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US gang member gets 49 years in prison for killing transgender teen | |
(1 day later) | |
A gang member was sentenced to 49 years in prison on Monday for the murder of a transgender teen, in the first ever transgender hate crime prosecution under a 2009 federal law. | |
Joshua Vallum pleaded guilty last December to the 2015 murder of his former romantic partner, 17-year-old Mercedes Williamson, because she was a trans person. | Joshua Vallum pleaded guilty last December to the 2015 murder of his former romantic partner, 17-year-old Mercedes Williamson, because she was a trans person. |
The 29-year-old man appeared in Gulfport, Mississippi before a federal judge who could have imposed a maximum sentence of life without parole. | The 29-year-old man appeared in Gulfport, Mississippi before a federal judge who could have imposed a maximum sentence of life without parole. |
Harper Jean Tobin, spokeswoman for the National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE), a Washington DC advocacy group, said the murder was part of an “epidemic of violence against transgender people” in the United States. | Harper Jean Tobin, spokeswoman for the National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE), a Washington DC advocacy group, said the murder was part of an “epidemic of violence against transgender people” in the United States. |
“It’s essential that biased crime against trans people be recognized as a serious national problem,” she said in a phone interview. | “It’s essential that biased crime against trans people be recognized as a serious national problem,” she said in a phone interview. |
In 2009, Congress expanded a federal hate crime law to include crimes motivated by a victim’s sexual orientation among other factors. | In 2009, Congress expanded a federal hate crime law to include crimes motivated by a victim’s sexual orientation among other factors. |
Vallum, a member of the Latin Kings street gang, believed to the largest Hispanic gang in the United States, secretly dated Williamson during the summer of 2014, according to prosecutors. | Vallum, a member of the Latin Kings street gang, believed to the largest Hispanic gang in the United States, secretly dated Williamson during the summer of 2014, according to prosecutors. |
He decided to kill Williamson, fearing that he could face retribution from other gang members if word spread she was a transgender woman, prosecutors said. | He decided to kill Williamson, fearing that he could face retribution from other gang members if word spread she was a transgender woman, prosecutors said. |
After luring his former lover to his father’s home in Mississippi, Vallum shocked Williamson with a stun gun before stabbing her repeatedly with a pocket knife. | After luring his former lover to his father’s home in Mississippi, Vallum shocked Williamson with a stun gun before stabbing her repeatedly with a pocket knife. |
He struck deadly blows to Williamson’s head with a hammer after she tried running away, prosecutors said. | He struck deadly blows to Williamson’s head with a hammer after she tried running away, prosecutors said. |
This was the first case where a victim had been targeted because of gender identity that had been prosecuted under the US federal hate crime law, the Department of Justice said in a statement. | This was the first case where a victim had been targeted because of gender identity that had been prosecuted under the US federal hate crime law, the Department of Justice said in a statement. |
“Today’s sentencing reflects the importance of holding individuals accountable when they commit violent acts against transgender individuals,” said attorney general Jeff Sessions in a statement. | “Today’s sentencing reflects the importance of holding individuals accountable when they commit violent acts against transgender individuals,” said attorney general Jeff Sessions in a statement. |
Vallum had previously been sentenced to life in prison in a state court for the same murder. | Vallum had previously been sentenced to life in prison in a state court for the same murder. |
But federal prosecutors brought an additional lawsuit for hate crime because Mississippi lacks a statute protecting people against hate crimes based on their gender identity, the Department of Justice said. | But federal prosecutors brought an additional lawsuit for hate crime because Mississippi lacks a statute protecting people against hate crimes based on their gender identity, the Department of Justice said. |
According to a 2015 NCTE survey, nearly one in 10 US trans people said they had been physically attacked because of being transgender in the year prior to completing the survey. | According to a 2015 NCTE survey, nearly one in 10 US trans people said they had been physically attacked because of being transgender in the year prior to completing the survey. |
Last week, a Virginia state court angered LGBT activists by ruling that attacks motivated by the victim’s sexual orientation could not be prosecuted as hate crime under the state’s law. | Last week, a Virginia state court angered LGBT activists by ruling that attacks motivated by the victim’s sexual orientation could not be prosecuted as hate crime under the state’s law. |
This article was amended on 17 May 2017 to clarify that Joshua Vallum was not the first American to be prosecuted for a transgender hate crime – although he was the first to be successfully prosecuted for a transgender hate crime under the Hate Crimes Prevention Act, a federal law that was introduced by Barack Obama in 2009. |
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