Trial begins in Philly attack of gay couple

[redheadbaker]

Original story: pandce.proboards.com/thread/372361/charged-attack-gay-couple-philadelphia

Details of day 1 of trial:

www.phillymag.com/news/2015/12/10/gay-bashing-trial-kathryn-knott-day-one/

Here’s What Happened at The First Day of Kathryn Knott’s Trial

“I was appalled a woman would act like this,” Zachary Hesse testified in court today. Knott is accused of assault in an alleged gay-bashing attack last year.
BY DAN MCQUADE | DECEMBER 10, 2015 AT 6:02 PM

“What is that, your fucking boyfriend?”

That’s what started it all on September 11th of last year, Zachary Hesse testified today. Hesse said Kevin Harrigan, whom he did not know, mockingly said that to him as he and his boyfriend passed by a group of friends that included Harrigan. What happened next made national headlines. When it ended, Hesse and boyfriend Andrew Haught were left bloodied at 16th and Chancellor, a hunt for the assailants took place on social media and, eventually, three defendants were charged with assault and other offenses.

Thursday was the first day of the trial of Kathryn Knott, the lone remaining defendant in the alleged Center City gay bashing case. The two others, Harrigan and Philip Williams, pleaded guilty in October. Neither received jail time; Knott rejected a plea deal.

Hesse's testimony was the centerpiece of the first day of the trial. He testified he was having a regular evening on the night of September 11th, 2014. Hesse and Haught met Hesse's family at Rittenhouse Square to go out for frozen yogurt. He said they both had a drink or two, but weren't drunk. Afterward, they went to get pizza at a shop at Broad and Locust. On their way, they went down 16th Street, where they passed by a group of strangers. Hesse testified that's when, unprompted, Harrigan shouted at him about his boyfriend. Hesse said they weren't even holding hands or being similarly affectionate at the time.

"Yeah, so what if it is my boyfriend," Hesse said he replied. He said Harrigan shot back in a "tough-guy" tone: "I guess you're a dirty fucking faggot then." Hesse approached Harrigan and shouted the same words back at him. Harrigan then pushed him, Hesse testified, and he pushed back. That's when Harrigan punched him.

Hesse testified the ensuing incident was "terrifying." He said the group shouted "fucking faggot" and "dirty faggot" constantly; he said it was said "more than 10, more than 20 times." He threw a punch but it didn't connect. About six people grabbed his arms, he said in court, and eventually Kathryn Knott threw a punch or slap — he closed his eyes when he saw her open hand coming toward his face — at him while shouting the slur. He identified Knott has his assailant in court.

"I was appalled a woman would act like this," Hesse testified. He said he identified his assailant as the woman in the white dress — Knott and her friends were strangers to him — not long after the incident. "That was the first thing I told the detective," he said.

Hesse was left with a black eye and other injuries, but did not seek treatment. Haught suffered two black eyes and a broken jaw; it was wired shut. He was hospitalized for five days and missed two weeks of work. Knott, 25, of Southampton, is charged with aggravated assault, conspiracy and related charges.

Five grainy videos of the incident, none of which showed much, were shown in court today. They were shot by someone on the street outside the FedEx store at 16th and Chancellor. In one of the video, Haught is heard yelling, "Where are my fucking glasses?" There wasn't much else shown in the clips.

Testimony today also came from a bystander, Rachel Mondesire. She and another friend were waiting for the bus when she saw the commotion. She testified she saw a woman in a white dress punch a man, with the crowd shouting "ooooh!" after it happened.

During opening statements this morning, Philadelphia Assistant District Attorney Allison Ruth said Knott leaped into the fray to launch an assault. "Out there among 15 people in that crowd, she got involved," Ruth said. Knott's defense attorney, Louis Busico, said she was a bystander during the incident and did not throw a punch at Hesse or anyone. He called her a "wonderful human being."

The trial continues on Friday morning.

[nikki25]

She is easily the most hated person in Philly; deservedly so. She is an idiot for not taking the deal but at least she will get nailed after she is found guilty, nailed.

Fucking assholes, all of them.

[katietornado]

I'm appalled that anyone would act like that.

And for fuck's sake, these assholes live in Philadelphia. They were in Rittenhouse Square, which is directly next to Washington Square West, which is gay central. Had these idiots never seen a gay couple before?

Her co-defendants were sentenced to serve 200 hours at an LGBT resource center. I can't see that going very well.

[katietornado]

Also, LOL forever at this. GTFO Kathryn Knott. Don't worry guys. It's not offensive because it wasn't directed at anybody in particular.



Knott acknowledged she posted the four tweets to her Twitter account that were entered into evidence Monday. The tweets each took place in the years prior to the incident. One stated "@krissstenxoxo the ppl we were just dancing with just turned and mafe out with eatch other #gay #ew."

Knott testified that she was offended by the public display of affection, not the sexuality of the couple. She said she included the hashtag "gay" in the tweet to describe the situation.

The other tweets stated "Jazz flute is for little fairy boys," "@go_nads he's gonna rip me today for my hair..just wait. #dyke" and "this camo song is gay like all the other brad paisley songs."

Knott testified that the "Jazz flute" tweet is a direct quote from the comedy film Anchorman and that she used the word "gay" in another tweet to say she found the Brad Paisley song lame. She testified that she does not find gay people disgusting or use the term "dyke" every day.

"What's said there wasn't demeaning toward anybody," Knott said of the tweet about her hair. "I wasn't talking to anybody specific."

[nikki25]

I know the defense attorney pretty well and was really surprised he took the case figuring the facts. He is really good, really good but not that good to win this case, lol. It's her father a cop? Or mayor of some town?

[redheadbaker]

Dec 16, 2015 9:42:18 GMT -5 nikki25 said:

I know the defense attorney pretty well and was really surprised he took the case figuring the facts. He is really good, really good but not that good to win this case, lol. It's her father a cop? Or mayor of some town?

Police Chief in Chalfont, a town in Bucks County.

[nikki25]

Dec 16, 2015 10:00:58 GMT -5 redheadbaker said:

Dec 16, 2015 9:42:18 GMT -5 nikki25 said:

I know the defense attorney pretty well and was really surprised he took the case figuring the facts. He is really good, really good but not that good to win this case, lol. It's her father a cop? Or mayor of some town?

Police Chief in Chalfont, a town in Bucks County.

Derp. I live 5 minutes from Chalfont. I completely forgot about that. I think he retired after all this shit went down.

[msmerymac]

Dec 16, 2015 10:00:58 GMT -5 redheadbaker said:

Dec 16, 2015 9:42:18 GMT -5 nikki25 said:

I know the defense attorney pretty well and was really surprised he took the case figuring the facts. He is really good, really good but not that good to win this case, lol. It's her father a cop? Or mayor of some town?

Police Chief in Chalfont, a town in Bucks County.

It's like a sub-set of affluenza. Having a relative who is in law enforcement and consistently saves your ass. 

[shauni27]

Dec 16, 2015 10:08:42 GMT -5 msmerymac said:

Dec 16, 2015 10:00:58 GMT -5 redheadbaker said:

Police Chief in Chalfont, a town in Bucks County.

It's like a sub-set of affluenza. Having a relative who is in law enforcement and consistently saves your ass. 

I remember thinking the exact same thing when I first heard about this case last year.