Pennsylvania Officers Cleared in Civil Trial Over Teen Who Killed Himself

Police are not responsible for the death of a Pennsylvania high school football player who killed himself after officers allegedly threatened to tell his family he was gay, a federal jury decided late Wednesday. The teen-ager's mother filed the civil suit over her son's death, charging that the town and three of its police officers violated his right to privacy.

X

Thank you for sharing!

Your article was successfully shared with the contacts you provided.
Police are not responsible for the death of a Pennsylvania high school football player who killed himself after officers allegedly threatened to tell his family he was gay, a federal jury decided late Wednesday. Jurors cleared three police officers in a civil lawsuit that claimed they caused 18-year-old Marcus Wayman’s death in 1997 by threatening to tell his grandfather he was gay. Officers approached Wayman and a 17-year-old male friend in a car. Police frisked the teens, and found the younger one with two condoms. Officers Scott Willinsky and Thomas Hoban took them to the station on underage drinking charges. Scott Willinsky later testified that both boys conceded that they had stopped to have sex, although the 17-year-old disputes making the statement. Willinsky allegedly asked if they were “queer” and threatened to tell their families they were gay. Wayman told his friend he was going to kill himself. A few hours later, he found the keys to the gun cabinet at his home and shot himself in the head, according to court testimony. Wayman’s mother, Madonna Sterling, filed a civil suit over her son’s death, charging that the town and three of its police officers — Joseph Willinsky, Scott Willinsky and Hoban — violated Wayman’s right to privacy. Joseph Willinsky is the police chief and father of Scott Willinsky. A spokesman for the Lesbian and Gay Rights project of the American Civil Liberties Union, which represented Sterling, said an appeal would be difficult. “People feel this sense of progress. We turn on our TV’s and watch ‘Will & Grace’ and think that things are better for gay people in America. Then, we turn around and see this kind of thing,” Eric Ferrero said. “This kind of stuff still goes on. What happened in Minersville wasn’t an anomaly.” Joseph Willinsky, Scott Willinsky and Hoban do not have listed telephone numbers and could not be reached for comment. Defense lawyer Robert Hanna of Harrisburg could not be reached for comment Wednesday night after normal business hours. Sterling has never talked publicly about the case, according to Ferrero. Minersville, population 4,877, is about 55 miles northeast of Harrisburg, Pa. Copyright 2001 Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Want to continue reading?
Become a Free ALM Digital Reader.

Benefits of a Digital Membership:

  • Free access to 1 article* every 30 days
  • Access to the entire ALM network of websites
  • Unlimited access to the ALM suite of newsletters
  • Build custom alerts on any search topic of your choosing
  • Search by a wide range of topics

*May exclude premium content
Already have an account?

Trending Stories

 

Featured Product

Global Briefing

A weekly, curated selection of our international content from around the globe, across the business of law, in-house, regulatory, technology and more, with expert insights from our senior editors.

Learn More

More from ALM

 

ALM Legal Publication Newsletters

Sign Up Today and Never Miss Another Story.

As part of your digital membership, you can sign up for an unlimited number of a wide range of complimentary newsletters. Visit your My Account page to make your selections. Get the timely legal news and critical analysis you cannot afford to miss. Tailored just for you. In your inbox. Every day.

Privacy Policy

About Us / Contact Us / Site Map / Advertise With Us/ Customer Service / Terms of Service/ FAQ / Privacy Policy

Publications

Law Topics

Rankings

More

Law.com

Copyright © 2021 ALM Media Properties, LLC. All Rights Reserved.