Last September WPLJ deejay Blake Hayes (pictured left), and cabaret and Broadway performer Danny Calvert were attacked outside of McCoy's Bar in Hell's Kitchen, along with their friend Alec Bell. They claimed a man flicked a cigarette at them while saying, "Keep moving, faggots." When the trio quipped about the man's bald head, he became enraged, physically assaulted them, and said, "Die of AIDS, you fucking queers."
To add insult to injury, the police officers who showed up refused to take their attacker's information, or let them file a claim, and the bouncer who witnessed the attack allowed the man back into the bar. After City Council Speaker Christine Quinn spoke up on behalf of the vicitms of the bias attack, Police Commissioner Kelly’s office agreed to conduct an investigation.
Now, the Daily News reports that it's turned into an international investigation, with the NYPD having tracked down the suspect, Air Force Staff Sgt. Benjamin Ford (pictured right), in England. Ford's job is "to help protect the President and other world leaders," and he was in town last September when Obama was speaking at the UN.
An NYPD detective stationed in London tracked Ford down after he was fingered as the suspect by the Hate Crimes Task Force, and Ford admitted to being on the scene that night, but says Hayes, Calvert and Bell started the fight. It was all caught on tape, however, and allegedly that footage shows Ford as the one to lash out. While Ford has yet to be formally charged, officials say that the U.S. military plan to try him and serve up the appropriate punishment if he is found guilty.
