San Antonio officer on trial in rape of transsexual


SAN ANTONIO (AP) - A police officer accused of raping and beating a transsexual in his squad car is on trial in a federal court.

Forty-six-year-old Dean Gutierrez is charged with depriving a person's civil rights by committing aggravated sexual abuse while on duty. If convicted, Gutierrez faces up to life in prison.

The accuser, 23-year-old Gabriel Bernal, is expected to testify Wednesday.

Although the names of alleged sexual assault victims aren't typically used, Bernal has consented to have her name used.

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Alabama Democrats reinstate gay candidate for Legislature


MONTGOMERY, Ala. - Openly gay Patricia Todd was reinstated Saturday as the Democratic Party's nominee for a seat in the Alabama Legislature in a vote that turned more on the race of the candidates than sexual orientation.
The Alabama Democratic Party Executive Committee voted 95-87, mostly along racial lines, to reject the ruling of a subcommittee that had voted to disqualify Todd, who is white, and her black opponent, Gaynell Hendricks, in the race for the House seat from Birmingham's predominantly black District 54.