More than a year after her death will there be justice for Duanna Johnson? She was the Memphis transgender woman whose beating by members of the Memphis Police Department in February 2008 was captured by a surveillance camera. Johnson was later killed in an unrelated shooting.
On Monday, former Memphis Police Officer Bridges McRae went on trial for federal civil rights violations. On February 12 2008, Johnson was booked on prostitution charges. In the waiting room at the police station, words were exchanged between she and McRae,. Videotape shows the officer punching Johnson when she was restrained and sitting down. McRae was indicted on civil rights violations and fired from his job.
Johnson was found shot to death on November 9th 2008. Three men were seen running from the murder scene and were never found. The vast majority of murders of black transgender women are unsolved and Johnson's case, sadly, is no exception.
Via @HardCorps80204, watch WREG's report on the opening day of the federal trial of former Officer McRae WHEN YOU JUMP ...
Hopefully McRae will get the punishment he deserves for the civil rights violations.
But I'll believe that when I see it.
Posted by: Monica Roberts | 12 January 2010 at 16:30
Unrelated shooting my ass! Im pretty sure my gut tells me they set that ___ up.. After all it was clear that she was suing them.. who else would even have the motive?
Posted by: Gdawg | 12 January 2010 at 19:45
this case was just awful and i am s glad you pointed out there is often little or no justice for the cowards who attack "T" sistahs.
i am hoping and praying mcrae is sent to prison where he belongs.
and let me please say two things. thanks for this story rod and monica you are one of my idols! i wanna be like you when i grow up!love ya girl!
Posted by: Baltimore Femme | 13 January 2010 at 00:39
It's sad this happened to this women. It's worse that I heard nothing about this case until a year after it happened. I'm not trans but I surely do support all my LGBT community and I hope this individual (I can't even say man this would be an insult to men everywhere) is held responsible to the fullest extent of the law for what he put this woman through. This was WRONG! Plain and simple, wrong.
Posted by: DT | 13 January 2010 at 09:39