What’s Brewing: Dallas police release names of murdered gay couple found in burned apartment

Your weekday morning blend from Instant Tea:

1. Last week Dallas police asked the media to hold off on publishing or broadcasting the names of a gay couple found murdered inside a burned Lake Highlands apartment, as they tried to locate the victims’ families. Laura Martin, DPD’s LGBT liaison officer, gave Instant Tea the go-ahead late Monday to publish the victims’ names. They are 59-year-old Michael Humphrey and 61-year-old Clayton Capshaw. We’ll have an update on the case later, but for now, anyone know these guys?

2. It’s still not too late to contact your state representative and ask them to support HB 1942, an anti-bullying bill from Rep. Diane Patrick, R-Arlington, that’s viewed as the last, best chance for the Legislature to address the issue in this year’s session. Daniel Williams at Legislative Queery reports that the House didn’t get to the bill as expected Monday but may take it up today when it re-convenes at 10 a.m. today. To read Equality Texas’ action alert on the bill and email your state rep, go here.

3. Above was the scene last night at Cityplace, where the North Texas GLBT Chamber of Commerce hosted a sparsely attended forum featuring all four candidates for Dallas mayor. We’ll have more on the forum later, but for now here’s a teaser: Two of the three major candidates, Ron Natinsky and Mike Rawlings, said they were against Texas’ 2005 constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage and civil unions. Rawlings said he voted against the amendment, and Natinsky said he opposed it but couldn’t remember whether he actually voted. The third major candidate, David Kunkle, said he didn’t vote in the November 2005 election when the amendment was on the ballot.