Virginia Trans Hate Attack Update-Charges Dropped

Back on May 21, 2011 transwoman Ahnesia Jett was attacked and beaten by three and possibly four people outside a 7-Eleven at approximately 3:30 PM near Fredericksburg, VA led by then 18 year old Laqueta Webb and her boyfriend Farkeem French.

Jett claimed the attackers uttered transphobic slurs in the attack in which she was kicked, punched and beaten with a metal broom handle that happened a month after Chrissy Polis was attacked in neighboring Maryland.  Webb and French were arrested and charged with two felony counts of malicious wounding and malicious wounding by mob.

Allen Frye, Jr, the third person charged in the trans hate attack on Jett plead guilty last year to a misdemeanor assault charge and was sentenced to a year in jail with all but 15 days suspended.  

Back in February according to Fredericksburg.com the prosecutor was unable to proceed because Sharon Forsyth, the only witness to come forward was a no show.

Webb and French faced the judicial music at the Fredericksburg Circuit Court June 21 and walked out of the front doors of it after the charges were dropped due to Jett and Sharon Forsyth failing to show in court for the trial.   

A defense motion that the charges be permanently dropped was denied, leading to speculation that the felony charges Webb and French are facing in this case could be reinstated, but it is highly unlikely according to the Examiner's Tammy Reed