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Agents in Rainbow Lounge raid found guilty of multiple violations

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Rainbow Lounge in Fort Worth, TXAn internal affairs investigation has concluded that agents committed multiple violations in a raid at the Rainbow Lounge, a gay bar in Fort Worth, Texas, which left one man hospitalized with serious brain injuries.

Agent Christopher Aller and agent trainee Jason Chapman are accused of participating in the June 28 raid without their supervisor’s approval, disrupting the business during the raid and wearing improper attire in the beverage commission report obtained by The Associated Press under the Texas Open Records Act.

The investigation also found that one of the agents’ supervisors, Sgt. Terry Parsons, failed to ensure the agents submitted a report on using force during the arrest, did not take appropriate action after learning they didn’t wear proper attire during the raid and did not notifying supervisors multiple arrests had been made that night, the report states.

Aller and Chapman have been placed on desk duty pending the outcome of the investigation, and Parsons decided to retire. All three could face disciplinary action ranging from a verbal warning to job termination for numerous policy violations, but no decision has been made on any penalties, agency spokeswoman Carolyn Beck said.

News report form the local NBC affiliate below:


Victim injured in gay bar raid claims coverup, wants cops prosecuted

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Chad GibsonChad Gibson, who was injured in a raid at the Rainbow Lounge in Forth Worth on the anniversary of the Stone Wall riots, is now out of the hospital and calling for the prosecution of the those involved.

On June 28, Chad Gibson was at the Rainbow Lounge when two TABC and seven Fort Worth police officers conducted a bar check at the newly opened gay nightclub in Fort Worth. Witnesses said the unprovoked officers manhandled Gibson and slammed him to the ground. Police said Gibson was intoxicated and grabbed an officer’s groin.

Now, Gibson said he wants the officers involved in the raid prosecuted. He also called the response by the city of Fort Worth a cover-up.

Although the city has asked the U.S. Attorney General to review the investigation, Gibson said he has lost all confidence in law enforcement.

“You used excessive force and that’s why I got hurt,” he said.

Gibson said the city and officers have pointed the blame in the wrong direction.

“They have blamed it on me, that I was drunk [and] that I hit my head,” he said. “I groped the officer. I did this. I did that. You know what, no … Accept responsibility.”

Gibson said he is also frustrated at the city pointing the blame at the TABC.

“Even if the Fort Worth Police didn’t touch me, they watched it,” he said. “They watched other people do that to me.”

Watch Gibson’s interview at WFAA-TV.