Lawsuit against Conshy company settled
Bryce Ginther and Kit Kineef have settled their lawsuit against a Conshohocken company that allegedly denied Kineef the health-care coverage he was entitlted to.
Ginther and Kineef were married in New York in May 2012, but Ginther’s employer, ArcelorMittal USA, allegedly refused to enroll Kineef in the company’s health plan as Ginther’s spouse.
The men filed a federal lawsuit in February, alleging violations of federal law.
Tiffany L. Palmer, an attorney for Ginther and Kineef, said both men have voluntarily withdrawn their lawsuit.
“All I can say is the case has been resolved,” Palmer told PGN.
ArcelorMittal spokesperson Mary Beth Holdford couldn’t be reached for comment.
Notice of the settlement was filed with U.S. District Judge Thomas N. O’Neill Jr. on June 27.
Ginther works as an industrial electrician at ArcelorMittal’s steel mill in Conshohocken, according to court records.
Sentencing changed for inmate assault
The sentencing of Kevin V. Hannig, who pleaded guilty to assaulting openly gay inmate Kenneth J. Houck Jr., has been moved up a week, from July 18 to July 11.
Hannig and Justin O’Brien assaulted Houck at the Federal Detention Center in Philadelphia in November 2011.
Houck was reading a gay novel inside his cell when the men pulled Houck from his bunk and stomped on him, breaking his leg, according to court records.
U.S. District Judge William H. Yohn Jr. will impose Hannig’s sentence at 2 p.m. July 11 in Courtroom 14B of the U.S. Court House, 601 Market St.
Houck’s projected release date is March 3, 2018, if he doesn’t commit any infractions while in custody. Hannig, 35, is awaiting sentencing at the detention center.
In May, O’Brien was sentenced to 74 months in prison for Houck’s assault and three unrelated bank roberries.
O’Brien, 26, is serving his sentence at a federal prison in Canaan Township.
— Tim Cwiek
Real-estate forum
Real-estate professionals and the LGBT community are invited to learn about navigating the real-estate world as an LGBT person from noon-1:30 p.m. July 10 at Burlington Camden County Association of Realtors’ Real Estate Success Institute, 306 Kings Highway South, Cherry Hill, N.J. Attendees will learn about estate planning and mortgaging concerns for LGBT buyers, best ways to source LGBT business, steps that LGBT couples should take to protect themselves when they purchase a home, legal and correct terminology for addressing LGBT individuals and much more. Lunch will be provided. The event is $10 for non-BCCAR members. For more information, call 856-428-1013.
— Angela Thomas