Expectations were that a grand jury would be convened this past Wednesday to examine the death of Keymori Shatoya Johnson, a 24-year-old transgender woman from Albany, GA. Kuyaunnis James was arrested on the same day Johnson was shot multiple times and charged with involuntary manslaughter, soliciting prostitution, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.
Johnson was a local hair stylist who worked from home.
Johnson was shot to death in her home on Krampusnacht, but police have released few details. What little we know comes from a walkthrough of the crime scene a local television station did with the victim's mother, Carol Asberry.
Johnson's home shows evidence of multiple gunshots being fired into a door, TV, and walls. She stated that her child had been shot twice before running in an attempt to get away. She added that Johnson did have a gun, but it was unloaded at the time of her death.
Asberry also explained to reporters that her child is trans, but that she does not want that identity become a larger factor in discussing her murder. In the end, all she wants is justice for Johnson. "I just want some answers. I just want [the murderer] to be held accountable."
There is nothing about the lifestyle or gender of any person that are presented in a court of [law] that should be a factor. We can only strive as humans to do this as best we can.
--Dougherty County DA Gregory Edwards
When asked if Johnson's gender identity played a part in her death, Albany police spokesperson Phyllis Banks responded,
That part remains under investigation.
--Banks
Two homicide detectives are reportedly assigned to the case.
We do know that local media has consistently misgendered Johnson in reports about the shooting, which also refer to Johnson by her former (male) name.
Johnson's death is the thirteenth known murder of a transgender woman of color in the United States this calendar year.
[T]he epidemic of violence against transgender women of color in this country constitutes a “national crisis.
--HRC President Chad Griffin
We need immediate action on a national level to address the alarming violence against transgender women, so that in 2015 these community members are no longer being killed.
--Osman Ahmed, National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs
James is apparently claiming self-defense. One wonders why he had to shoot at least 8 times at someone who was unarmed and running away in order to defend himself...and what exactly he was defending.
My son lived a transgender life. He was gay. But that gave him no right to take his life.
--Asberry
The fact that Keymori is a transwoman of color does matter. Whether is was a factor in her murder has to be determined by the investigation and the evidence, but her identity does matter. Her identity should be part of the discussion and the court proceedings. We don’t need to force her mother to have that conversation, but we should require that the District Attorney and the police assigned to the investigation are considering how her identity impacts the case.
The epidemic of fatal violence against trans woman of color continues to be a clarion call to the LGBTQ community that #blacklivesmatter. Not every woman lost in 2014 was black, but the intersection of trans identity and race is clear. And it is killing our sisters. We must as white queer people do better.
We simply must. How many trans women of color will be slaughtered in 2015 before we stop chit-chatting and start having uncomfortable conversations about racism and racialization in our LGBTQ communities?
Rest in peace, rise in power Keymori.
--Sue Kerr, Pittsburgh Lesbian Correspondents
Word!
#TransLivesMatter