Two West Virginia University groups will attend the memorial service tomorrow evening (July 11) for Arthur”J.R.”Warren Jr., a Marion County man that was murdered last week. Gay activists are concerned that Warren, reportedly a homosexual, was the victim of a hate crime.

WVUs Council on Sexual Orientation and Bisexual, Gay and Lesbian Mountaineers (BiGLM), as well as many others from the local community, will attend the service planned for 7 p.m. at the Marion County Courthouse.

The groups plan to honor Warren, of Grant Town, who was beaten and then run over by a vehicle on July 4, allegedly by juvenile assailants.

In particular, the groups plan to thwart hate sentiments espoused by the Rev. Fred Phelps, a well-known anti-gay minister from Kansas who, along with his followers, plans to picket the service.

Rev. Phelps became infamous several years ago for carrying signs saying”God hates Fags”at memorial services for Matthew Shepherd, a University of Wyoming student, who died after being beaten by two men and left on a fence because he was a homosexual.

“Now that Rev. Phelps and his group plan to attend the vigil to protest,”said Elizabeth McGaha, BiGLM co-chair,”we will pull our people together to form a protective wall of angels between Phelps and the mourners.”

Taken from an idea used at Shepherds funeral,”angels”will wear large angel wing emblems on their clothing, McGaha said, to provide support and strength for Warrens family, friends and mourners.

COSO is an advisory group made up of faculty, staff and student members. BiGLM is a WVU student organization.

For more information on attending the memorial service, call T. Anne Hawkins, 303-293-2316, McGaha, 304-296-0961, or BiGLM, 304-293-8200.