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VOLUME 19 . ISSUE 12
SINCE 198« WWW.Q-NOTES.COM
OCTOBER 23 . 2004
Charlotte gdy man charged
with partner^ murder
Philip Holton's body discovered in
rollout trash bin, partner Robert
Smothers charged with murder
by David Moore
Q-Notes staff
Tragedy struck in Charlotte’s gay commu
nity with the grisly discovery of the body of
Philip Tillman Horton in the city’s Crater Park
neighborhood on the afternoon of Sunday,
Oct. 3.
Horton reportedly had shared the home
with his partner of two years, Robert Glen
Smothers, 111, and Smothers’ mother. Sherry
Smothers.
Horton’s body was not immediately iden
tified, although police discovered his identity
the following day, according to authorities.
Robert Smothers had been missing since
Thursday, Sept. 30, along with Sherry
Smothers’ 1999 Podge Durango.
Police hdd initially been called to the-
house on Sept. 30 when Sherry Smothers
An image
(inset) at the
discovered what she thought was
a bomb. Officers on the scene
realized that was not the Case —
but apparently did not discover
any clues that would lead them to
Horton’s body three days later.
According to a representative
at the County Coroner’s office the
autopsy on Horton is incomplete,
though they were able to confirm
that he died from blunt force trau
ma to the head.
Members of Charlotte’s LGBT community
. reacted with shock to the news.
“They were both very nice guys," said
Greg Brafford, owner of Central Station and
The Woodshed, two Charlotte-area gay bars
the two men frequented. “This is the last
thing anybody would have ever expected.
Brafford confirmed the men had been
together as a couple for the past two years. “I
think they probably met through the Carolina
Bears,” said Brafford. “They were both very
active in that community."
Robert Smothers' gay.com web page and
time of his arrest.
In recent months, however, Horton had
decided to move to Columbia, S.C. “1 don’t
think Trey (Smothers’ nickname) was very
happy about that fact, but he seemed accept
ing of it,” said Brafford.
According to a bartender at The
Woodshed, a club they regularly attended,
there was no indication that they were any
thing other than a happy couple. “They
always got along just fine when they were in
see DEATH on 6
HRC dinner to be held
Feb. 26 in Charlotte
Local organizers looking forward to showing visitors
what Charlotte has to offer
'Tenacious: Celebraring Ten Years of
Bravery' will be held at the Chariot
te Convention Center in the center city
business district.
The Human Rights
Campaign Dinner is
coming to Charlotte
for the first time.
Scheduled for Sat., Feb. 26, "Tenacious: Celebrating Ten Years of
Bravery” will be held at the Charlotte Convention Center.
“HRC hosts annual dinners throughout the country to raise
funds, attract new members and celebrate the organization’s role in
promoting equality and fairness in the United States,” says Joni
Madison, one of the co-chairs of the 2005 Carolinas Dinner.
“We are thrilled that Charlotte has a chance to host this educa
tional event and exciting celebration,” says
Shane Windemeyer, the other co-chair for the see HRCon 8
Bush and Kerry debate
why people are gay
Kerry comes out on top in third and final debate
by Rex Wockner and Donald Miller
Most gays and lesbians lose interest in the question of “why”
they’re gay — or what “made” them gay — and just get on with living
their lives.
But moderator Bob
Schieffer of CBS News
thought it was an inter
esting question and he
tried to make George W.
Bush and lohn Kerry
answer it during the third
and final presidential
debate Oct. 13. Bush said
he didn’t know if we’re
born gay or something
turns us gay. Kerry said
we’re born that way.
Then both went on to
defend their positions on
gay issues.
Here’s how it went
down:
Schieffer: Both of you are
opposed to gay marriage. But to understand how you have come to that
conclusion, I want to ask you a more basic question: Do you believe homo
sexuality is a choice?
Bush: You know. Bob. 1 don’t know. I just don’t know. 1 do know that
we have a choice to make in America and that is to treat people with
tolerance and respect and
dignity. It’s important that see CANDIDATESon 4
John Kerry and President Bush at the final
presidential debate Oct. 13 in Tempe, Ariz.