Openly Gay Mayoral Candidate Was Beaten, Set On Fire

[AtroposHeart]

The family of Marco McMillian, a 33 year-old openly gay candidate for mayor of Clarksdale, Mississippi released a statement yesterday saying that he was beaten and set on fire before his lifeless body was dumped near a river. Last Thursday, police arrested a 22-year old man who, like McMillian, is African-American and charged him with the mayoral candidate’s murder. Although the motive for the murder remains unknown, the circumstances of the murder suggest a possible anti-gay hate crime. According to the family, “[w]e feel this was not a random act of violence based on the condition of the body when it was found.â€

http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2013/0 ... r-a-river/

Sickening, my prayers and wishes go toward his family

[NoneandDoneinCali]

Absolutely disgusting. I keep forgetting how horrible much of humanity is.

[tabitha2]

Mississippi is not a place to be different in. I can't sat say i am surprised :( .

[ShesCrafty]

This makes me absolutely sick. His poor family, my thoughts are with them.

[MarthaMarcyMayMarlen]

Damn, that is awful. I feel bad for the family.

[Turtle]

That's devestating. Prayers for his family. I can't even imagine.

We have an out and proud lesbian mayor here in Houston. Sometimes I think we've come so far, and other times I'm reminded how far we still have to go.

[Sky_Diamond]

Mississippi is not a place to be different in. I can't sat say i am surprised :( .

Exactly, but the fact that he was not only running as a gay but African American candidate in Mississippi means that he was incredibly brave. I admire his considerable guts

[delilahdog11]

There is no reason to suggest that he was killed because he was openly gay. The prime suspect right now is actually his boyfriend.

Also, the coroner has publicly said that the victim showed no sign of being beaten to death and that he WAS NOT set on fire. He has no idea where the family of the victim is getting their information from since the coroner's office has not released the cause of death yet.

This is another case of the media trying to invent a story that fits with the narrative they're trying to push onto society. What happened to this man was tragic, but his death is no different than any of the other dozens of murders every day.

[Italymylove]

That is fucking terrible. What a shame.

[2xx1xy1JD]

This was the latest information that I found:

http://now.msn.com/marco-mcmillian-deat ... amily-says

The discrepancy between the family and the sheriff is really strange. Also, if he was openly gay, wouldn't his family know whether or not the suspect was a lover? It's hard to tell if the family is delusional, or if the sheriff is not willing to investigate a possible hate crime.

[ThatSnark]

This is so sad. I lived in Jackson, MS in the mid-90s and the anti-LGBT sentiment was alive and well.

[Jana814]

How horrible!!

[lilwriter85]

There is no reason to suggest that he was killed because he was openly gay. The prime suspect right now is actually his boyfriend.

Also, the coroner has publicly said that the victim showed no sign of being beaten to death and that he WAS NOT set on fire. He has no idea where the family of the victim is getting their information from since the coroner's office has not released the cause of death yet.

This is another case of the media trying to invent a story that fits with the narrative they're trying to push onto society. What happened to this man was tragic, but his death is no different than any of the other dozens of murders every day.

Thank you for the additional info. I think it is crappy that the media has done what is done about reporting this story.

[sunshine]

http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2013/0 ... r-a-river/

Sickening, my prayers and wishes go toward his family

So, sad. Funny how they jump to conclusion that it was anti-gay. It could have been a relationship gone bad.

[GolightlyGrrl]

No matter the motive for this man's murder, I am thoroughly sickened.