Can being labelled a homosexual damage a person’s reputation?
This was the question posed by High Court Judge Mira Dean-Armorer after she heard the last of the evidence in a defamation lawsuit brought by radio announcer Ricardo “Gladiator” Welch against three of his former colleagues, who he claimed tarnished his reputation by questioning his sexual orientation during a radio show in 2010.
“You need to address your mind to whether being called a homosexual will lower you in the estimation of the reasonable thinking person considering international opinion on the topic,” Dean-Armorer said as she gave instructions to lawyers representing Welch and his former colleagues Andy Williams, Devon Welch (no relation) and Juliet Davy on what she felt the focus of their written submissions should be.
Dean-Armorer made the statement after hearing evidence from Williams and two of his witnesses who all alleged that they had witnessed Welch engaged in sexual activity with teenage boys.
Taking the witness stand, Williams claimed that he first learned of Welch’s sexual orientation when he served as his driver before being hired to host his own show. Williams repeatedly claimed that Welch would instruct him to drop him at several popular gay bars and to pick up teenage boys with whom Welch would engage in sexual activity while he drove.
“Are you telling the court today that my client is a homosexual?” Welch’s lawyer Eduardo Martinez asked while cross examining Williams.
“Straight up,” Williams responded. However, he was careful to note that he did not do so on his radio programme as alleged by Welch.
“Can you identify any of the boys you are speaking of?” Martinez asked.
“I could identify one sitting down there,” Williams said as he pointed to a man seated in the public gallery before Dean-Armorer intervened to stop him.
Martinez said: “You made the statements to boost your own image and lower Gladiator’s.”
“No, I am on radio everyday. I don’t need to say anything about your client to do that. He did that all by himself,” Williams responded.
Williams claimed he ended his friendship with Welch after he made several unwanted advances towards him.
Williams’ evidence was followed by that of Michael “Mikey K” Kerr, the producer of the show in which the statements were reportedly made.
Kerr claimed Welch was open with his sexuality when they worked together at another radio station, and would talk openly about this with him and other co-workers.
“He would say they (the boys) are my pillow biters,” Kerr said when asked to recall one of their conversations.
Williams’ next witness, part-time radio announcer and social activist Lennox Smith, supported his claims. He testified that he (Smith) witnessed Welch kissing two boys at a fast food restaurant in Maraval several years ago. Smith repeatedly maintained his claim as he was accused of lying by Martinez.
When questioned by Martinez on whether public discussions on homosexuality were considered taboo in T&T, all three men said no.
In addition to the three announcers, Welch is also suing radio station 104.7 FM, which broadcast the programme. The radio station has denied any wrong doing as they claimed that the unscripted shows were privately produced by Kerr’s company which paid for them to be broadcast.
The case has been deferred to March 24, when Dean-Armorer will hear oral submissions.
Welch is also being represented by Farai Hove Masaisai, while Michael Rooplal is representing Williams. Mervyn and Marc Campbell are representing the radio station.