No Bail for Syracuse Murder Suspect, Victim Identified as Trans

New developments in the horrific weekend shooting in Syracuse. First, friends and family now identify the victim as transgender and say Latiesha Green was in the process of transitioning. Police and media outlets originally identified the victim by her birth name, Moses Cannon, as did this blog. Our apologies.

Meanwhile, a judge denies bail for the Syracuse man accused of the bloody crime. Twenty-year-old Dwight R. Lee was arraigned on a single count of second-degree murder after police say Lateisha was sitting in a car with her 18-year-old brother Mark, who is gay, "when DeLee walked up, pointed a loaded .22 caliber rifle at [her] and shot [her] once in the chest."

Authorities say DeLee has "a history of weapons and drug charges" and the shooting was the result of DeLee’s extreme dislike for LGBT people. The Onondaga County District Attorney’s office says the hate crime charge "may be difficult to prove." If a hate crime charge is added to the second degree murder charge, if convicted, DeLee would receive a longer prison sentence.

Monday night about 75 people attended a candlelight vigil for Latiesha Green.  Above at left is Roxanne Green, the victim's mother, and her sister Rhonda Gary. The victim's family, as well as LGBT activists and members of Mothers Against Gun Violence, are pleading for tolerance and want the homicide prosecuted as a hate crime. "Who are we to tell people how to live?" asked her aunt, Callie Cannon. "We are not God. We're not supposed to judge."

Daimeon at Pam's House Blend grew up in Syracuse and says the senseless murder of another local LGBT person "isn't surprising. There are very few schools that participate in the Day of Silence. There are few bars or places where gay people can go and feel comfortable."

Ironically, this murder of yet another young black transgender woman—the second in as many weeks—comes as the nation prepares to mourn transgender murder victims. Thursday is the 10th Annual Transgender Day of Remembrance.

Thanks AUTUMN, MARTI and MONICA

No Bail for DeLee [TPS]
Vigil Held for Latest Homicide Victim [TPS]

Some Background  ...
Police Say Black Gay Syracuse Man Killed Simply for "Being Gay" [TPS]

Comments

[Randy Jefferson]

what a shocking and senseless crime. this poor young person had their whole life in front of them. i hope he gets what is coming to him.

[freeleo]

ok, this may piss some of you off but is there a more dignified photo of this person?

[Baltimore Femme]

Freeleo, I ver very strongly disagree. Please read Rod's previous post where he sez the family released these photos to the media. This is how Lateisha wanted to be seen and we should respect her wishes.

[Baltimore Femme]

One more thing I want to thank this blog for reporting these stories. Rod, I know you been "critiqued" before for being "anti femme" but I don't see it. Thanks for showing all black gay men and black LGBT news DON'T FORGET THE T.

[Young]

This is so sad on so many levels.

[Vern]

I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired...I am glad the prosecutor are doing their jobs and don't let this case go unpunished...

[Derrick from Philly]

Rod, thanks for letting us know Latiesha's corect name. It's always a tragedy when someone with so much courage is wiped out by a coward with a rifle.

[Danny Rivera]

This is a crazy story and demnstrates how far we have to go as a community. What a horible thing to do to a person trying to find their way in the world.

[Danny Rivera]

Oh and sorry about typos I meant to write DEMONSTRATES, lol

[freeleo]

no disrespect b femme, but families don't always know best. when my bestfriend died 16 years ago, his family put the worst photo they could find on his funeral program. the only thing i could think when i saw it was, if this child was still alive this photo would kill him.

i hope my comment wasn't misunderstood. if she lived as latiesha then she should be put to rest as latiesha but i'm sure there was a photo of her dressed in female clothes where she wasn't wearing a strawberry blond wig.

FYI FAMILY: Regardless of your age or our health status, if you have specific things that you want to happen at your going home service, you need to put it in writing, have it notarized and give it to someone you trust to carry out your wishes. Handle your business.

[Luther]

Thanks for the update, too bad NY does not have the death penalty for her alleged killer if he is found guilty. Does NY have a hate crimes law? And, this alleged killer has a long rap sheet at 20?? My head just spins at the senseless nature of this world.

[Anderson]

"But families don't always know best..."

Freeleo, then WHO should make the decision? She LIVED as Lateisha and DIED as Lateisha. Maybe the picture isn't flattering or the weave or wig isn't cute. Somal matter. This was a brave, small town young black trans girl. I'm amazed you are focusing on the picture.

If the family released this photo, who are we to judge? This is their lost.

And sorry, but we all know how precise Rod is with these stories. If he recognize he made a mistake and apologized and changed the name, lets do the same.

[freeleo]

anderson, when you have experienced as much death as i have, it can desensitize you a bit. i just see death differently. there are lessons to be learned from everything and my mourning period is short. again, i'm so sorry if i offended you or any other brothers, the whole thing is so sad but over the years i've been a witness to so much senseless death.

i'll reiterate my main point. if you have final wishes you want to have taken care of, make sure you have a will or specific instructions left for your kin folk or friends to carry out. i've already authorized the photos i want used. i don't care if i live another 50 years.

[Bill]

I don't understand how his can't be prosecuted as a hate crime, when the guy and the people around him heard and/or knew, he said he hates gay people and that's why he shot both of them. What constitues a hate crime other than admission of guilt?

[freeleo]

if the defendant walked up to the car and just shot the victim, it's harder to prove a hate crime. if the defendant walked up to the car and made a homophobic remark and it was overheard by a witness then it's more likely to be considered a hate crime. just because the defendant had a prior history as a homophobe doesn't automatically constitute a hate crime.

[Nathan James]

I grieve with Latieshia Green's family and friends over her death in this truly unspeakable crime. It seems that hatred and bigotry are making a resurgence in our society, even as we applaud ourselves for our new "acceptance of diversity" in electing President Obama.

Today, more than ever, we need to fight against hate, if only for the sake of our own self-respect. When "family" can be killed outright for who or what they are, and it continues to happen, we need to be always vigilant, always ready to assert our rightful place in the world. Here in NYC, we have suffered through the deaths of Dwan Prince, Rashawn Brazell, Michael Sandy (to name a few gay men of color)and the beatings of too many other gays and lesbians, Kevin Aviance among them. It's still "OK to hate" us, and that is wrong. Full stop. Wrong!

[gurlene]

Let's hope the attorney for the accused in this crime is not black. The reason why I say this is because I can see this scenario for a closing statement: He walks up to the older black women on the jury, opens up a bible, reads a few verses and in minutes they start screaming "yes lord, thank you jesus", waving their hands in the air and the next thing we know here comes the not guilty verdict.