Monday
July 22, 2002
By
Timmy Smith, Las Cruces Herald of Truth Staff Writer
Albuquerque – After deliberating for
nearly nine hours, a jury in Albuquerque, New Mexico has awarded a settlement
of $1.6 million dollars to Arturo Cadenas of Bosque Farms. Cadenas brought suit against the proprietor
of “Spectacular Rods” nightclub for severe financial and emotional damages,
which he claimed stemmed from the nightclub’s failure to properly advertise
itself as a gay establishment.
In
an interview with a local television station, Cadenas’ attorney, David Seeburg,
claimed that his client was taunted by lounge customers inside the bar and by a
group of former friends who happened to be passing by as he exited the
bar. He further claimed that Cadenas’
mechanic’s shop has been unable to attract any business since news of Cadenas
being seen exiting a gay bar spread to his client base.
Court
documents quoted Cadenas’ testimony, “I thought it was a bar about cool
cars. You know, hot rods. But when I went in, all these guys were
dancing together and hugging and stuff.
One guy came up to me and said ‘Hey, cutie. You new here?’ There was
this one girl in there but she wasn’t a girl, ‘cause she had a bulge in her
crotch and her dress was like pitching a tent.
I got out of there so fast. When
I was leaving, I saw Chuy, Nacho and Eddy cruising in Chuy’s ’63 Chevy. When they saw me coming out of that place,
they started calling me ‘maricon’ and ‘puto’ and other stuff. I still have nightmares about it. And now, nobody brings their car by for me
to work on since nobody wants a gay guy working on their car, man.”
According
to the press conference given by the seven-man jury after the trial, the final
holdout was convinced to side with Cadenas after another juror asked him “How
would you feel if you went to a place named ‘Cornwall’s ‘ and found out that it
was only a fish-and-chip restaurant.”
The
owner of “Spectacular Rod’s”, Rico Pedro, could not be reached for comment.
In
a related story, the owner of “Dick’s” in Las Cruces has announced that his
restaurant will change it’s name to “Richard’s Famous Hamburger Shop Which
Caters To Truck Drivers and Farmers and Does Not Like Any Weirdo’s Coming In
Here”.