In the year and a half since D.J. Bell was brutally attacked by neighbors, charges have yet to be filed against Bell's assailants. ---

It's unconscionable and un-American that the innocent victim of an assault could be incarcerated and dragged through the legal system while attackers manage to evade prosecution. The most obvious explanation is that, in this case, the victim is a gay man -- and, evidently, different legal rules apply to homosexuals. It's hard to tell, since the prosecutors have been largely silent on the matter.



Today at 10 a.m., activists will deliver a petition demanding that charges be brought against those who participated in the attack. At the very least, it represents an opportunity for the County D.A.'s office to break the silence.

