UPDATE/Newark man found not guilty in killing of Maplewood transgender woman

[SandraJane]

Trial to begin for Newark man accused of killing transgender lingerie model in Maplewood apartment


The Star-Ledger By Alexi Friedman/ Published: Sunday, April 29, 2012, 9:00 PM


http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2012/04/trial_to_begin_for_newark_man.html



John O'Boyle/The Star-Ledger           

Alrashim Chambers, 25, of Newark is arraigned for the murder of Victoria Carmen White at the Essex County Courthouse in Newark in this 2010 file photo.


A man charged with murder and bias intimidation in the fatal shooting of a transgender female in a Maplewood apartment will stand trial this week, with the defendant's alleged accomplice expected to testify as the state's star witness.

Two women who authorities have not previously mentioned but who were in the home that night in September 2010 may also take the stand to bolster the prosecution's case and address the bias allegation.

The defendant, Alrashim Chambers, 25, is accused of shooting Victoria Carmen White, a professional lingerie model and dancer whom he had met hours earlier at an Irvington nightclub, officials have said.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Authorities arrest North Plainfield man wanted in fatal shooting of transgender woman


The Star-Ledger By Alexi Friedman/  Published: Sunday, October 24, 2010, 8:31 AM     Updated: Sunday, January 02, 2011, 5:20 PM

Retrieved from the Internet on April 29, 2012 by SJ


http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/10/authorities_arrest_north_plain.html



Essex County Prosecutor's Office
Marquise Foster, above, is charged in the Sept. 12 fatal shooting of Victoria Carmen White in Maplewood. A second man charged in the killing remains at-large.



White, 28, above, was a professional model who met her accused killers in an Irvington nightclub hours earlier, authorities said.



MAPLEWOOD — A 25-year-old North Plainfield man wanted in the shooting death of a transgender Newark woman surrendered to authorities on Saturday night, the Essex County Prosecutor's Office announced.

Marquise Foster turned himself in at 8 p.m. Saturday, more than a month after the fatal shooting of Victoria Carmen White, 28, in Maplewood. He is charged with murder. Bail was set at $1 million.

A second man, Alrashim Chambers, 23, remains at-large and is also charged with murder.

_________________________________________________________________________

Officials say Maplewood fatal shooting victim was a woman



The Star-Ledger By Alexi Friedman/ Published: Monday, September 13, 2010, 7:47 PM     Updated: Monday, September 13, 2010, 7:47 PM

Retrieved from the Internet on April 29, 2012 by SJ


http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/09/officials_say_maplewood_fatal.html



maplewood-fatal-shooting-map.jpgGoogle MapsA map of Maplewood, N.J., where a woman was found fatally shot Sunday.


MAPLEWOOD — The victim of a fatal shooting in Maplewood on Sunday was a woman, not a man, as had first been reported, the Essex County Prosecutor's Office announced today.

Victoria Carmen White was a post-operative transgender female having undergone sex reassignment surgery, the prosecutor's office said. Her birth name was James White, the name authorities provided following her death.

[SandraJane]

Cousin of transgender woman fatally shot in Maplewood testifies that suspect was in apartment


Alexi Friedman/The Star-Ledger By Alexi Friedman/The Star-Ledger | Published: Wednesday, May 16, 2012, 7:45 AM


http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2012/05/cousin_of_transgender_woman_fa.html


MAPLEWOOD — Victoria Carmen White's death was about ego, anger and an illegal gun, an Essex County assistant prosecutor told the jury in Newark Tuesday.

Her accused killer, Alrashim Chambers, stands charged with murder, bias intimidation and weapons offenses in the fatal shooting of the 28-year-old transgender female, whom he had met hours earlier at an Irvington nightclub.

"But for Carmen White's status as a transgender individual, I would submit to you she would be alive today," Assistant Prosecutor Eileen O'Connor said during her opening statements in Superior Court.

[Butterflyhugs]

The victim blaming in the comments section of that latest article...is disgusting.

[SandraJane]

Friend testifies against defendant in death of transgender N.J. woman



Alexi Friedman/The Star-Ledger By Alexi Friedman/The Star-Ledger | Published: Friday, May 18, 2012, 12:04 PM, Updated: Friday, May 18, 2012, 12:09 PM


http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2012/05/friend_testifies_against_defen.html



John O'Boyle/The Star-LedgerMarquise             Foster looks at a photo, held by Essex County Assistant Prosecutor Eileen O'Connor, of the scene of Victoria Carmen White's shooting.


MAPLEWOOD — Alrashim Chambers pointed the pearl-handled gun at Victoria Carmen White, who raised her hands and stepped back, the star witness testified Thursday at a murder trial.

"You a dude?" Chambers asked White inside a Maplewood apartment that September night in 2010, said the witness, Marquise Foster. A moment later, he said, three gunshots rang out.

[Shana A]

Newark man found not guilty in killing of Maplewood transgender woman
Published: Friday, May 25, 2012, 6:16 PM     
By Alexi Friedman/The Star-Ledger

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2012/05/newark_man_found_not_guilty_in.html

NEWARK — In the end, it came down to the accused killer's word against that of his former co-defendant.

Alrashim Chambers was charged with fatally shooting a transgender woman in Maplewood after discovering her sexual identity. His one-time accomplice, who has since taken a plea deal, pointed the finger at Chambers. But Chambers pointed it right back.

An Essex County jury made its decision today when it acquitted Chambers on all counts in the Sept. 12, 2010, slaying of 28-year-old Victoria Carmen White.

The jury found Chambers, of Newark, not guilty of murder, bias intimidation and two weapons offenses. Chambers, 25, who maintained his innocence from the beginning and took the stand in his own defense, had faced up to life in prison if convicted of murder.

------

Accused killer tells court he had no idea victim was transgender N.J. woman
Published: Wednesday, May 23, 2012, 7:00 PM     
By Alexi Friedman/The Star-Ledger

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2012/05/accused_killer_tells_court_he.html

NEWARK — A 25-year-old man on trial for murder and bias intimidation testified today that when Victoria Carmen White was killed, he had no idea she was a transgender female and had no reason to harm her.

Alrashim Chambers said he found out about White's sexual identity in a news report two months later, when he learned the 28-year-old had been killed.

-----

Friday, May 25, 2012
Alrashim Chambers Trial-WTF? Chambers Acquitted
Posted by Monica Roberts at 11:30 PM

http://transgriot.blogspot.com/2012/05/alrashim-chambers-trial-wtf-chambers.html

Well, we just found out what a Black transwoman's life is worth in Essex County, New Jersey.

Not a damned thing.

After a trial that started on April 30, included the testimony of the cousin of the victim and Marquise Foster and two days of five hour deliberation sessions, the jury in the Alrashim Chambers trial returned their verdict at 11 AM EDT this morning.

It acquitted the 25 year old Chambers of all counts in the September 12, 2010 slaying of 28 year old Victoria Carmen White.

WTF?

[Butterflyhugs]

Disappointing

[Cindy]

He didn't kill her, or he didn't kill her because she was TG?

Someone killed her.

[Shana A]

Man sentenced to time served in Maplewood transgender killing
Published: Thursday, June 07, 2012, 3:38 PM     Updated: Friday, June 08, 2012, 3:35 PM
By Alexi Friedman/The Star-Ledger

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2012/06/man_sentenced_to_time_served_i.html

MAPLEWOOD — The co-defendant who testified last month at the trial of a man charged with fatally shooting a transgender female in Maplewood was sentenced today to time served, after pleading guilty to a lesser crime.

He will likely be released from jail today or Friday, authorities said.

Marquise Foster, 26, was originally charged along with Alrashim Chambers in the September 2010 killing of Victoria Carmen White. Foster soon pleaded guilty to hindering apprehension in exchange for his planned testimony against Chambers. The Essex County Prosecutor's Office put Chambers on trial for murder and bias intimidation, saying he shot and killed White, 28, after discovering her gender identity.

A jury acquitted Chambers, 25, of all charges at his murder trial late last month in Superior Court in Newark, despite Foster's testimony that pointed to him as the killer. Chambers was released from jail a day later.