This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2011, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Dane Hall, the openly gay man attacked outside a Salt Lake City nightclub last month, said Wednesday a previous drug arrest had nothing to do with his attack.
Hall was arrested July 2 for possession of narcotics, marijuana and drug paraphernalia, but has not been charged with any crimes in connection with that arrest.
Salt Lake City Police Chief Chris Burbank has said while his investigators have not yet determined any motive for the attack, they are looking at drugs as a possible motive for what many believe was a hate crime.
"I am not a drug dealer, and my previous arrest has nothing to do with this," Hall said during a brief Facebook chat Wednesday.
He referred questions to his lawyer, Christopher Wharton, who later sent out a press release with a statement from Hall.
"All I know is that I was attacked and that I heard my attacker shouting gay slurs during the attack," said Dane Hall. "I hope the police can find out who did this and why, but this had nothing to do with drugs."
Wharton wrote that Hall underwent a blood test immediately after the attack, and it showed there were no illicit narcotics in Hall's system and he did not have any illegal drugs in his possession.
"We appreciate Chief Burbank's support and continued efforts to investigate this assault, but we don't believe that the investigation should focus on 'speculation,'" Wharton said. "Their investigation is ongoing and we are supportive of their continued efforts to find the person who committed this crime."
Hall was attacked near 200 South and 600 West late on Aug. 26. He has told media that a group of men yelled gay slurs and attacked him, culminating in a curb checking, which is when a person's face is placed on the curb and then kicked in the back of the head. The attack left him with a broken jaw and cheekbone.
Hundreds of members of the Salt Lake City community held fundraisers and rallies to bring attention to anti-gay violence in the wake of the attack. It also kicked up a storm of Twitter and Facebook posts, many by people falsely claiming to have witnessed the attack, police said.
Tracking down each of those leads has slowed the investigation and have made it difficult for the Salt Lake City Police to find witnesses to identify the attackers and their potential motive, Burbank has said.
Anyone with information about the attack can call police at 801-799-3000.
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