ago. I have not been back to Ft Worthless and don't expect ever to be in that cow dung town again.
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Name: James
Date posted: 7/3/2009 2:11:00 AM
Hometown: Kansas City, MO

Comment:
I don't expect much from the "internal investigations" either. They strive to cover their own. That is why I have contacted my federal senators, federal congress people and the white house in regards to looking into this matter stating that if Texas gets away with it then it might very well come to my home town. I urge everyone to contact their senators, congress people and the white house so the federal government does get involved.
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Name: Mark
Date posted: 7/2/2009 7:18:00 PM
Hometown: San Diego

Comment:
I would like to know if this is common practice from the police and the officers of the Texas alcoholic beverage commission. Do they normally go into bars and rough up patrons? Have they made such arrests at Straight bars? Why did they go to three gay bars that night, the anniversary of Stonewall? This clearly looks like it was a deliberate date, deliberate prejudice, and a HATE CRIME. Federal Agents should be involved!!!!!
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Name: Jason
Date posted: 7/2/2009 7:07:00 PM
Hometown: Phoenix

Comment:
Well that's Texas for ya!
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Name: Phillip
Date posted: 7/2/2009 6:33:00 PM
Hometown: Denton, TX

Comment:
The two TABC officers were reassigned to desk jobs (not doing inspections) pending the investigation. Also, the Fort Worth police department has suspended operations with the TABC until they have a better idea of the events of that night. The Ft. Worth PD have also announced an internal investigation. See local TX stations WFAA 8's article on their website.
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Name: Dwain
Date posted: 7/2/2009 6:12:00 PM
Hometown: Richardson, TX

Comment:
They reported on a local news station last night that two of the TABC officers involved in the raid got reassigned. Not sure what that means.
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Name: Jay
Date posted: 7/2/2009 4:48:00 PM
Hometown: Santa Monica

Comment:
Jerry's letter to the Fort Worth Opera is an excellent piece of grassroots activism. The more city agencies and institutions know that an out-of-control police department will impact their bottom line, the more likely they will see that the police department is brought under control. Fort Worth has some excellent cultural institutions and museums: the leaders of these institutions need to know that a lot of us, including people who do not generally go to bars, are upset about the brutality evident in this police raid, and that we will not spend money in cities that permit such activity by their police departments.
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Name: Jerry Zachary
Date posted: 7/2/2009 1:44:00 PM
Hometown: New Orleans

Comment:
I just wrote to the Ft. Worth Opera (they're doing a new work about a gay poet next season!) and told them that I'd wait and see how the "investigation" turns out before making my reservations. I would not feel safe in FW right now, and I live in the murder capital of the nation!
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Name: Andrew
Date posted: 7/2/2009 1:40:00 PM
Hometown: Irving, TX

Comment:
I don't get it... Public intoxication?? WTF? It's a bar, what did they expect to find?

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