HRC CALLS FOR CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION IN CASE OF POLICE BRUTALITY AGAINST A TRANSGENDER WOMAN by: , OIA Newswire
HRC CALLS FOR CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION IN CASE OF POLICE BRUTALITY AGAINST A TRANSGENDER WOMAN
WASHINGTON – The Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender civil rights organization, today called for a criminal investigation into the case of police brutality against a transgender woman. A newly released video out of Memphis, Tennessee clearly shows a police officer brutally abusing Duanna Johnson while she was held in the Shelby County Criminal Justice Center. Johnson is a transgender woman, and had been arrested on a charge of prostitution.
“This type of profound violence is the exact thing that police officers are supposed to protect people from,” said HRC President Joe Solmonese. “HRC is calling for a full criminal investigation and prosecution to the fullest extent of the law.”
Surveillance video of the incident shows an unidentified officer hitting Johnson several times with handcuffs wrapped around his knuckles, as another officer holds Johnson's shoulders as she tries to protect herself. After being struck repeatedly, Johnson rose up to protect herself, and was maced in response. Johnson also reports that the officers reportedly called her a “faggot” and “he-she,” before and during the incident.
Video of the attack can be viewed at (warning, the violence is graphic): http://www.wmctv.com/global/story.asp?s=8515744
News reports indicate that a copy of the tape has been reviewed by the FBI and the District Attorney’s office – which has since dropped all charges against Johnson. The FBI investigation into possible civil rights violations is ongoing.
The Memphis Police Department has also reportedly fired the officer who held Johnson while she was struck, and that the officer who actually threw the punches is currently on non-enforcement status pending an administrative hearing.
Unfortunately, this is not an isolated incident. Transgender Americans are often targeted for hate violence. Hate crimes against transgender people tend to be particularly violent. Bias-motivated violence against transgender people appears to be epidemic, although statistics are not collected on the incidents of violence against transgender people. Crimes against transgender people are under-investigated and under-prosecuted.
The Human Rights Campaign Foundation is America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender equality. By inspiring and engaging all Americans, HRC strives to end discrimination against GLBT citizens and realize a nation that achieves fundamental fairness and equality for all.
-30- If you would rather not receive future email messages from Human Rights Campaign, let us know by clicking here.Human Rights Campaign, 1640 Rhode Island Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20036 United States
[6/18/08]
SAME-SEX WEDDING EXPOS TOUR CALIFORNIA The national gay & lesbian wedding resource,RainbowWeddingNetwork.com, has announced that the company will be producing four GLBTQ Wedding & Family Expos in California this summer, in celebration of the May 15th ruling by the state Supreme Court in favor of same-sex marriage. The Expos will also include the Same Love, Same Rights® Mobile Marriage Summit, an interactive forum to motivate and educate attendees about the potential threats to the new legislation, as well as innovative ways to enact real change all across America concerning marriage equality. The Expos will be held in July in San Francisco, Sacramento, Los Angeles and Long Beach. Each event is free for the public to attend. > Full Story. [6/18/08]
WASHINGTON – The Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender civil rights organization, today announced that guests attending the annual San Francisco dinner will have the option to give their contribution to the ongoing effort to protect marriage equality in California. At this time, anti-equality forces are working to enshrine discrimination into California’s constitution with a constitutional amendment on the November general election ballot. In late May, HRC pledged an initial contribution of $500,000 to Equality for All, the coalition working to protect marriage equality.
“The Court’s ruling was an amazing victory and the San Francisco dinner is another opportunity to continue to build financial support to protect marriage this November,” said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese. “With our initial $500,000 commitment and the proceeds from the dinner, HRC aims to ensure that California remains a state where every person has the opportunity to realize their hopes and dreams by being able to marry the person they love.”
When ordering tickets, all dinner guests will be given the option to designate up to 100 percent of the fee to the HRC California Marriage PAC. The PAC was established to fight against the anti-marriage ballot initiative. Proceeds from the dinner are part of the recent $500,000 pledge by HRC. In the past year, HRC also provided six full-time staff members and $100,000 to Equality for All, a large and diverse coalition of civil rights, faith, choice, labor and communities of color organizations working to stop and defeat any ballot measure that would deny gay and lesbian couples the right to marry in California.
HRC is a member of Equality for All, the coalition working to defeat the marriage ban, and these funds will support the coalition's efforts. To purchase tickets to the San Francisco Dinner, please visit: http://sfbayarea.hrc.org/dinner or call Box Office Tickets at: 800-494-TIXS(8497). To donate to the HRC California Marriage PAC, visit: http://www.hrc.org/california.
The Human Rights Campaign is America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender equality. By inspiring and engaging all Americans, HRC strives to end discrimination against GLBT citizens and realize a nation that achieves fundamental fairness and equality for all.
-30-If you would rather not receive future email messages from Human Rights Campaign, let us know by clicking here.Human Rights Campaign, 1640 Rhode Island Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20036 United States > Full Story. [6/6/08]
State College, Pa. -- June 4, 2008 --AccuWeather.com reports the first heat wave of 2008 will begin on Friday across the Northeast. The air mass that will enter the region is the same one that produced record heat over the southern Plains during the past several days.
A relatively seasonable air mass will be in place on Thursday, even cooler than normal over coastal areas of New England, but a warm front will open the floodgates and allow heat and humidity to pour over the region. It remains to be seen how many records will fall in the Northeast, but it looks like most areas will have heat through the weekend and into early next week.
A heat bubble is already gripping the southern Plains and Desert Southwest. These two regions will also have to endure winds gusting past 45 mph at times today. The high winds have prompted the issuance of wind advisories.
The strongest wind gusts will be reserved for the afternoon and evening hours across the Desert Southwest. Motorists should be prepared for blowing dust to dangerously lower visibility in a short period of time. Red flag warnings are in effect to warn residents of the elevated fire danger that also exists.
San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom recently rejected proposed cuts to HIV/AIDS services in his fiscal year 2009 budget, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. According to the Chronicle, Newsom rejected a proposal by Mitch Katz, director of the San Francisco Department of Public Health, to cut $3 million of the $10 million the department allocates to 30 not-for-profit groups that provide HIV/AIDS services.
Katz made the recommendation in response to an order by Newsom earlier this month to reduce $11 million from the health department's budget to help alleviate an estimated $338 million city deficit. Katz recommended maintaining medical care and housing for people living with HIV/AIDS but reducing funds for food deliveries, legal services, support groups, acupuncture, massage and herbal therapy. The health department, which is projected to lose $54 million next year, already has made cuts and halted other programs. Although AIDS groups will "fare better than they'd feared," the city still plans to implement a 22% reduction in funds to all community programs, including AIDS groups that receive public health funds, the Chronicle reports. In addition, it is not clear how much federal funds the city will receive for HIV/AIDS programs next year.
Katz said he made the recommendations because the city does not have the "funds to provide these services to anyone else with chronic diseases -- people with cancer, people with neurological diseases." He added, "If the city is saying that complementary therapy is our priority, it would need to be the priority of all people who benefit." Newsom said, "I just couldn't in good conscience justify" the funding reductions. He added, "To the extent there are any cuts, they won't be at this magnitude -- not even close."
Some HIV/AIDS advocates praised Newsom for not implementing the reductions but said the city should be investing more money because there are more people living with HIV/AIDS in the city and the amount of federal funding to San Francisco is uncertain. According to state figures, there are 4,512 HIV-positive people and 8,973 people with AIDS living in San Francisco. In addition, 800 to 1,000 people are newly diagnosed annually, the Chronicle reports. Ayrick Broin -- communications director for Immune Enhancement Project, which receives city funding -- said, "Maybe [AIDS groups] have gotten some extra dollars, but we've also done more protesting." He added that HIV/AIDS groups have "been the most vocal in getting the public aware and realizing this isn't a problem that's going away."
Mark Cloutier, executive director of the San Francisco AIDS Foundation, said, "In order for people [living with HIV/AIDS] to participate in primary care, they need these other services." He added, "For people to remain adherent to their treatment regimen, they have to have their mental health issues and substance abuse issues under control, and they need to be stably housed so their lives are not chaotic" (Knight, San Francisco Chronicle, 5/28).
A relatively seasonable air mass will be in place on Thursday, even cooler than normal over coastal areas of New England, but a warm front will open the floodgates and allow heat and humidity to pour over the region. It remains to be seen how many records will fall in the Northeast, but it looks like most areas will have heat through the weekend and into early next week.
