District Attorney Krasner, City Leaders Demand Safety & Justice for LGBTQ People
CONTACT:
Jane Roh, 215–686–8711, jane.roh@phila.gov
PHILADELPHIA (Oct. 1, 2020) — District Attorney Larry Krasner on Thursday joined city leaders and activists to demand safety and justice for all people, including LGBTQ people who are among the most vulnerable to violence.
Following recent incidents of assault and murder of Black trans women, District Attorney Krasner reminded local and state institutions that they have the power and responsibility to create more inclusive environments for LGBTQ Pennsylvanians immediately by taking legislative and policy actions — including by making it unlawful for employers and landlords to discriminate on the basis of gender or sexual orientation.
“We cannot have safety and justice without equality, and recognizing the rights and humanity of our most marginalized neighbors is necessary to achieve the safe and inclusive communities everyone deserves,” District Attorney Krasner said. “In Philadelphia, we don’t have to wait for others to act. Through ongoing diversity and inclusion efforts in the District Attorney’s Office, we are working to ensure equal and equitable access to justice for people from communities that have historically been mistreated, abused, and ignored by the criminal legal system. When Black trans lives matter in our institutions, all of our lives will matter, and we will all be safer.”
“The LGBTQ community has long experienced disproportionate rates of violence, and unfortunately, even progressive cities like Philadelphia are not exempt from this crisis,” Celena Morrison, Executive Director of the Office of LGBT Affairs, said. “In recent months, we have seen a number of tragic attacks against our community — particularly Black trans women. As calls for justice and equality continue to ring out across the country, we must ensure that LGBTQ individuals are centered and protected. We must speak up when these acts strike our communities, and demand an end to the violence and discrimination.”
There is no explicit legal prohibition on housing or employment discrimination on the basis of gender or sexual orientation in Pennsylvania. A new study by the Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law finds that persistent hostility and discrimination are drivers of poverty, homelessness, mental health issues, and substance use disorders among LGBTQ people — factors that make them more vulnerable to violence.
Black trans women continue to comprise the majority of victims of homicide among transgender and gender non-conforming Americans, according to the Human Rights Campaign. At least 29 transgender or gender non-conforming people have been killed so far this year in the United States. In 2019, at least 27 transgender or gender non-conforming people, the majority of whom were Black transgender women, were killed in violent acts in our country.
On Wednesday, the District Attorney’s Office filed Murder and related charges against Abdullah I. El-Amin for the shooting death of Mia Green, a Black trans woman. A defendant wanted for the murder in June of Dominique “Rem’mie” Fells, also a Black trans woman, is still at large. Members of the public who have information that could lead to the arrest of Akhenaton Jones are asked to contact Philadelphia Police by calling 215–686-TIPS (8477) or emailing tips@phillypolice.com.
“The murder of Mia Green is yet another despicable act of violence against a member of our LGBTQ community,” Philadelphia Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw said. “While an arrest was quickly made, we must continue to work hard to ensure that the man responsible is held accountable in order to bring a measure of justice to Mia and her family. We extend our deepest condolences to all of those affected by this heinous act.”
In addition, the District Attorney’s Office and Philadelphia Police continue to seek information about individuals involved in the assault of a Black trans woman inside her home on August 24th. Last week, police arrested and the District Attorney’s Office charged Tymesha Wearing with Aggravated Assault, Conspiracy, and related offenses for her role in the beating. Wearing was also charged with Ethnic Intimidation, which in Philadelphia can only be applied as a Summary offense due to a lack of hate crimes protections for LGBTQ people in Pennsylvania.
“While we cannot legislate hate out of people’s hearts, we can use the law to prove that our society finds violence against the Black trans community unacceptable,” Sen. Larry Farnese (D-Senate District 1) added. “We need to pass SB 212, SB 614, and SB 947 to show we stand with the LGBTQ community. These are the first steps to helping our trans neighbors out of the fear, intimidation, and hell they are currently living in.”
“As we are having conversations across the country about justice and equality, we must remember to include Black trans women and men in those conversations,” said Tatyana Woodard, Community Health Engagement Coordinator at the Mazzoni Center. “The rate of violence against trans women is at a disgraceful all-time high, and not enough is being done to ensure the safety of trans women when alive or upon their passings. We demand these horrific acts end!”
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The Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office is the largest prosecutor’s office in Pennsylvania, and one of the largest in the nation. It serves the more than 1.5 million citizens of the City and County of Philadelphia, employing 600 lawyers, detectives, and support staff. The District Attorney’s Office is responsible for prosecution of approximately 40,000 criminal cases annually.
