South Carolina man was convicted of a federal hate crime...

[Jessica_Rose]

A South Carolina man was convicted of a federal hate crime in a Black transgender woman's killing. The verdict is the first of its kind, prosecutors say

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/a-south-carolina-man-was-convicted-of-a-federal-hate-crime-in-a-black-transgender-woman-s-killing-the-verdict-is-the-first-of-its-kind-prosecutors-say/ar-BB1iSkpM?ocid=windirect&cvid=e359742ac6164c5c8f5e74cf64fb6508&ei=6

Story by By Christina Maxouris (25 Feb 2204)

A South Carolina man was found guilty of a federal hate crime in connection with the 2019 killing of Black transgender woman Dime Doe, in a landmark verdict prosecutors say is the first of its kind.

"This case is historic; this defendant is the first to be found guilty by trial verdict for a hate crime motivated by gender identity under the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act," Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke, with the US Justice Department's Civil Rights Division, said in a statement Saturday.

Daqua Lameek Ritter was found guilty of all charges stemming from the killing, including one hate crime count, one federal firearms count and one obstruction count, the Justice Department said in a news release.

During the four-day trial, federal prosecutors alleged Ritter was upset there were rumors out in the community about his sexual relationship with Doe, according to the release.

On August 4, 2019, he lured her to a remote area in Allendale – which is roughly 70 miles southwest of Columbia – and shot her in the head three times, the Justice Department said.

"At trial, the government proved beyond a reasonable doubt that Ritter murdered Doe because of her gender identity," the department said.