Philadelphia PA

On the Fourth of July 50 years ago, when homosexuality was considered a mental illness and a same-sex couple’s public declaration of love put their lives and livelihoods at risk, about 40 people took a stand by staging a peaceful protest in front of Independence Hall. This year, Philadelphia’s Independence Day festivities will mark the city’s important place in the history of America’s gay rights movement with events billed as the 50th anniversary of the LGBT rights movement.

Raheam Felton, 31, of Southwest Philadelphia, was charged with murder and possession of an instrument of crime in the killing of London Banks earlier this week.

A judge has refused to downgrade charges against three people accused of beating a gay couple on a Philadelphia street in September.

The Philadelphia City Council will consider asking voters to revise the city charter so that the Office of LGBT Affairs becomes a permanent part of city government.

A Philadelphia judge has ordered three young adults to stand trial for an alleged attack on a gay couple in September that left one of the men with a broken jaw.

PHILADELPHIA — Philadelphia’s city council has passed a bill authorizing added penalties for gender identity and sexual orientation hate crimes that aren’t covered under state law. The administration-backed bill won unanimous approval Thursday. Mayor Michael Nutter has two weeks to sign it into law.

PHILADELPHIA — Three young adults charged with beating a gay couple in Philadelphia are due in court Dec. 16 for a preliminary hearing. Police accuse the two men and a suburban police chief’s daughter with taking part in an assault that left one man with a wired jaw.

PHILADELPHIA — More than 200 people advocated for changes to the state’s hate-crimes law in the wake of the beating of a gay couple in downtown Philadelphia. The Philadelphia Inquirer reported Thursday that the crowd pushed for Pennsylvania’s anti-hate-crime law to include crimes motivated by sexual orientation. The rally was held in Philadelphia’s…

PHILADELPHIA — While Pennsylvania lawmakers push to advance statewide hate crimes protections that include sexual orientation and gender identity, members of the Philadelphia city council on Thursday will introduce their own measure that would add a hate crime chapter to the city code.

PHILADELPHIA — The three young adults charged with beating a gay couple during a night out on the town in Philadelphia have been released on bail. KYW-TV reports that 24-year-old Philip Williams of Warminster, 24-year-old Kathryn Knott of Southampton and 26-year-old Kevin Harrigan of Warrington left the police department’s Central Detectives …