Reports That Proposition 8 Closing Arguments Favoured Plaintiffs While Defendants Offered Little More Than Marriage Exists Only For Procreation, Jose O. Sucuzhanay Hate Crime Trial Part Two, Portland Oregon Steps Up Protections For Gay Community, Tyler Shields Photographs Connor Paolo, More Zac Efron In Hawaii, Prince Harry And William

An update on Wednesday’s closing arguments at the federal trial challenging the constitutional validity of California’s gay marriage ban – Proposition 8, reports that the attorneys framed “the issue as a war between the civil rights of gay men and lesbians and the traditional understanding and role of marriage. And tradition seemed on the losing end of the argument.” United States District Judge Vaughn Walker reportedly repeatedly questioning the lawyers defending the measure that effectively eliminated the rights of gay men and women to marry in the state in November, 2008 to explain their central argument that marriage exists solely for the purpose of procreation. Charles Cooper, the defense’s leading lawyer, saying that “the martial relation is fundamental to the existence and survival of the race. Without the martial relationship, society would come to an end.” Walker consistently cornered Cooper, demanding hard evidence supporting that thesis, noting that there exist no laws prohibiting marriage between people who cannot or do not intend to have children. Theodore Olsen, one of the two lead lawyers for the plaintiffs, opened his closing arguments immense, inordinate harm had been done to his clients by the gay marriage ban, saying “this case is about marriage and equality: the fundamental constitutional right to marry has been taken away from plaintiffs. Their state has rewritten its Constitution in order to place them in a special disfavoured category,” and that in fact rendered same sex relationships “not valid, not recognized and second rate.”

Keith Phoenix, the 30 year old accused of brutally beating an Ecuadorian immigrant, Jose Sucuzhanay with a bat and a bottle because he thought Jose was gay, was on trial again in New York City, one month after the first case ended in a mistrial. Phoenix and 26 year old Hakim Scott were both charged with murder as a hate crime for the killing that took place December 7th, 2008 in Brooklyn. Their trials were held simultaneously, and Scott was convicted of manslaughter, and acquitted of the hate crime charge. Phoenix’s prosecution ended in a mistrial after one juror refused to deliberate past three days. The night of the murder the 31 year old Jose and his younger brother Romel were drunk and were walking hand-in-hand along Bushwick Avenue, when Phoenix and Scott came upon them, Phoenix saying “look at those two little fags” before the two assaulted the brothers, leaving Jose to die in the street.

Amid an increase in bias motivated attacks against gays in Portland, Oregon a coalition of gay activists, the police, and politicians came together Tuesday to discuss plans to better protect the gay community.

Cute Connor Paolo – Gossip Girl’s gay Eric van der Woodsen – is photographed by Tyler Shields and the results are ridiculously sexy.

More Zac Efron in Hawaii pictures, Efron maturing into something beyond smoking sexy.

Prince Harry and Prince William spotted Tuesday touring an educational centre in Botswana, South Africa.