AIDS
Part 2: A Family Fights AIDS
Charlotte
Hotline
Page 4
Switchboard
333-AIDS
Police Attorney Bob Thomas Speaks
525-p^8
Page 6 ^
MARCH 1987 □ Vol. 2, No. 3
TO ADVERTISE: 704/332-3834 after 6;3o p.m.
ENTICING
Vice Officers Waging War At Bookstores, Parks
Bt don king
Editor
The Charlotte Police Department Is
waging war on sex and solicitation in
adult bookstores and parks, but vice
squad officers may not be following
departmental guidelines in all cases.
According to police attorney Bob
Avoid
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SAT NOTHING ABOUT ANAL OS ORAL SEX. When talking to someone you don't know, avoid prosecutic^ lor "so
liciting lor crime against nature." Use no words that can be interi»eted os todicoting anal or oral sex. INSTEAD:
Soy "let's go get a drink," or "let's go talk." Undercover otticeis will generally not leave vrith you. 'They can
moke more arrests by staying where they ore; and flie Chariotte Police Department fseters two officers work
ing together to make con^cticms easier.
DO NOT TOUCH. An uninvited touch anywhere (including such seemingly innocent places os the head, shoulder,
arm) could be upheld in court os assault.
USE COIOION SENSE.
1. Do not be enticed by lingering looks and suggestive body language; officers may adopt a gay cruising style.
Eye contact and body language con be used to get you to make a verbal sugge^cm or to reach out aixl
touch. DONT DO EITHER until you have taken additional steps.
2. It meaningless for a person to deny he is an undercover officer. Wee officers may lie in the line of duty.
3. Suggest going lor a cup ol coffee, a drink, or a ccaiversation in your car. H is unlikely that on uixiercover officer
will leave with you. "I really don't hove much time" would be a good way for him to turn down the invitation to
leave, yet keep you Interested.
4. Ask, "May I kii you lightly?" H you receive permlssioa then it is unlikely ffie persai you ore with is on under
cover officer. Officers, of course, may read the inlormatic« you ore now reading, too, and may give permission
to kiss to see what you will do next. If the person avoids your kiss after giantir^ permissiwi, BEWARE.
5. If things worm up and you're assured that the person is not an officer, proceed with questicxis about "how you
came out," current events in the gay community, bars gay people go to in Chariotte as well os other places
you're familiar with, gay slang terms. Moke no suggestions arv3 do not touch until you're sure,
6. If you're in a private place and things still appear safe, ask the person to undress with you totally before doing
anything else. It is unlikely that on undercover officer will proceed this far. If the person refuses to take off all
clothing, get out of the situation by saying something like, "Gee, it's later than I thought. We'll hove to get to
gether some other time."
WARNING: These suggestions are the result of conversations with legal and law enlorcement prolessionals and
are not guaranteed to keep you horn being arrested. Undercover oMcers do not always loUow rules. Some
times, they may make arrests regardless ol whether it will stand up in court because Ojey think you are so
scared ol "publicity'' that you will plea-bargain even il you aren't guilty.
Thomas, undercover officers should "do
nothing to entice or invite any sort of
sexual encounter." Yet, two arrested
men hove told Q-Notes they thought
officers' actions very inviting.
Roy (not his real name) was arrested
at Pork Road Park on a sunny morning
last fall. Here’s what he told Q-Notes:
A man slowly walked back and
forth in front of the bathroom stall that
Roy was using, looking at Roy in the
same way that indiscreet gay men
cruise each other (stalls in men's bath
rooms at Park Road Park hove no
doors).
Roy and the man left the bathroom
separately, but came face-to-face next
to the lake and a conversation started.
At one point, the man asked Roy,
"What do you like to do?" Roy, not
attracted to the man, parried the ques
tion, but the man repeated it. Finally,
Roy in exasperation and some amuse
ment answered, "I like to f-k, how
about you?"
The man mumbled something like,
"It's mutual." and the conversation
continued.
Roy wanted to move on to take
pictures for paintings he had in mind,
and said something like, "Don't you
think it's time for us to go on." At the
same time, he reached to the man's
shoulder to remove what he thought
was either on insect or leaf. The man
jumped back, exclaiming, "You don't
have permission to touch me," an
nounced that he was an undercover
officer, and arrested Roy.
As Roy was being booked at the
Park Road Shopping Center police sta
tion, the arresting officer carried on a
loud conversation in the next room
about "queers" and "faggots" with the
clear intention of embarrassing and
intimidating Roy.
Another man, Tom (not his real
name), was arrested at Joy Bookstore
after receiving clearly inviting looks
and soliciting the man, Tom spent four
hours in jail. His cell mates — about half
a dozen — somehow learned why he
was jailed and taunted him by exposing
their penises, saying things such as,
"Don't you want to s-k this?" and spit
ting on him.
Gay Cafe/Bar Opens March 13
Special To Q-Notes
On Friday, March 13, Charlotte will have a new gay bar
and restaurant.
According to Ken Gronager, that's when Amanda Rose
in Dilworth becomes Stevens Cafe 8c Bar with a first-floor
restaurant and a second-floor bar in a restored 110-year-
old Victorian house at 316 Rensselaer.
Gronager, who founded and operated Amanda Rose,
said Stevens is expected to fill three needs of Charlotte’s
gay community: an aiter-work bar close to downtown, a
restaurant, and a "quiet" bar with no dance floor. The
location, he said, is less than a block from South Boulevard
and the parking lot is secluded and not on a main
thoroughfare.
Stevens will accept Visa, MasterCard and American
Express. There will be no cover and no membership.
Tuesday through Sunday, Stevens will serve food from 11
a.m. to 11 p.m. The upstairs bar will operate 1 p.m. to 1
a.m. Sunday brunch will be served through 3 p.m. Sunday
nights will be "spaghetti night" with all-you-can-eat spa
ghetti and salad for $4.95,
The menu, Gronager said, will include a wide variety
from sandwiches, salads and burgers to fettucinis, specials
of the day, home-made desserts, appetizers, and entrees
th(3t run the gamut from beef and chicken to fresh fish. The
bar will feature daily drink specials.
Reservations for parties of six or more will be accepted.
No one is sure how many men have
been arrested by vice squad officers for
solicitation. The Charlotte Police Depart
ment's Crime Analysis Bureau separates
neither arrests for "crime against na
ture," a felony, and "solicitation lor
crime againsf nature," a misdemeanor.
Nor are arrests of males and females
kept separately.
■ ■■
Related story. Page 6.
Meet The Cop
Height: 5-1 lor 6-0.
Weight: around 145, very thin.
Race: white.
Appearance: somewhat bug-
eyed, dark brown hair, overage
looks, clean-shaven.
Name: "Danny DoUinger."
This man was and may still be an
undercover officer In Charlotte. He
cruises intently, especially in park
bathrooms. Follow the guidelines
on this page to enhance your
chances of avoiding arrest.
■ ■■
LET US KNOW! U you've been
arrested by an undercover oMcer
who in your opinion invited your
advance, describe him to Q-Notes
(address on Page 2).
Tell About It
Don't keep violence and police
harassment/intimidation to yourself.
It does no good for you or anyone
else.
Come to the One Nation Indivisi
ble meeting at 7:30 p.m. on Mon
day, March 23, at New Life/MCC in
the Labor Building on Common
wealth a block east of The Plaza.
Take the metal steps in the back to
the second floor, go in, and take the
first door on the right.
ONI will be taking dispositions
about violence against gay men
and lesbians, about police harass
ment/intimidation and about unfair
practices police use in arrests, par
ticularly solicitation arrests. Your
name will be protected,
M s J
It’ll Soon Be Stevens