Friday, October 22, 2010

'Transgender, gay murders may be hate crimes' says New Jersey prosecutor

"Police in New Jersey are investigating whether two members of the LGBT community were murdered because of their sexual orientation. Acting Essex County Prosecutor Robert Laurino announced on Thursday the arrest of a suspect in the March 15th slaying of Arthur Downey. Laurino also named two suspects in the deadly shooting of 28-year-old transgender woman Victoria Carmen White on Sept. 12," reports CBS. "Laurino told Newark newspaper The Star-Ledger that the suspects in both attacks learned of the victims' sexual orientations. John Staten is held on $1 million bail, charged in the fatal beating Downey, a 27-year-old of Maplewood." READ MORE