Charges Dropped in Fort Worth Bar Raid

Officials in Fort Worth, Texas, have dropped charges against four bar patrons involved in the raid last year of the Rainbow Lounge gay bar.

According to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, "The dismissals came 2 1/2 weeks before Chad Gibson, who suffered a head injury in the June 28, 2009, incident, and George Armstrong had been set to go on trial on public intoxication charges. They had both pleaded not guilty, and Gibson had also pleaded not guilty to assaulting an agent with the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission."

Two other patrons, Dylan Brown and Jose Macias, also had public intoxication charges against them dropped. The cases against two other patrons, Joshua Taylor and Rene Crosby, already had been resolved.

Protesters against the raid demanded an investigation, but Fort Worth police and the alcohol commission concluded that no excessive force was used. Two alcohol commission agents and their supervisor were fired, and three police officers received short-term suspensions.