The Few, the Not Guilty

The January beating of a homosexual man by three Marines at a North Carolina bar patronized by gays drew national attention, occurring soon after President Clinton's call for the open admission of gays into the armed forces. Last week the Marines were acquitted. A judge ruled that the prosecution had not made its case, notwithstanding the admission by one defendant that he had yelled, "I don't want nothing to do with you faggots!" -- in response, the Marine insisted, to taunting by gays in the bar. According to the defense, the brutalized gay man willingly joined the brawl.