The Keith Crane Case

PART ONE: Crimes and Consequences

Questions for Discussion

1.1 The Arrest

1. Where did Keith and Vern live?
2. Estimate how much Keith drank before seeing the police.
3. Why didn't Keith resist the police officer who grabbed him?

1.2. The Incident in the Lockup

1. Why did Keith want to call his friends?
2. Do you think the warders could hear Keith when he called out?
3. What happened after Keith asked for the name of the arresting officer?
4. Why did Keith sign the form with his left hand?
5. What did Vernon Haynes do when Keith got home?

1.3 Taking Legal Action

1. What galled Keith the most about the night he was arrested?
2. Why did Keith think that making a complaint to the police might not be worth the effort?
3. How are the Human Rights Association and the Human Rights Commission different?
4. How was it possible that the Human Rights Commission might reject Keith's complaint?
5. If the RNC did not press charges against its own officers, what other option did Keith have?

1.4. The System Responds

1. Why do you think Keith went public?
2. What important issue did Keith bring into public view?
3. Why did the RNC start two separate investigations based on Keith's complaint?
4. What did Keith want the police department to have?

1.5. The Appeal

1. What reason did the RNC give for not pressing charges against its own officers?
2. What was Keith afraid might happen if the problem of police homophobia was not looked into?
3. What emotional scars did Keith have from the night he was arrested?