Susan's Place Transgender Resources

Victim of McDonald's beating speaks out
Transgender woman called attack 'hate crime,' has been afraid to be seen in public

By Jill Rosen, The Baltimore Sun
8:46 p.m. EDT, April 23, 2011

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/bs-md-mcdonalds-beating-20110423,0,3336656.story?page=1 (http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/bs-md-mcdonalds-beating-20110423,0,3336656.story?page=1)

A transgender woman brutally beaten at a Baltimore County McDonald's spoke out on Saturday, saying that the attack was "definitely a hate crime" and that she's been afraid to leave the house ever since.

"They said, 'That's a dude, that's a dude and she's in the female bathroom,'" said Chrissy Lee Polis, who's 22 and said she stopped at the Rosedale restaurant to use the restroom. "They spit in my face."

Sounds as if action may occur. As ever the person who made the evidence is fired first. I don't condone what they did but without the film nothing would happen. So they are guilty of filming or guilty of non-intervention or of embarrassing  McPuke's.

Such a sad story.

Cindy

I had the same thought Cindy.

The person doing the filming, while culpable, did at least, create the important evidence. The other employees, who stood by and failed to assist this woman need to also be dismissed.

As one who has had  training for emergency support in many situations, one of the first rules is to do your job only, no matter what you see happening if it is someone else's responsibility.  This can lead to some very uncomfortable situations for the responders, but does save lives in the long run.  If that had been the case of the "video maker", then I can understand why they made the video, but that also would have kept them from making some of the verbal comments to incite the attackers that are allegedly made.  In the case of assignment in an emergency team reaction the camera "footage" would have been taken to a safe place, and handed over to the authorities.  It could have happened that way, but apparently did not.  If it had, the picture taker would be well entitled to a bonus in his next pay check, but now he is out of a job. The behavior I have seen in this by the employees is the result of NOT having an action response plan that is drilled into the employees to the point that they no longer think about it and just ACT on it.  Its difficult when the employees are much younger than a good portion of the customers and have authority issues, but it can be done.  What would have happened if a grease filled french fry cooker had caught on fire?  I am worried. 

I hope that Polis can get into a therapy situation for recovery from this that will include a boost to her self image as the young WOMAN she appears to be in the pictures here.  The reports of her prior beatings and other issues make her sound like someone who does get into risky situations in addition to her being "Trans" which does happen at her age in cis-women too.  I am not trying to victimize the victim in this, but she is an example of where trans people need to keep finding better and better ways to communicate with each other and support each other and wherever we see ourselves on the spectrum of transness, know that others at other places need our support too.

I think we'd be seeing quite a different story if the person who filmed this was yelling at their coworkers to help, while getting it on video for the sake of evidence.

Instead, the idiot who filmed it is clearly heard saying things that only made the situation worse, then told the attackers to leave because the cops were on their way.  Then he immediately posts the video to Youtube and brags about it (while denigrating the victim) on his Facebook page.  If he'd turned that evidence over to the cops when they arrived, the video would have entered evidence and not been available for public posting.

So yes, he obtained valuable evidence for a (hopeful) conviction against the attackers.  But his actions during and after the attack show that it's not why he made that video.  His actions were irreproachable grounds for dismissal.

Quote from: JungianZoe on April 26, 2011, 02:29:13 AM
I think we'd be seeing quite a different story if the person who filmed this was yelling at their coworkers to help, while getting it on video for the sake of evidence.

Instead, the idiot who filmed it is clearly heard saying things that only made the situation worse, then told the attackers to leave because the cops were on their way.  Then he immediately posts the video to Youtube and brags about it (while denigrating the victim) on his Facebook page.  If he'd turned that evidence over to the cops when they arrived, the video would have entered evidence and not been available for public posting.

So yes, he obtained valuable evidence for a (hopeful) conviction against the attackers.  But his actions during and after the attack show that it's not why he made that video.  His actions were irreproachable grounds for dismissal.

Very true, thank you that insight.
Is it another cowards defence? I couldn't help her as I was too busy trying to make a buck out of it.

Cindy

The guy who filmed it is a bigoted idiot because he filmed the vid. for all the wrong reasons... Yes, he is a jackass... But it is his vid. that provides the evidence that will take a thug off the street and raise awareness... I applaud his stupidity... I'd fire his dumb ass too

The perp was arrested for the same type of crime less than a year ago but the charges were dropped... Now she will be tried as an adult on much stronger charges and there is indisputable evidence of her crime

Quote from: JungianZoe on April 26, 2011, 02:29:13 AM
Instead, the idiot who filmed it is clearly heard saying things that only made the situation worse, then told the attackers to leave because the cops were on their way.  Then he immediately posts the video to Youtube and brags about it (while denigrating the victim) on his Facebook page.  If he'd turned that evidence over to the cops when they arrived, the video would have entered evidence and not been available for public posting.

The video still remains available for use as evidence in the case just as video was available in other highly publicized cases.  So far as I know, there are no allegations that have been advanced that the video was altered or that its authenticity is otherwise in question. 

The issue that will potentially raise its head if the matter goes to trial (remember that very few cases actually go to a trial docket, resolving instead via negotiated plea) is that one can reasonably expect the defense to argue that it is not a complete accounting of the incident.  It shows what took place in the seating area but not what could have potentially led up to the recorded events.  Those tend not to be a matter that either the State or the Defense will want in the hands of a jury (presuming jury instead of a bench trial).  The finder of fact is entitled to consider all mitigating factors in arriving at their decision and credibility assessments also fall into the hands of the finder of fact (again, either bench or jury).

The video makes me sick to my stomach.

Let's hope justice prevails.

Disgusting.

Quote from: lauren3 on April 27, 2011, 06:16:22 AM
The video makes me sick to my stomach.

Let's hope justice prevails.

Disgusting.

while the video is certainly troubling, one must also be wary of pre-trial mob mentalities for what are believed to be absolute certainties. 

Three words in that regard: Duke Lacrosse Team.