Dallas Man to be given probation Tuesday for the murder of Trans woman Janette T

[traci_k]

Dallas Man to be given probation Tuesday for the murder of Trans woman Janette Tovar

http://planettransgender.com/dallas-man-to-be-given-probation-tuesday-for-the-murder-of-trans-woman-janette-tovar/

Planet Transgender
Added by Kelli Busey on September 14, 2015.

The man who beat Dallas transgender woman Janette Tovar to death in 2012 is set to receive 10 years of probation under a plea deal Tuesday. According to the Texas Observer her former boyfriend, Jonathan Stuart Kenney, 29, was released on bond after two months behind bars so his total time served for the confessed murder will only amount to sixty days.
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This mis-carriage of justice is a complete, outrageous, travesty. 60 days for murder is not enough for ANY murder. The Dallas prosecutor's Office should be ashamed of their cutting a deal with this ***.

On Sunday, September 20th, 2015 we will March in your honor, bring media attention to your case, and give you the final justice and closure you and your family deserves

If any Dallas or Texas trans-folk or allies would like to participate, details are at the end of the article.

[Paige]

What on earth were they thinking? My guess is that this is result of a very bigoted prosecutors office.
Paige

[suzifrommd]

I wonder if the USDOJ can do anything. This is similar to cases in the mid 20th century where murderers of black people in the south were given light sentences.

[Deborah]

My initial reaction is anger but I don't know anything of the case.  It was a plea bargain.  What were the circumstances of the murder?  Were there extenuating circumstances?  Does anybody know?  Maybe there should be outrage?  Maybe not?  I don't know.     



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[traci_k]

With the line in the article - "With witnesses refusing to testify...", prosecutors may have felt they couldn't get a conviction. That's just me - just supposin'. I can't believe anybody who knew that this guy did the crime and would refuse to testify unless they were afraid he'd come after them. It would seem all the more reason to testify, and since it's Texas, get some bigger firepower. again, just supposin'

[iKate]

Unfortunately this isn't a Southern thing, nor a Texas thing. In NJ two years ago a black trans woman was murdered two years ago and the accused was found not guilty.

The accused's accomplice copped a plea for probation, and then pointed the finger squarely at the accused, who pointed it straight back. With no other witnesses (at least no other witnesses who wanted to testify) he got away.

She was murdered allegedly because they met up in a night club, came home with him and when he found out she was trans, she was shot and killed.

[Venus]

Wow, that's ridiculous and sets a terrifying precedent. It doesn't help that trans have the highest murder and suicide rates of any group. I worry about this stuff more than my damn transition.

[Jill F]

In Los Angeles, they will actually charge you with a hate crime.

[Colleen M]

Ridiculously wrong, but 10 years probation makes me think of the Brian Deneke murder in Amarillo.  We can say justice is all messed up in Texas, but I don't think we can say we're being singled out.     

[rachel89]

I thought the State of Texas loved old sparky, what happened here? Are the prosecutors going soft? Or could it possibly be something else...

[traci_k]

Shocker: Texas Man Confesses to Killing Trans Woman But Only Gets Probation

The Advocate.com
By Cleis Abeni
September 16 2015 11:46 AM EDT

As a Dallas man who confessed to killing his trans Latina partner walks away with only probation, relatives, friends, and allies question whether trans lives matter in Texas.

Family and supporters of a murdered transgender Latina woman are calling the sentencing of the man who confessed to killing her in 2012 "unbelievable" and a major "injustice."

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More details on this story are included in this follow-up article.