Gay man attacked by neighbor over pruned tree, loss of squirrel watching
“‘Now it’s ruined’ and he ‘can’t watch the squirrels anymore’ — I mean, he was just ranting and raving on and on….
“Hit me in the chest, pushed me down on the stairs and pinned me there with his body weight, and he had both hands wrapped around my throat and he was strangling me…. He stayed right there hovering over top of me in a very threatening manner for maybe 10 minutes or more, just yelling, and screaming and ranting about all sorts of things, and calling us every gay slur that you can think of.”
David Christensen, speaking with KATU News, claiming that his next-door neighbor, Robert Bosket, pushed his way into the home he shares with his gay male partner. According to the report, Christensen is the Facilities Chairman for a townhouse neighborhood association, and that the board had decided to prune a tree near the homes of Christensen and Bosket. Police are not pursuing the case as a hate crime even though Bosket admittedly dislikes Christensen because he’s gay. (KATU)
The Oregonian reports that Bosket is facing charges of “first-degree burglary, harassment and strangulation.” He is denying that he strangled Christensen. (The Oregonian)
Kirk Pedersen was identified as Christensen’s partner by Northwest Cable News, and he said on camera that he hadn’t seen that type of behavior from Bosket and “wouldn’t have expected it from him.” Pedersen then added (NWCN.com):
“People need to know what’s going on and what gay men, like us, have to live with.”
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