View attachment 18950
Found this, not sure what I’m even looking at. Twitter maybe?
View attachment 18950
Found this, not sure what I’m even looking at. Twitter maybe?
That'd be a Linked In Profile, I think.
This at least is more credible than the stuff Tax posted. Thanks Ron, I'll keep looking into it but so far - despite it not showing up on the Charlotte Pride website - this is disturbing AF.
Actually, if he was 20 and the minor was 16, while technically still illegal, it isn't quite the same magnitude of an infraction as a 35 year old and a 16 year old or a 20 year old and a 9 year old.
Been digging for 'bout an hour.
So apparently there were three teens, from 14 and 15. At 20, you KNOW that shit is wrong. He was working as a youth minister. Regardless of the passage of time, it's about the appearance of it all.
There is a big difference between a fifteen year old and an 18 year old dating and then because family didn't like it, or got upset, had the 18 year old charged with assault, vs. a person fondling a 14 and 15 year old while asleep.
I still stand by this being wrong by Charlotte Pride and when the blowback comes, cause it will eventually, they deserve it.
I don't care why he only served 2 years of his 10 years though I tried to find out the results of the trial beyond that. So far nothing. Though I am interested in why instead of three counts, he was only convicted of one, and if the jury/judge believed that the boys were 'lying' as he argued.
And I think the reason he wasn't turning up in my searches before is because Sevearance is his previous last name; Turner is a new last name.
So now it's less like BS, and more likely true.
Fact: he was charged and convicted of lewd acts on a minor. Got 10 years, served 2.
Fact: after, he managed to get his life together, graduate university and made a life for himself and has had no violations since release (that I can find)
Fact: he managed to acquit himself well enough to be recognized and win awards and recognition.
Fact: he was outed by conservatives for his past incarceration which led to his stepping down from his duties in 2016
Fact: At some point he was re-elected to serve with the Charlotte LGBT Chamber of Commerce as, apparently, as President and CEO.
Fact: at 20, there is no excuse for him doing what he did so any claim of bad decisions of youth are invalid.
My personal opinion? This is a HUGE mistake on the side of Charlotte Pride, especially now, and they deserve the blowback they will get.
Also personal opinion: it SUCKS because otherwise he's done great things for the GLBTQIA of the region. Half of his life he's made a good one that's helped people. But it canNOT be denied he was charged and held accountable for lewd acts on a minor. By giving this award, it's spitting in the face of those of us in the GLBTQIA+ community who are advocating that no, we're NOT full of child molesters, groomers, etc. This, in my opinion, is a betrayal of the fighting going on right now.
Do I think people can change? Absolutely. But in this case, regardless of his hard work, in the end the PUBLIC recognition will do all of us more harm than good. It sucks but these are consequences that come from choices he made and yes, he still has to deal with those for the rest of his life.
Since Charlotte Pride doesn't have him listed, still, on their page, and his selection for the award was a month ago, I'm not sure now what to think.