D.J. Bell Might Sue South Salt Lake P.D.

10.06.2009 by Elizabeth Ziegler

(KCPW News) David James Bell says he and his partner, Dan Fair, will file separate civil lawsuits after a late-night assault he believes was a hate crime. They’ll be filed against Bell’s neighbors, who allegedly started the fight, and possibly the South Salt Lake Police Department. Susanne Gustin, one of Bell’s attorneys, blames the police for failing to properly investigate the crime, and for filing charges against Bell instead of the couple’s attackers.

“I think that the people of South Salt Lake need to ask their chief Chris Snyder what went on in this case. There was absolutely no investigation,” Gustin says. “On an aggravated assault, attempted murder, kidnapping case, the crime scene unit needs to be called out. You need to interview witnesses that were never interviewed.”

At a press conference yesterday, Bell unveiled new details about the events that led up to the attack and his arrest for kidnapping. Two of his neighbor’s children were found at his home, but Bell claims they never got past his doorstep.  He was acquitted of the kidnapping charges.

Bell’s friend, Megan Dunyon, was at his home the night of the attack and says police never asked her for a detailed report of what happened that evening. She says she’s still traumatized by the incident, and believes anti-gay sentiments fueled the violence.

“Hate and ignorance definitely had a lot to do with it and it wouldn’t have escalated if there wasn’t hate and ignorance in it,” Dunyon says.

Bell says he’s hopeful that criminal charges will be filed against his attackers. Click here to listen to a recent conversation with Bell on KCPW’s Politics Up Close.