Charges Stand in Gay Sting Case
An Orange County Superior Court appeals panel has refused to dismiss misdemeanor charges against nine men arrested in a sting operation at a Santa Ana park frequented by gay men.
The suspects were among dozens arrested earlier this year after allegedly propositioning undercover officers at Santiago Park. They faced indecent exposure and other charges.
A gay rights attorney had challenged the arrests as discriminatory, noting police did not conduct a sting to catch heterosexual couples. Attorneys vowed to take the issue to a state appeals court.
Santa Ana police noted that the arrests followed years of complaints by park neighbors who said men have sex in public bathrooms and other areas at the sprawling, wooded park.
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