The prosecution was arguing for a felony assault conviction, while defense attorney Andrew Wilkerson kept deploying his reprehensible spin on the trans panic defense by deliberately misgendering Muhlaysia Booker and claiming the fight was between two men.
Looks like it worked.
After four hours of deliberation, the jury found Thomas guilty of the lesser charge of misdemeanor assault and sentenced him to 300 days in jail. If he doesn't appeal the conviction, the time that Thomas has already served since April will count toward fulfilling the terms of that 300 day sentence.
Translation: Thomas will be getting out of jail in four months.
Really? This is straight up BS. Thomas was offered $200 to beat Booker, allegedly sucker punched her while using brass knuckles to start the fight and was videotaped viciously beating Booker to the point she was rendered unconscious.
Dallas trans advocate Mieko Hicks agrees with that sentiment. She blames Dallas Police Chief U. Renee Hall and DPD detectives for the in her words botched investigation that led to this verdict.
Thomas should have been convicted of felony assault, and should be doing some serious time for that hate crime.
I and other trans Texans across the Lone Star State will be working to fix that problem in the 2021 session. But that doesn't do anything about the anger and disappointment we're feeling right now ,with the verdict and the (in)justice system that produced it..
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