Study: Michigan leads nation in reported anti-gay slayings

The number of reported crimes against gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgendered persons declined 3 percent nationwide in 1999, to 1,965 from 2,017 in 1998, the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs said.

In Michigan, the number of reported incidents fell to 96, down from 130 in 1998, according to the Triangle Foundation, a Detroit-area gay rights advocacy group that is part of the coalition.

The number of Michigan victims declined from 143 to 112, and the number of offenders fell from 140 to 87. But the anti-gay crimes reported last year in Michigan included eight slayings, up from six in 1998 and two in 1997.

"This year's numbers are deceiving," Jeffrey Montgomery, executive director of the Triangle Foundation, said in a statement accompanying the coalition's report.

"We see a decrease of reported incidents in Michigan. However, the level of violence attached to each incident continues to increase from year to year," he said.

The Triangle Foundation and 15 other agencies in the coalition relied mostly on victims' complaints to compile the report. Montgomery said some incidents were reported by law enforcement agencies and others came from news reports.

But Montgomery said authorities in some cases refuse to classify anti-gay violence as such.

Earlier this month in Port Huron, at least six gays and lesbians were attacked with bottles and pipes in a bar, Montgomery said.