The residents of Bloomington, Indiana are deeply saddened by the loss of Don Belton, a gifted writer and a warm, generous man who was loved by everyone who met him.
A memorial service will be held Friday, January 15, at 5 p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Church at 2120 North Fee Lane.

photo courtesy of IU
Belton, 53, was stabbed to death by a friend and was discovered in his own kitchen on the morning of December 28, 2009.
A candlelight vigil took place at the Courthouse Square, January 1 at 5 pm. Hundreds of people braved below-freezing temperatures to honor this extraordinary man. There are many pictures and coverage of the Don Belton vigil. The Pourhouse Cafe, which was closed for the holiday, donated hot drinks to participants.
Additional memorial services are being planned for the coming weeks.
We remember Don as a kind person and a caring person. He was hilariously funny and often the life of the party. He was excited to be in a new tenure-track position as a professor of creative writing at Indiana University, a job that finally gave him some security for the work he had been doing for years. Yet Don was someone who did not limit his relationships to campus: He preferred to be a real part of the entire community in which he lived, was a friend to many people of all backgrounds and ages, and in his short time in Bloomington had already planted some substantial roots.
Police have arrested 25-year-old Michael James Griffin in Belton’s death. This Web site hopes to honor Don Belton’s memory, but it’s also a place to monitor the progress of the criminal case and the media coverage of this horrific act of violence against a member of our community.
In these early days after Belton’s death, we are concerned by the way the story is taking shape*. Hateful, racist, and homophobic remarks have been circulating on messaging boards under articles about Don’s murder. Don was African American and openly gay, and much of his creative work dealt with the intersections of those identities.
Griffin, who is to be arraigned on Wednesday, December 30, has alleged that Don Belton sexually assaulted him—twice—on Christmas day in Griffin’s home. Two days later, Griffin reportedly went to Don’s house—with his knife–to demand an apology. The Herald Times is reporting that When Belton would not accept Griffin’s accusations, Griffin stabbed him several times, “until he quit moving.”
While we do not wish to polarize the community, we do want law enforcement to understand that there is a long, established history of suspects invoking a claim of sexual assault and/or a “gay panic” defense to get charges reduced or to win over a jury when the victim was a gay person. This is a tactic that has had some success over the years but is increasingly being recognized for what it is: a defense that plays to societal bias and prejudice and is not a justifiable excuse for murder.
We are urging Bloomington Police and the District Attorney to reject any notion that Griffin’s claim of sexual assault weakens their case for murder. Please note: we have been informed that Prosecutor Robert Miller is the best person to contact with info regarding the case. He can be reached at rtmiller@co.monroe.in.us and needs to hear from people who can testify to Don’s character and non-violent nature. Anyone with information about Don’s relationship with Michael Griffin should also contact Mr. Miller.
We aim to connect Bloomington law enforcement with prosecutors who have successfully tried similar cases and with anti-violence groups and advocates familiar with the nuances of this type of violence. We also hope readers will write letters and make calls to local law enforcementurging them to remain vigilant about collecting evidence and exploring all possible motives, including a bias-related motive. By legal definition, Hate crimes do not only happen among strangers; often there is a pre-existing relationship and other factors involved. (it should be noted that Indiana does not have a hate crimes statute).
Our intent is to help educate Bloomington law enforcement so that they are in the best possible position to protect their citizens. If such scenarios become acceptable defenses for murder, then nobody in the Bloomington is safe. Our hearts go out to the family and loved ones of Michael Griffin. That Michael felt he had no other recourse but to commit murder is a tragedy.
We also hope to fill in the gaps about the real Don Belton. Because this crime occurred over the holidays when many people were out of town–and because Don had just moved to a new neighborhood a few blocks from where he used to live—early news articles seemed to suggest that he was not as well-known and well-loved as he was. Contributors to this site may recall and post their memories of Don here; they will show up underneath this informational page. Please note: updated news will appear under this post, so readers should scroll down for more recent info.
Some news articles also seem to imply that Don and Michael were simply acquaintances. The Herald Times recently published an article describing Don Belton and Michael Griffin as having a “brief, conflicted” relationship, an inference that is not supported by evidence. Many people remember Michael and his girlfriend developing a strong bond with Don Belton as long ago as last summer. The couple, who sometimes did yard work for English faculty, often remarked to Don’s colleagues that they were fond of him and that he was becoming a good friend. This bond is demonstrated by the fact that they invited Don to their home on Christmas Day, and this type of committed friendship was typical of Don.
Additionally, reporting or providing sound bites that “an incident occurred” between the men on Christmas Day is not responsible journalism. Don is not here to tell his story. The media needs to be aware that how they report on this story is critical to ensuring that justice is done. This is not the sensationalized story of a man who had a chance encounter with a random person. This is the story of a promising writer with many friends who was unfortunately betrayed by one of them.
[* as one commenter has mentioned, media coverage has become much more balanced recently. Though not always entirely accurate in summarizing friends' points of view, we appreciate the effort.]
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