LGBTQ+ activists in Minnesota want the killer of a trans woman in Minneapolis to be charged with a hate crime and given stronger legal protections.
LGBTQ+ activists in Minnesota want prosecutors to treat the killing of a trans woman as a hate crime. (PHOTO: The Hill)
According to abc News report, People in Minnesota who are LGBTQ+ want the murder of trans woman Savannah Ryan Williams, 38, in Minneapolis to be treated as a hate crime. Last month, Williams was shot and killed. This week, 25-year-old Kaylon Bible was charged with second-degree murder. The event has raised worries about the violence against transgender people, especially trans women of color, who are targeted more often than other transgender people. This story comes after an attack on a transgender woman near the same spot earlier this year. At the state Capitol, Williams’ family, friends, and LGBTQ+ leaders met to mourn her death and push for stronger rights. The push includes a call to get rid of the “trans panic defense,” which is still allowed in Minnesota, and for more safety measures for transgender people, especially trans kids. The Human Rights Campaign says that 335 transgender and gender nonconforming people have been killed in the U.S. Black trans women have been killed the most. As the probe goes on, Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty reaffirmed her promise to bring the right charges. Minnesota doesn’t have a special hate crime rule, but acts based on racism can get heavier penalties. In this state, the highest term for second-degree murder is 40 years in jail.
