Billy Griffin, one of the people accused of killing Milwaukee transmasculine rapper Evon 'Yung LT' Young took the stand in his own defense during his trial late Wednesday and early Thursday. He described the New Year's Day murder of his former roommate and music collaboration partner was an indirect payback for him leaving a violent gang run by his cousin Victor Stewart.
Griffin tearfully testified that his days of feigned ignorance during the search for Young and initial lies to police when they began to suspect a homicide, were driven by fear of reprisals from his cousin and Stewart's gang.
Prosecutor Grant Huebner argued that because Griffin's performance was so convincing over the two weeks leading up to his January 15 arrest, his story and display of emotion on the witness stand might also be only an act.After Griffin wrapped up his testimony, the jurors began deliberating his fate after lunch on June 13 and are still deliberating as of this writing.
Griffin is facing a maximum life in prison sentence if he is convicted of first degree intentional homicide as the family and friends of Young and the trans community await the jury's eventual verdict.
TransGriot Update: After several days of the jury failing to reach a unanimous verdict in the case of Billy Griffin, the accused murderer of Evon Young, a mistrial was just declared this morning by Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Jeffrey A. Wagner. Wagner scheduled a new trial for September 16.
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