September 1, 2015
Judge Drops Case Against Gay Rights Activist Terry Bean
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EUGENE, Ore. - A judge has dismissed sex-crimes charges against prominent gay rights activist Terry Bean, who was accused of having sex with a 15-year-old boy.
The dismissal on Tuesday came after the boy refused to testify.
The Register-Guard reports (http://bit.ly/1igN1Yi) that Lane County Circuit Court Judge Jay McAlpin gave prosecutors the option to refile charges if circumstances change.
Bean is a 66-year-old Portland developer who co-founded two national gay rights groups and is a large donor to Democratic candidates.
Prosecutors allege that Bean and his then-boyfriend met the teen for sex in a Eugene hotel room in 2013.
Bean issued a statement saying he "was falsely accused and completely innocent of every accusation that was made."
