Suspect Arraigned on Syracuse Transgender Hate Crime Murder

More on the murder of Lateisha Green, a young black transgender woman in Syracuse, New York. Green was in the process of transitioning and shared this information with the alleged shooter before he allegedly gunned her down in rage. Now the suspect has been arraigned on the beefed-up hate crime charge.

An Onondaga County grand jury handed up the indictment Friday, charging Dwight DeLee with murder as a hate crime, murder and a weapons possession charge. "Dwight DeLee plead not guilty to second degree murder as a hate crime," reported 10 News Now.  "He is now being held at the Onondaga County Justice Center in lieu of $250,000 bail." DeLee plead not guilty to the standard second degree murder charge in November.

WTVH describes Lateisha Green's fatal night: "District Attorney William Fitzpatrick says DeLee shot Latiesha Green in the chest November 14 after hearing comments about Green's sexual orientation. Relatives said Latiesha Green was living as a woman, having been born with the name Moses Cannon, but was not wearing women's clothes the night of the shooting."

Lateisha's 18-year-old gay brother was also shot. Despite several eyewitnesses and the statements by an accomplice, the defendant's family "doesn't believe"  Dwight DeLee gunned down the young transgender woman and maintains he did "not" have extreme dislike of gay and transgender persons.

Some Background ...
Hate Crimes Charges in Syracuse Trans Murder [R20]
Will Hate Crimes Charges Be Filed in Trans Murder? [R20]
No Bail for Syracuse Suspect, Victim ID'd as Trans [R20]
Black Syracuse Man Killed Simply for "Being Gay" [R20]
Family Defends Accused Killer of Trans Woman [R20]

Comments

[Luther]

Thanks for the update and hopefully the hate crimes part will stick and make it through to the jury and justice served.

[Diva1961]

Thank you Rod for the update. How this plays out will impact other court cases. This is how Iowa used what worked and didn't work when going up against the coursts to win the fight for gay marriage. Hopefully whatever is utilized here will be used for other cases. I have a feeling that since the murderer's family sees that saying that DeLee didn't hate gay people isn't working, the "gay panic" defense will be coming next.