From: newsdistribution@gaydata.com Date: Thu, 10 Aug 2000 23:07:22 -0500 Subject: Gay Man Seriously Beaten by Police While Restrained (FULL STORY) MEDIA RELEASE - Links to photographs at end of story. For Immediate release. POLICE HOMOPHOBIA LEADS TO SAVAGE BEATING By Dan Schramm (GLINN - Gay/Lesbian International News Network) Milwaukee, WI (08-10-2000) -- A Milwaukee gay adult media celebrity while restrained in an ambulance gurney, due to a suicide attempt, was savagedly beaten without provocation in the eyes and face by at least one Milwaukee Police Officer with fists and a metal flashlight. The internal affairs division of the Milwaukee Police Department is currently conducting a criminal investigation into the conduct of the police officers at the scene. The office of Milwaukee Mayor John Norquist stated to this reporter that, "internal affairs is all over it." The incident, which took place on August 5, 2000 at approx. 5:30 a.m., was partly broadcast live over the internet. Tony Mlnarik, the leading resident of the live voyuer cam site, the Gay Adult Entertainment Club (www.gayadult.com), after a night of drinking punched his fish tank and seriously cut his arm. After losing a significant amount of blood, he became despondent. Mlnarik didn't want to go to the hospital and expressed a desire to die. Police and an ambulance were called by his roommate. After nearly an hour wait, police arrived and entered the home, which is also the offices of GLINN Publishing Corp., the operator of gayadult.com and 15 other gay web sites. Mlnarik did not want to go to the hospital and struggled with the officers, although no punches were thrown, and the officers wrestled 5 ft. 7 in. 145 lb. Mlnarik to the floor. Mlnarik did not want to be treated and continued to struggle, making it difficult for the female ENT trying to treat the wound to his arm. The police officers called for a squad that had leg irons and a backup unit arrived. Several officers held Mlnarik down while he was treated and put into handcuffs and leg irons. He was never put under arrest. Mlnarik was then strapped into an ambulance gurney and removed from the house. The house contains 12 live web cams, including outside security cameras covering the front and rear of the house. Mlnarik was taken down the front steps and then was punched repeatedly in the face by a police officer. As he was punched, he screamed out for his boyfriend, Jack. He expressed a fear for his life and called for Jack to accompany him, but a police officer refused to let Jack out of the house until the ambulance had left. Police covered his mouth and took him into a private Bell ambulance. Present during the incident were Jack Rodriguez, Mlnarik's boyfriend, and this reporter, Dan Schramm, the CEO of GLINN Publishing Corp. Rodriquez witnessed a blond police officer striking Mlnarik, and Schramm who was further inside the house heard the blows and the screams of Mlnarik. Schramm heard at least one officer mutter homophobic slurs. Four police officers and two EMTs were on the scene. Watching the incident on live web cams were members of the web site, gayadult.com. The web cams stream live video at one frame per second over the internet via the Excite@Home cable network. The officer beating Mlnarik was visible on the front security camera. The cams stream live and are not recorded. Mlnarik was taken into the ambulance and again beaten in the eyes and face by a police officer using a metal flashlight. During that beating Mlnarik said he began "screaming at the top of my lungs, and nobody came to my aid," which he says he didn't understand with all the police around. Mlnarik states that after he was beaten and was crying out in pain, the male ambulance attendant strangled him until he lost conciousness. After spending time in the hospital, the county mental health complex and a detox center, Mlnarik was back at home on Wednesday, chatting live with visitors to the site, his injuries still very visible. Mlnarik was never arrested or charged with any offense. Schramm said he was very angry about the incident. "There was no justification for beating Tony. He was completed restrained and the entire situation had been under control for some time. This was not a struggle while making an arrest where the level of force might be a subjective matter. This was an outrageous and criminal beating under color of law." Mlnarik said he will be filing a formal complaint with the Milwaukee Police and Fire Commission tomorrow. The Commission has stated it will investigate the matter. The Commission can suspend the officers, reduce them in rank, or terminate them. Police internal affairs can bring criminal charges against the officers responsible. ------------------------------------------------------------------ Media Contact: (for interviews) Tony Mlnarik 414-289-9460 or -7777. Dan Schramm 414-305-2880. Jack Rodriguez will also be available at the 9460 number at selected times for interviews including Friday evening from 8 to 10 p.m. cst. All are available for live chat with video at www.gayadult.com. Click on the cam/chat link. Photographs of Tony Mlnarik taken Sunday evening, are available at: http://www.glinn.com/news/mlnarik/index.htm and at: http://www.gayadult.com/schedule/mlnarik.htm -------------------------------------------------------------- Distributed as a public service by GLINN's Gay News Distribution Service at www.gaydata.com, a division of the Gay/Lesbian International News Network at www.glinn.com. ================================================================================ From: newsdistribution@gaydata.com Date: Mon, 07 Aug 2000 03:03:53 -0500 Subject: Milwaukee Gay Celebrity Seriously Beaten by Police While Restrained MEDIA ALERT- HEADS UP -- Upcoming Story -- All Gay Media EMBARGOED UNTIL 2 P.M. CST 08-07-2000 Full Story Released at that time. POLICE HOMOPHOBIA LEADS TO SAVAGE BEATING Milwaukee, WI (08-07-2000) -- A Milwaukee gay adult media celebrity while restrained in an ambulance gurney, due to a suicide attempt, was savaged beaten without provocation in the eyes and face by Milwaukee Police Officers with metal flashlights. This incident was entirely due to unrestrained homophobia. He was later strangled into unconciousness by an ambulance attendant on the way to the hospital. Portions of the incident which happened at approx 5 a.m. on August 5, 2000 were broadcast live worldwide on the internet. Full story and color photographs will be released at approx. 2 p.m. following the arrest of the officers and ambulance attendants. News story should include a statement of Police Chief Arthur Jones. Updates on local media coverage and followup will be available on the web at a site to be announced in the full news release. -------------------------------------------------------------- Distributed as a public service by GLINN's Gay News Distribution Service at www.gaydata.com, a division of the Gay/Lesbian International News Network.