GenderLife Forum: The Information Exchange

No -- that distinction belongs to the Rhonda.

Here are photos of the two Officers.

http://www.wreg.com/Global/story.asp?S=8520836

On a positive note, that story was shown on our local 11 o'clock news yesterday. There was no reference to Duanna Johnson's trans status, she was repeatedly referred to as "she" and "the woman." The story did not go into why she was attacked, just that she was attacked by the officers.

Really doesn't make any difference what her trans status is. She was brutalized by an ignorant oaf. Who should be prosecuted for Assault with a deadly weapon. Using cuffs is the same as brass knuckles.

As a former law enforcement officer, I would wish to be on his jury.

Another thing, it used to be when an officer was accused of committing a crime. An outside agency, such as state police would take over the investigation.

Hope_WA is right. I am here in Memphis and the media coverage has been very pro-trans for the South. Duanna is the only name I have heard on the TV or radio. I wish the Tennessee Legislature was in session - maybe we could get a hate crimes bill passed.

I can't get the video to play past 5 seconds into the commercial.

Update: Both Officers were fired.

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=6d7_1214470069&c=1

The comments are surprisingly supportive and positive. Even the comment by the @sshole who puts priority on clarifying that Ms. Johnson is a freak still supports that she should not have been beaten. But we can only hope that the police will turn their attention from trying to track down whoever it was that released the tape and actually prosecute James Swain and Bridges McRae for attempted murder and/or assault with a deadly weapon.

That will all be handled by the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.

Well from beatings to murder welcome to the heartland ya all ... this just in July 2nd 2008 we add another to Remembering our dead.

A dead body in SE Memphis (aka The South's Detroit) is, sadly, not as newsworthy as some might think. In most big cities that wouldn't have gotten any airtime at all except for the twin hooks of A) the body being that of a transgendered person and B) found near a daycare center. Those are the only things that turned a depressinglyly routine incident into news.