The first federal trial over a hate crime based on gender identity is scheduled to commence in South Carolina on Tuesday. The case involves a man accused of killing a Black transgender woman and then fleeing to New York.
The U.S. Department of Justice alleges that in August 2019, the defendant coerced the woman, referred to as 'Dime Doe' in court documents, to drive to a remote area in a rural county in South Carolina. Subsequently, the defendant shot her three times in the head near a relative's home.
Recent years have seen a rise in attacks on the LGBTQ+ community, with transgender women of color experiencing disproportionately high rates of violence and hate crimes. In 2022, the FBI reported a 37% increase in gender identity-based hate crimes compared to the previous year.
Prior to 2009, federal hate crime laws did not cover offenses motivated by the victim's sexual orientation or gender identity. The first conviction involving a victim targeted for their gender identity occurred in 2017.
This trial marks the first instance of such a case being brought to trial, with a federal jury tasked with determining punishment for a crime based on the victim's gender identity.
The prosecution alleges that the defendant's anger over being mocked for his relationship with the victim led to the crime. The defendant misled authorities about his whereabouts, fled the state, and attempted to dispose of evidence.
Evidence to be presented includes witness testimony, text messages between the defendant and the victim, video footage from a traffic stop, DNA from the victim's car, and confessions from individuals claiming the defendant admitted to the shooting.
The defense argues that there is no physical evidence linking the defendant to the crime and that witness claims are inconsistent.
If convicted, the defendant could face multiple life sentences for the hate crime charge, murder with a firearm, and misleading investigators.
