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Loading ...Transwoman beaten by cops shot to death
11.17.2008 12:58pm EST
(Memphis, Tennessee) LGBT civil rights groups are calling for an independent investigation into the shooting death of a transwoman who previously had been a victim of police brutality.
Duanna Johnson was found shot to death in North Memphis just before midnight on Sunday, Nov. 9. There have been no arrests.Earlier this year, Johnson was arrested on a charge of prostitution. Johnson alleged that while in custody she was beaten and called a “faggot” and “he-she” by officers. Jail video surveillance backed up her claim and showed a police officer brutally abusing her while she was held in the Shelby County Criminal Justice Center.
The video was obtained in June by WMC television. It showed an officer hitting Johnson several times with handcuffs wrapped around his knuckles; another officer holds Johnson’s shoulders as she tries to protect herself.
After being struck repeatedly, Johnson rose up to protect herself, and was maced in response.
Both officers were eventually fired from the department.
“The tragic murder of Duanna Johnson must be fully investigated,” said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese in a statement.
“The Tennessee Equality Project recently provided much-needed training to employees of the Memphis Police Department on how to be respectful and responsive to the needs of the LGBT community. Today, we call on the Memphis Police Department to fulfill its renewed commitment to treating transgender people with respect and fairness by thoroughly investigating this horrible crime and ensuring that every measure is taken to bring those responsible to justice.”
Johnson’s murder is the third murder of a transgender person in Memphis since 2006. Tiffany Berry, a 21-year-old African American transgender woman, was shot and killed Feb. 16, 2006. Ebony Whitaker, a 20-year-old African American transgender woman, was murdered by an unknown assailant and found dead July 1, 2008.
Tennessee’s hate crimes law does not explicitly cover hate crimes based on gender identity.
The recent rash of violent crimes against transgender people in Memphis further demonstrates the need to enact federal hate crimes legislation that includes sexual orientation and gender identity, Solmonese said.
I bet the mainstream media won’t touch this case with a 10-foot pole. This is horrible. R.I.P. Duanna Johnson
we protest, they kill us. I dont think our strategy is working.
A bad actor and a worse politician!!!
“Both officers were eventually fired from the department.”
Only fired! WTF. Shouldn’t they be in prison for a violent assault which amounts to police torture? I am so sick of dirty cops getting off with a slap on wrist.
I bet the fired police officers were the ones that shot her/him to death for losing their jobs.
This is horrible! I’ll tell you what,if I got beat up for being a lesbian,I’d friggen fight back! I may get killed,but I WILL not stand by and let someone abuse me because I’m gay.I already went through all that as a kid. NEVER AGAIN!
Oh ya, I agree with the poster who suggested that it was likely the ex piggies who lost their jobs because of police brutality. If so, and in the unlikely situation that justice prevails, the system will eat them alive.
Remember kids, if you don’t pack heat, you’re a chump. Asides, guns are a cool.
America…”Land of the Free” my ass.
Is the message sinking in yet? I’m sure its just a matter of time before some castrated poster starts talking about all the sympathy and compassion we should be showing for the murderer. Get a clue people, this is war and people die in wars. How many candlelight vigils do we have to hold before this finally hits home? Arm yourselves, take self-defense courses because the next life you save might be your own or someone you love.
Anyone with common jail knowldage will know.Is as the innmates.They most likely might be killed if they go into any prison.By either an actual gay guy, or just because of there ex status.
This is awful! I remember seeing the video of the beating and it was disgusting…Miss Duanna Johnson deserved better and I hope they find who killed her.
Wasn’t there a lawsuit filed for the police brutality beating? Investigators better look at the obvious first. I bet that fired cop has something to do with this!
You know what? I’m sick to death of cops only getting fired for this kind of crap!
Why weren’t these cops arrested and convicted of assault?
Perhaps Duanna would still be alive if these assholes had been put in prison like anyone else would have been who had committed these crimes caught on tape.
I agree. I’m sick of dirty, crooked cops sullying the reputation of respectable law enforcement officers with their wantons acts of hate and brutality and only being fired for it.
Those officers are guilty of assault and they should have been prosecuted and incarcerated appropriately. And I don’t care if they would get beaten to death in prison for being ex-cops. If they wanted to keep their guns and badges and stay in charge, they shouldn’t have committed crimes themselves.