A friend of late Sacramento security guard Leroy “Pops” Fisher is urging the city’s gay community to attend the trial of the man charged with killing Fisher in 2009.

The trial involving Fisher’s death started last week in Sacramento County Superior Court. Michael Bruce Weisz of Sacramento faces charges of second-degree murder and felony hit-and-run with death or injury in the case of Fisher’s death. 

Steve Thompson, who was a friend of Fisher’s, has already used Facebook and e-mail messages to ask more than 150 people to appear in court to honor Fisher.

“I want to bring as many people as can be allowed,” Thompson said.

He said he is reaching out to the gay community about the trial because he heard that Weisz has many supporters attending the court hearings. The presence of Fisher’s friends at the trial would show that Fisher had many friends and that “he is well-missed in the community,” Thompson said.

Weisz and a friend were ordered by Fisher and a second security guard to leave Badlands, a Midtown nightclub, for inappropriate behavior on Sept. 23, 2009, Sacramento Police Department spokesman Sgt. Norm Leong said at the time.

The Police Department said at the time that it believed Weisz ran over Fisher in his car.

Donald Masuda, the attorney representing Weisz, said Friday he was not bothered by the possibility of a crowd of Fisher’s supporters at the trial. “As long as they’re not disruptive, I don’t see any problem with it.” 

In a comment to The Sacramento Bee in December 2009, Masuda contended that Fisher’s death was accidental.

The next hearing will be held 9 a.m. Tuesday, at Superior Court’s Department 12 in Sacramento, 720 Ninth St.

Kathleen Haley is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Staff reporter Suzanne Hurt contributed to this report.