25th Anniversary Of Tyra Hunter's Death

Tyra Hunter should be with us right now eagerly anticipating the celebration of her 50th birthday.
But instead, her life tragically ended way too soon because of two transphobes. 

One of the transphobes was a  Washington DC fire department EMT.   The other was the emergency room doctor at the hospital where she died.

On the morning of August 7, 1995  the 24 year old Hunter was a passenger in a car headed to the salon in which she worked as a hairdresser.   Her mother Margie Hunter was a nurse, and Tyra had transitioned at age 17.   She was popular in the SE Washington DC neighborhood where their family lived.

The car she was a passenger in was involved in an accident at the corner of 50th and C Streets SE.  She and the driver Tedessa Rankin were pulled from the smoking ruins of the Hyundai Excel car Rankin was driving to await treatment by the DC Fire Department EMTs headed their way..   

As the gathering neighborhood onlookers watched an EMT later identified as Adrian Williams began treating a semi conscious Hunter for her injuries.  He stopped and backed away after he cut open her pants legs to reveal her genitalia, saying "This b***h ain't no girl.  It's a n****r, he got a dick..

Williams then began joking with other DCFD personnel on the scene as the neighborhood onlookers witnessing his  and his coworkers transphobic behavior pleaded with him to resume working on Hunter to save her life.

Hunter's treatment was stopped for 5-7 critical minutes as the DCFD personnel on the scene kept cracking transphobic jokes.  An EMS supervisor eventually arrived on the scene and resumed treating Hunter for her injuries. 

She was eventually rushed to the now closed DC General Hospital where .she arrived at 4:10 PM EDT only to receive the same transphobic treatment from the DC General Hospital emergency room staff.

One doctor refused to treat her,    Another assumed because she was a Black trans woman she had HIV and was more concerned about that instead of treating her for the blunt force trauma injuries she sustained in the traffic accident.    Hunter died in the DC General Hospital emergency room at 5:23 PM EDT.

The case sent shockwaves through and angered the DC and national trans community.   Over 2000 people attended her August 12 funeral.    Her mother Margie Gunter later won a $2.9 million judgment in a subsequent wrongful death lawsuit.

It is a case that still resonates with me and every Black trans person around at that mid 90's time as a concrete example of the medical transphobia that can be deadly for us.

25 years later we have a federal government that is trying to return us back to those days when EMT's like Adrian Williams and doctors could refuse to treat us.


Rest in power Tyra.   Your Black trans life mattered to me and ever trans person of your generation.  We will fight to ensure that no one suffers like you did on that August 7 day 25 years ago.

Number 13- Rest In Power Riah Milton

On the same day that Dominique Fells' body was discovered in Philadelphia, another trans person was being murdered in southern Ohio.

She is 25 year old Riah Milton of Cincinnati.   Her body was found shot to death early Tuesday morning in the 6600 block of Spruce Creek Drive in Liberty Township, OH, 20 miles north of Cincinnati.

A man called 911 early Tuesday morning to report he'd heard two or three gunshots in the cul de sac of his subdivision.  Police investigators who responded to the call found Milton's body a short time later.

There have been arrests made in this case.  Butler County Sheriff Richard Jones announced on Wednesday morning the arrest of two people and the issuance of a felony arrest warrant for a third person. 

The persons arrested were 18 year old Kaleb Marshall Tooson and an unnamed 14 year old juvenile girl.   The paid lured Milton to the area with the intent of robbing her but shot her instead. 

Tooson faces charges of murder and aggravated robbery, while the 14 year old was charged with complicity to murder, complicity to aggravated robbery and tampering with evidence. 

The third person in this case, identified by Sheriff Jones as Tyree Jeffrey Cross of Cincinnati, is wanted for complicity to murder, complicity to aggravated robbery and unlawful sexual contact with a minor.

Milton unfortunately is the 13th trans person killed in 2020., and the eight under ago 30 this year/    Here's hoping that these peeps responsible for her death do lots of time for the crime they committed.

Number 12- Rest In Power Dominique Rem'mie Fells

Figures that literally the day after I posted that 2020 trans murders midyear review article, another trans person was killed.

We head to Philadelphia for the latest trans murder in the person of 27 year old Dominique Fells. 

The delay in reporting Fells' death is due in large part to media misgendering of her.  The initial reports on Philadelphia TV station ABC6 and other Philadelphia media outlets misgendered Fells.

It took The Morris Home, a local recovery residence for trans and gender non conforming people recognized her as one of their residents to end the disrespect of being media misgendered.

Her body was found June 9 on the banks of the Schuylkill River in the 3500 block of Schuylkill Avenue near Bartram's Garden.   In addition to having her legs severed in the upper thigh area in a manner that indicates a train may have cut them, she had sustained injuries to her head and face.

Her legs have not been recovered at the scene where her body was recovered or anywhere else in the Philadelphia area so far, and the coroner as I'm writing this hasn't determined the official cause of her death.

It is however being ruled as a homicide

The Philadelphia Office of LGBT Affairs, which is currently headed by Black trans woman Celena Morrison, released this statement concerning the death of Fells.

 “As thousands take to the streets to proclaim that Black Lives Matter, it is critical we remember that this includes Black trans lives. Dominique Rem’mie Fells’ life mattered. We are reminded with this, and countless other painful losses — especially within our transgender communities — that there is much left to do until we achieve full equality, respect, and support for us all. The murder of transgender people — especially those of color — is truly an epidemic and a crisis that we cannot afford to allow to persist any further. Let us uplift her memory together.”

Fells is now the 12th person we have lost to anti-trans violence in 2020, and the fourth African American trans person this year.     She's also the seventh under age 30 that we have lost in 2020 to anti-trans violence.

Here's also hoping the the perpetrators of this crime are found and swiftly brought to justice. 

Number 24- Rest in Power Yahira Nesby

I was hoping we'd get through these last weeks of 2019 without any more murders.  Unfortunately that will not be the case.   We now go to Brooklyn, NY, where I was alerted to our latest trans murder by Nala Simone.

Her name is Yahira Nesby.

The 33 year old Nesby was shot yesterday (December 19) at approximately 4:20 PM EST in her Brooklyn apartment in the chest and leg.    A 39 year old male was found at the rear of her building on Rockaway Parkway with a leg injury indicative from falling from a heightened position. 

Nesby was declared dead at the scene.

That person was taken in for questioning, but at this time Nesby's murder is still being investigated by NYPD.   The male as of yet has not been considered as a person of interest in this ongoing investigation,.but was called her boyfriend in a NY Daily News story.

Nesby was a member of the House of Chanel, and was originally from North Carolina

She is now the 24th trans woman we have lost to violence this year, and the 22nd Black trans woman in 2019.

As of yet haven't heard about any vigils since this is still a developing story, but as soon as I hear of one or am alerted, I'll pass that info along. 

Rest in power and peace Yahira,

WTF? Edward Thomas Convicted Of Misdemeanor Assault

The Edward Thomas trial in Dallas closed after final arguments from the prosecution and the defense in judge Hector Garza's courtroom..

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.

Booker suffered a broken wrist, and had to be pulled out of the situation by six cis women and placed in a car for transport to a nearby hospital, and all this mofo gets is 300 days in jail for that? 

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.

But no thanks to Dianne Hardy Garcia and the Lesbian Gay Rights Lobby (LGRL), Texas trans folks were stripped out of our state's James Byrd Hate Crimes Act in  the 1999 and the 2001 Texas Lege session when it passed with sexual orientation but not gender identity as one of the categories eligible for enhanced punishment. .  .    .

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..

Edward Thomas Trial Starts Today

The reason that Diamond Stylz and I made a quick trip up I-45 to Dallas late Sunday night was to bring awareness of the fact the Edward Thomas trial was starting today in the Frank Crowley Courts Building.

Thomas was arrested for the April 12 beating of Muhlaysia Booker in a South Dallas apartment complex after a minor fender bender that left her with a concussion and other injuries.

She was murdered a month later.

We joined with local Dallas trans advocates Mieko Hicks and Stacey Monroe in a Monday morning press conference to not on shed light on that upcoming trail, but the transphobic comments of Thomas' defense attorney Andrew Wilkerson.

Wilkerson also attempted to sow the trans panic defense in this case by trying to get Booker deadnamed and misgendered during this trial, motions that Judge Hector Garza shot down.

We also called out the problematic release of Domingo Ramirez-Cayente and the murder of Atatiana Jefferson by a Fort Worth police officer that happened just before we departed for Dallas

Ramirez-Cayente is the waste of DNA who attempted to kill Daniela Calderon.   He was not only ridiculously charged with aggravated assault, but bond was set at only $25,000.   He was also allowed to leave without being required to wear an ankle monitor, and as you probably guessed, took the first opportunity after his released to point that red truck down I-35 south and run to the border.

Back to the Thomas trial.

Hope that my Dallas trans fam will pack the courtroom for this trial, and send a message to the jury, the defense and prosecuting attorneys that Muhlaysia was loved by a lot of people in the Dallas area.

For those of you who don't live in the DFW area, Dallas Morning News reporter Dana Branham is following the trial on her Twitter feed.

Number 22- Rest In Power And Peace Brianna 'BB' Hill

Seems like as fast as I find out and get the details about one of my trans siblings being murdered, I'm having to sit down and write about another one.

We go back to Kansas City, MO for our latest trans murder.   

She is 30 year old Brianna 'BB' Hill.   She was shot  at 11:30 AM CDT on Monday October 14 near 43rd St and Hardesty Avenue in eastern Kansas City.    She died at the scene before police arrived and took the shooter into custody.

Hill is the third trans woman to die in Kansas City this year, the 21st African American trans woman, and the 22nd in the US in 2019.

The man who stands accused of shooting Hill waited for police to arrive, and and KCPD investigations are currently looking into the motive for this crime.

As of yet no word on whether any memorial service or vigils are being held there.   I'll pass that info along as I receive it.

Rest in power and peace, Brianna.   May justice be served in your case as well.

 

Number 21- Rest In Power Itali Marlowe

I am not happy to report that we have lost another trans woman in my Houston area backyard to anti-trans violence

She is 29 year old Itali Marlowe, and she was killed back on September 20 at 2 PM CDT on that date in the Ridgemont portion of Houston that extends into Fort Bend County. 

HPD offices responded to a shooting call at 15829 Ridgeroe Lane and found Marlowe when they arrive lying in the driveway of the residence.  She had been shot multiple times, and was transported to a nearby hospital where she subsequently was declared dead, according to the HPD press release.

Now for the stats.

Marlowe is the 20th Black trans woman to die due to anti-trans violence in the US this year and the second one in the Houston area in 2019.   She is also the fourth trans person killed in Texas this year and the 14th under age 30.

We have a suspect in this case.  23 year old Raymond Donald Williams has been charged with murder in this case by the Fort Bend County District Attorney's Office. 

Williams was living with Marlowe, and was spotted fleeing on foot from the Ridgeroe Lane residence prior to the arrival of HPD officers.

 If you have information on his whereabouts, you are urged to call the HPD Homicide Division at 713-308-3600 or Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS (8477)

Rest in Power, Itali   We won't rest until this perpetrator is caught, prosecuted, and incarcerated for your murder.

Ready For Our ABC Nightline Closeup

Dee Dee, Diamond Stylz and I recently taped on July 22 an ABC Nightline episode in which we talked about the violence affecting Black trans women in Texas and around the country.

The initial part of it was taped while we were in Dallas for our recent BTAC Leadership Institute, and the rest was done when we returned back to Houston.

We were also doing so in the wake of the loss of Denali Stuckey at the time we taped it.  We're now up to 20 trans women lost to anti trans violence with three months left in this year.

As y'all know, anti-trans violence aimed at the Black trans community is a serious issue.   It's past time that we were blessed to have an in-depth discussion about it with the people that it negatively affects on national television.   

It was also nice to be having that discussion with my H-town homegirls and fellow BTWI board members.

Was alerted that the show will finally air tonight.   Looking forward to seeing how this segment turned out    As for when  ABC News Nightline airs, it comes on at 11:35 PM CDT.

Hope that when you watch it, it will be an informative show and that those of you who see it will get something out of it.  .

Number 18- Rest in Power Bee Love Slater

As I was literally finding out about the Labor Day murder of 17 year old Bailey Reeves in Baltimore, I was getting word about an even more disturbing one that happened in Clewiston, FL on September 4. 

23 year old Bee Love Slater was found inside her burning car outside the town of Clewiston, FL.  Her burned beyond recognition body was  only identified through her dental records.   

Hendry County investigators have stated it is one of the most brutal murders they have seen yet.

Friends of Bee also stated to local media that she was in fear of her life and getting a lot of cyber bullying prior to her death.

A vigil for Slater was also held in Pahokee, FL where she lived.

Let's get the stats out of the way.   Slater is the 18th trans person we have lost to anti trans violence in 2019.   She is the 17th African American one, and more infuriating to me, the 12th under age 30 that we have lost.

If you have any information that will lead to the capture and incarceration of the wastes of DNA who killed Bee, you are urged to call the Hendry County Sheriff’s Office at 863-674-5600 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-780-TIPS (8477).

Rest in power and peace, Bee.  We won't rest until the persons who killed you are captured and justice is served in your case.

Number 17- Rest In Power Bailey Reeves

The calendar page just turned to September, and once again I'm having to write about another Black trans woman being murdered.   This time we travel to Baltimore to talk about our latest person  we have lost to anti trans violence.

17 year old Bailey Reeves was attending a party on Labor Day n the 4300 block of Parkwood Avenue in North Baltimore.  As she left the event around 8:05 PM EDT  several gunshots rang out and struck Reeves.   Five kids were witnessed by neighbors running away from the scene as Reeves was lying in the middle of the street in a pool of blood.

Reeves later succumbed to the gunshot wounds after being taken to a local hospital 

Now for the grim stats.   Reeves is not only the 17th person we have lost to anti-trans violence in the US in 2019, she is the youngest person we have lost this year.

And yes, it continues the aggravating pattern of the victims being overwhelmingly Black trans women.   Out of the 16 Black trans women we have lost this year, 13 are under age 30.

If you are in the Baltimore area and have any information that will solve this case, you are urged to call detectives at 410-396-2100 or Metro Crime Stoppers at 1-866-7LOCKUP (756-2587)

Motion To Deadname Muhlaysia Booker Denied

Andrew Wilkerson, the transphobic defense attorney for Edward Thomas, tried it. 


Knowing that his client is on videotape beating down Muhlaysia Booker into unconsciousness for $200, and knowing that there are witnesses to that hate crime, he tried injecting transphobia in the mix for the upcoming October 14 trial.

Wilkerson is cynically trying to get the April 12 assault by the 29 year old Thomas characterized as a fight between two men, instead of a man beating up a woman.

The 29 year old Thomas is charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, a second degree felony that if convicted, can get Thomas anywhere from 2 to 20 years in jail.

The attack left the 22 year old Booker with a broken wrist and a concussion.

Fortunately for us trans Texans, Judge Hector Garza (D) saw through this BS attempt to use a cynical variation of the trans panic defense in this trial.

Wilkerson is claiming that recognizing Booker as the female she was will 'prejudice the jury', and tried to have the name on the indictment changed to Booker's deadname.   Prosecuting attorneys argued that indictments can be amended to include aliases, and since Booker had been living as her true self for several years and answered to Muhlaysia, the court should honor that.

"Our position is one of respect," said lead prosecutor Jason Hermus to Judge Garza.

Wilkerson has been a serial transphobe in this case.   He also disrespected and misgendered Booker in a June 7 Facebook post, which led to Judge Garza issuing a gag order for both attorneys.

Judge Garza ruled that when this case goes to trial, the jury will hear the name Muhlaysia Booker, not her deadname.

Remember that trans Dallas when Judge Garza runs for reelection for the 195th Judicial District Court next March.

Arrest Made In Tracy Single Williams Case

The Houston Police Department (HPD) has announced it has made an arrest in the Tracy Single Williams case. 

The waste of DNA who did it was dating her.

25 year old Joshua Dominic Bourgeois was arrested on Friday and has been charged with the murder of the 22 year old Williams.   She was living in an apartment on Houston's west side at the time of her murder and was in a dating relationship with Bourgeois. .   

Her body was found in a gas station parking lot along the 11700 block of  I-10 in west Houston just west of Beltway 8 around 3;30 AM back on July 30, and her death was ruled by the Harris County coroner as a homicide.   Williams body according to HPD spokespersons had severe lacerations in addition to a puncture wound.

Bourgeois is currently cooling his heels in the Harris County Jail without bond, and it is unknown as of this writing if he has a defense attorney.

And yes, you can bet that the Houston area trans community and our allies will be closely watching this case to ensure that justice is served for Tracy and her family.

Number 16- Rest in Power and Peace Tracy Single

Unfortunately we are in a moment in which the trans murders have been happening at a fast and furious pace in the last few weeks.    The latest one happened in my Houston backyard back on July 30.

There was a July 30 news report of a woman found dead in a gas station parking lot along the eastbound feeder road in the 11000 block of the Katy Freeway (I-10 to the rest of y'all)  at 3:34 AM CDT   

Two local stations, ABC13 and FOX 26 reported her as a woman who did not die of natural causes, and HPD detectives were investigating the case.  It took a week to pass here in H-town before we were advised by our HPD LGBT liaisons that the woman who was found along I-10 back on July 30 was actually trans and was murdered. 

Dee Dee Watters subsequently organized an August 11 town hall meeting that led to us finally IDing  Tracy so we can now officially #SayHerName.

Now for the business end of this post. 

The 22 year old Single is now the 16th person we have lost to anti-trans violence in the US in 2019, the third in the state of Texas this year, and the 12th person under age 30 that has joined the ancestors far too soon.

If you peeps in the Houston area have any information that will lead the arrest and conviction of her killer, you are urged to call the HPD Homicide Division at 713-308-3600  or call Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS (8477).

Tracy is being remembered here in Houston by having City Hall lit up in the trans pride flag colors today and tomorrow.   

There's also a stretch of six arched bridges along the below grade portion of I-69 here in Houston that cuts through the southern edge of the Montrose gayborhood that can be lit up in various colors.

Like City Hall, those bridges will be lit up thanks to Houston Mayor's LGBT Advisory Board Chair Harrison Homer-Guy in trans pride flag colors to honor our fallen sister.

As soon as I get confirmation of the funeral arrangements and memorial service, I'll pass that information along when I receive it

Rest in power and peace Tracy.   You were taken away from us way too soon, and we will not rest in the 713 until the person who killed you is locked up for a long stretch in a TDC unit.

Number 14- Rest In Power Pebbles LaDime Doe

Another day, another Black trans woman murdered

We go to Allendale County, South Carolina to discuss the latest trans person who has joined the ancestors way too soon.,

24 year old Pebbles LaDime Doe was found dead on August 4 inside a car parked in a driveway off Concord Church Rd.   

Allendale County is situated along the South Carolina-Georgia border 90 miles from Charleston and 73 miles northwest of Savannah. 

Neither the Allendale County sheriffs or the South Carolina state police  have any suspects in this case.  And as you probably guessed, media misgendering played a role in why it has take us

If you have any information that will lead to the arrest and conviction of Dime's killer, you are urged to call local law enforcement.

Now for the stats.  Doe is the 14th trans person we have lost to anti-trans violence in 2019 and the second in South Carolina this year.   Most infuriating to me as a trans elder is that Doe is the tenth we have lost under age 30.   

As for funeral arrangements, the visitation will take place on August 10 at the BF Cave Funeral Home in Allendale, SC from 6-& PM EDT.   The funeral will take place on August 11 starting at 12 noon EDT in Allendale, SC at the Magdalene Christian Church .

The family is accepting donations to defray funeral costs, and you can call Dime's mother Debra Sabb at 803-395-2834 for more details as to how you can help.

Rest in power and peace Dime.   You trans family will not rest until the perpetrators of the crime against you have been captured and justice is served.
. 

Number 13-Rest In Power and Peace Marquis 'Kiki' Fantroy

Was just made aware of the fact that we closed out the month of July with another trans murder.
We travel to Miami for the latest one in the person of 21 year old Marquis 'Kiki' Fantroy.

Fantroy was only a few minutes from her home in the early morning hours of July 31 when she was shot multiple times at 4:30 AM EDT in the area of Southwest 224th Street and 115th Court in southwest Miami-Dade County.

She was taken to a nearby hospital where she succumbed to her injuries.

Fantroy was the 13th trans woman who has been murdered in the US this year.   She is the 9th to die that was under age 30.   Even more infuriating, all of the  transgender women killed so far in the US in 2019 have been African American..

At this time no arrests have been made, nor is there a suspect of person of interest in this case.  Fantroy's mother and other loved ones suspect Kiki  may have been killed because she was trans.

Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS. A reward of up to $3,000 is offered for information that leads to an arrest.  At this time there is also no word on whether there is a memorial vigil being planned by the local Miami area trans community

Rest in power and peace, Kiki.   You will be missed by all who loved you.  We also will not rest until the person or persons who killed you are captured and brought to justice.   

Number 12- Rest In Power And Peace Denali Berries Stuckey

Was distressed to hear while attending a BTAC leadership training in Dallas about the way too soon loss of another young Black trans woman.  We head to North Charleston, SC for the latest news.

Thanks to Marcus Yasir Ross and Taliyah Cassadine Smith for alerting me to this latest death.

North Charleston PD officers responded to a 4:05 AM EDT call of a body lying on the side of the road at 2721 Carner Avenue.  They arrived at the scene to find 29 year old Denali Berries Stuckey dead from a gunshot wound

And as you probably guessed. local media misgendered her in their reporting.

North Charleston PD is still investigating the crime.   As of this writing NCPD has no suspects or persons of interest in the case.   If you have any information that will lead to an arrest and conviction, please call NCPD Crime Stoppers at 843-554-1111 or the NCPD Tip line at 843-607-2076.

Stuckey is the 12th trans woman to die this year in the US, with all of the known victims so far being African American.  She is also the 8th one under age 30 to be killed in 2019.

As of yet no word about whether there will be a vigil or memorial service for our trans sibling.  If one is organized, I will pass that info along as soon as I receive it. 

Rest in power and peace, Denali.   Hoping that the person who killed you  is swiftly caught and punished to the full extent of the law. 

Number 10- Rest In Power and Peace Zoe Spears

These posts are coming so fast an furiously these days it's taking me time to just get caught up writing them.

We head back to the Washington DC area, specifically the same Fairmount Heights, MD suburb where Ashanti Carmon was killed to report on the latest trans woman taken from us way too soon.

23 year old Washington DC resident Zoe Spears was found shot to death from a gunshot wound just after midnight EDT in June 13.  Spears was declared dead at the scene by first responders, and her body was found less than half a mile from where Carmon's was found.

Spears is now the tenth American trans woman we have lost to anti-trans violence.   All the known American trans deaths so far in 2019 have been African American.   She is also the seventh under age 30 to die this year.

No word yet if there is a person of interest in this case.

As of yet no word concerning a memorial service or funeral planned, and I will pass that info along when I receive it. 

Rest in power and peace, Zoe.. 

Edward Thomas' Attorney Disrespects Muhlaysia Booker

Our crappy pride month continues with more info coming out of Dallas concerning the legal fallout from the videotaped April 12 assault on Muhlaysia Booker that landed Edward Thomas in the Dallas County Jail.

Thomas is being defended by attorney Andrew W. Wilkerson, who is big mad that his client is facing twenty years in a TDC facility for the videotaped hate assault on our departed sister.

This is the transphobic shyt he had to say on his Facebook page about it:

I’ll say this again, our condolences to the family of Pierre Booker. He was a human being, he was a person that was loved dearly by his family. He did not deserve to die. No one deserves to die. But our client had absolutely nothing to do with his death.

But this is ridiculous. The State is offering Edward Thomas twenty years for that fight in back Royal Crest Apartments a couple months ago. The State is offering twenty years for a fist fight, between two men, with no weaponsinvolved. Let that sink in. There was no knife, no gun, no brass knuckles, and nothing was picked up off the ground and used during the physical altercation. Furthermore, this was no hate crime, period. People who were there know that this all arose from an altercation after Pierre Booker rear ended Thomas’s friends vehicle and refused to exchange insurance information or rectify the situation in anyway. Are you surprised that the news didn’t tell you these details?? Don’t be😑.

No disrespect to anyone’s life style at all. It’s your decision. But when the law recognizes gender it’s based off one’s anatomy or biological make up if you will. So when dealing with the law you must realize that ones sexual preference/orientation has no bearing on his or her gender, a persons gender is based on his/her biological hardware or, plainly said, if a person has a penis, the law views him as a male and if a person has a vagina the law views her as a female. Ridiculously obvious to say, I know, but some of you facebookers seem to have the law a tad bit confused.

So, now that we’ve cleared that up, to offer a man twenty years for a fist fight with another man is unconscionable and shows no regard for his life or his future. Say what you want, but that ain’t justice, not even close. A man can literally wave a gun in another person’s face and not receive twenty years in prison, come on now. Call a spade a spade, this is beyond ridiculous

First off,  Miss Wilkerson, what you said is this jacked up post is not only loud and wrong, but your ignorant and scientifically illiterate rhetoric is why we have a major problem in Black America with anti-trans violence being visited upon trans individuals in Texas and elsewhere in the United States.

It was also straight up disrespectful to the memory of Ms Booker, her family, and all the people in the Dallas area who loved her.

Gender is between your ears, not your legs, and that is the overwhelming consensus of the scientific community and folks who have been doing the research for decades when it comes to transsexuality and gender identity.

Let me repeat it for you one more time so your willfully clueless azz gets it.  The genitalia between your legs is not the sole determinant of your gender identity.

Your client in a fit of transphobic and toxic Black masculinity, stuck his nose in somebody else's business and beat down a trans woman for $200.   He also by doing so, triggered the series of events that resulted in Muhlaysia Booker's death a month later.   

And can you accurately account for your client's whereabouts after he was released from the Dallas County Jail on bail days before Ms Booker was killed?

When your client beat a trans woman unconscious on that April 12 day to the point that several cis women had to step in and physically remove her from your client's flying fists as he uttered homophobic slurs, yeah Miss Attorney Thang, that's not a mere fight.   That's a hate crime that your waste of DNA client deserves jail time for.

One other thing.   Trans people live lives, not a lifestyle.  So miss me with that 'no disrespect' line because your entire comment was dripping with it and transphobic ignorance.   Calling a trans woman a man is the height of disrespect.

You need Jesus and some serious education about trans issues.  .You are also a disgrace to the proud tradition of attorneys from the Thurgood Marshall School of Law.

Now what's the phone number and the URL for the State Bar of Texas?

Michelle Washington Celebration Of Life Service Tomorrow

For those of you in the Philadelphia metro area who wish to attend the celebration of life services of Michelle 'Tameka' Washington, here's the info.   

They will take place at Batchelor Brothers Funeral Home., located at 7112 North Broad Street in Philadelphia.   The viewing will start at 12 noon EDT, followed by the service starting at 1 PM EDT.

The Repast/Reception will begin at 2:30 PM EDT and is scheduled to run until 4:30 PM.   It will take place at Hot Pot Cuisine.    The address is 4234 Germantown Ave in Philadelphia.   

Hope you peeps in the Philly area are able to attend and honor our gone too soon sibling.