Transient accused of damaging gay-rights memorial

A 47-year-old transient is in custody for allegedly harming three trees in West Hollywood’s Matthew Shepard Human Rights Triangle, authorities said.

Bruce Bartmann was arrested Wednesday by sheriff’s deputies after he allegedly vandalized trees in the tribute garden last month, sheriff’s spokesman Steve Whitmore said.

Whitmore said that investigators are not sure why Bartmann would choose to vandalize the trees that are a tribute to local gay leaders, but that it is not considered a hate crime. One tree was uprooted entirely and a combined $1,700 worth of damage was done. Bartmann is being held in lieu of $20,000 bail at Twin Towers jail in downtown Los Angeles.

-- Richard Winton

Previously: Gay-rights memorial vandalized in West Hollywood

Comments

[The One]

The LA Times so PC that when two of their favorite down trodden groups clash: The Homeless and Gays, they have to change to name of one group as not to disparge it.

Shouldn't this headline read: Homeless Man accused of damaging Gay Rights Memorial

No wonder this paper is going under. They put ideology before profits!!!

[Jim]

I'm glad an arrest was made. Assuming he's guilty and this wasn't a hate crime, let's hope everyone takes this as a lesson that people do stupid things to others for a variety of reasons, and we shouldn't jump to conclusions about perpetrators or motives.