Unfinished Lives

Remembering LGBT Hate Crime Victims

Epidemic of Transphobic Violence Breaks Out in Memphis Again

 

Terron Taylor, accused of shooting transwoman Kelvin Denton

Terron Taylor, accused of shooting transwoman Kelvin Denton

Memphis, TN – For the fifth time since 2006, a transgender woman of color has been shot in the streets of Memphis, Tennessee on May 27.  Authorities report that Kelvin Denton, an African American transitioning from male to female, was shot in the neck and face by an assailant who did not like the way she presented her gender identity.  Ms. Denton is in critical condition as of this writing.  After being shot, Ms. Denton managed to run from the scene of the shooting at the Peppertree Apartments, until finally collapsing near the Whitehaven Community Center.  Police arrested Terron Taylor for the crime, who said that he felt he had been “misled” about the gender identity of his victim.  Such early testimony indicates that the defendant will be using some version of the trans-panic defense to justify his violent attack on Ms. Denton.  Taylor is being held on $500,000 bond in Shelby County on two charges: attempted second degree murder and using a firearm to commit a felony.  The Tennessee Transgender Political Coalition is urging the swift and aggressive prosecution of Taylor for the crime.  Tiffany Berry was shot and killed in Memphis in 2006, as well as Ebony Whitaker and Duanna Johnson in 2008.  Leeneshia Edwards was also shot in 2008, but survived.   The ferocity of these attacks calls for renewed action on the part of the Metro Memphis authorities to put a stop to the violence against transgender people, especially trans people of color.

June 2, 2009 - Posted by | Blame the victim, Perpetrators of Hate Crime, trans-panic defense | , , , , ,

1 Comment

  1. This is just horrible, yes there will always be haters forever, but my god somebody needs to set up, trannies have every right to live like they want its no crime,its legal,but all these killings and assaults are totally uncalled for,for a man to go up to a trannie and not know the sex till the trans reviel,its the man own faught bothering the trannie, dam right its his own faught, now the men who kill or assault trannie,will go to prison and become bi or gay,how stupid all you have to do is, go get a real woman duh,i swear some people are so stupid and dumb,what is the world coming to,yes trannies will always have haters,forever no matter how they looks just like black people,lesbians,gays, fat people,skinny people,whatever we all got haters, but theres no reason to kill somebody as long as they arent harming your child,now thats a different story, i dont get it,god please help this world it seems to be getting worst,

    Comment by Indiablack | September 8, 2012


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