A judge on
Thursday threw out a manslaughter charge against a man who
fatally stabbed a teenager who allegedly attacked him
because he is gay. Lucas Dawson, 21, was walking from
his home in Philadelphia's East Mount Airy
neighborhood on October 29 to catch a bus downtown, where he
planned to meet with friends to discuss his audition
for the TV show American Idol the day before.
Dawson said Gerald Knight, 17, and six others
began taunting him, chased him down, and started
beating him. Dawson pulled out a small knife and waved
it at the teens. After Knight punched him, Dawson said he
stabbed him in the chest; Knight died within an hour.
Dawson called police after the attack and led them to
the knife. He was charged with manslaughter.
Defense attorney Kevin T. Birley argued that
Dawson had feared for his life. "This is a hate crime.
My client was attacked because of his sexuality,"
Birley told municipal judge Gerard Kosinski on Wednesday.
"He did the only thing he could do, the only thing in his
power to stop the attack."
Because Dawson tried to retreat and because
there were multiple attackers, Kosinski said criminal
charges were not warranted. He ordered that Dawson,
who had been jailed, be released.
Asst. Dist. Atty. M.K. Feeney praised Dawson for
turning himself in to police, who had no suspect in
the case. But she argued that a jury should decide
whether Dawson's actions were self-defense.
Knight was stabbed more than once, she said, but
Dawson required no medical care for his injuries from
the beating. Feeney said her office would review the
judge's decision and decide whether to appeal. Dawson
said he plans to leave home now because he fears retaliation.
"I mean, seven guys jumped me and one guy died,"
he said. "That's still six other people that want to
hurt me." (AP)
