CeCe McDonald, Minnesota Transgender Woman, Pleads Guilty In Manslaughter Case

[Shana A]

CeCe McDonald, Minnesota Transgender Woman, Pleads Guilty In Manslaughter Case Despite Supporters' Defense

Posted: 05/ 2/2012 4:04 pm Updated: 05/ 2/2012 11:53 pm

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/02/cece-mcdonald-minnesota-transgender-woman-manslaughter_n_1472078.html?ref=gay-voices&ncid=edlinkusaolp00000009

A black transgender Minneapolis woman pleaded guilty to second degree manslaughter in the stabbing death of a local man, but her supporters maintain she was the actual victim in the case.

As the Minneapolis Star-Tribune is reporting, 23-year-old CeCe McDonald is expected to be sentenced June 4 to three years and five months in prison for the death of Dean Schmitz, a white man.

[Jamie D]

It is difficult to claim there was a miscarriage of justice when the accused cops a plea.  But I think CeCe was strong-armed into this plea bargain.

The prosecuting attorney, Michael O. Freeman, is no stranger to politics.  His father, Orville Freeman was a close associate to Hubert Humphrey, a former governor of Minnesota, founder of the Minnesota Demiocratic-Farmer-Labor Party, and Cabinet Secretary to Presidents Kennedy and Johnson.

Mike Freeman was a former Democrat member of the Minnesota State Senate, and has been a candidate for Governor.

[Shana A]

Transgender woman gave up self-defense claim in plea deal
by Laura Yuen, Minnesota Public Radio
May 3, 2012

http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2012/05/03/cece-plea/

MINNEAPOLIS — The murder trial of Chrishaun "CeCe" McDonald came to an abrupt end Wednesday when she accepted a last-minute plea agreement. The LGBT community rallied around the transgender woman who claimed she was the victim of a hate crime.

Opening arguments were to begin Wednesday when McDonald, of Minneapolis, pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of second-degree manslaughter.

The plea deal was an anti-climactic finish to the saga that began the night of June 5, 2011.