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Saturday, January 31, 1998

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UM STUDENT DENIES ANTI-GAY THREATS

By Susan Kinzie, Of the NEWS Staff --

A University of Maine student who was charged with violating the Maine Civil Rights Act for allegedly threatening another student with anti-gay comments last week has denied some of the allegations.

State Attorney General Andrew Ketterer filed a civil lawsuit Thursday against Kirk Daigle, a 26-year-old student from Bangor, to prevent him from threatening anyone. Daigle allegedly entered another student's dorm room because there was a "Maine Still Won't Discriminate" brochure taped to the student's door, referring to the Feb. 10 referendum on gay rights.

Christopher Largay, who is representing Daigle, said "he admits that he spoke with this individual, but it was more in the context of a political discussion. He certainly regrets that this individual was threatened in any way ... he wants to make sure this individual is not afraid or scared. That was never his intention."

Largay said Daigle's apparent intoxication at the time of the Jan. 23 incident may be part of his defense. In papers filed in Penobscot County Superior Court on Friday, there are references to freedom of speech guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution, and that he "may have been impaired by intoxication."

As to the specific things Daigle said, according to the Attorney General's Office, such as calling the student a "fag" and telling him that he had friends who had killed a gay person, the defense says "the defendant is without knowledge or information sufficient to form a belief as to the truth or falsity of the allegations."

Largay said the statements had perhaps been taken out of context or misunderstood.

Both students are enrolled at UM. Daigle was required by the university to move to another dormitory.