October 11, 2013
Police Charge 1 In Alleged Attack On Gay Man
Jason St. Amand READ TIME: 1 MIN.
Pittsburgh police have charged one man for allegedly attacking a gay man, but a defense attorney says the victim wasn't targeted because of his sexuality.
Police charged 24-year-old Vincent Happ on Wednesday. He's accused of punching and kicking 26-year-old Benjamin Stoviak, who was leaving a Lawrenceville bar early Sunday morning with his boyfriend.
According to the criminal complaint Happ says he and two friends were speaking to each other when an anti-gay slur was used, and that it wasn't directed at Stoviak. Defense attorney Charles Gallo says the fight was a drunken brawl, and not anything to do with being gay.
Happ was charged via summons with one count of simple assault, and police say they're still investigating.
