I posted two diaries which provide background for this news.
A Murder Trial in Newark on May 17.
"My Bad" on May 19.
In testimony Wednesday Al-Rashim Chambers said that he had no idea that Carmen White was a post-operative transsexual woman and that he had no reason to harm her. Chambers said he didn't discover that she was transgender until seeing a news report two months after her murder.
Upon discovering her gender-variant status, he said:
I was disappointed, not angry.
He admitted that he felt embarrassed and tricked, but he then denied that he murdered her.
Chambers was the sole witness for his defense. He claimed that he was actually outside the apartment proper when he heard the gun shots. He testified that he had gone to the car to get some weed and the door latched behind him, so he was stuck in the vestibule at the time of the shots.
Chambers pointed the finger of suspicion at Marquise Foster who had originally also been charged with the murder but had pleaded down to "hindering prosecution". Chambers said that Foster was "aggravated that he had wasted gas money" on the trip to White's cousin's apartment in Maplewood, but wanted to get "set up" with white.
Chambers testified…
I told him to orchestrate his own sexual activity.
Not wanting to watch any sexual activity between White and Foster, he left the apartment to get the marijuana. After the shots were fired, Chambers said that Foster came out of the building and refused to say what happened. They drove off.
White's family members were in attendance during the testimony.
We just want to see justice done. We miss Carmen, but we’re putting aside our grief for now.
--White's grandmother Robella Reid-White
On Thursday, after deliberating for five hours over two days, the jury announced a verdict of
Not Guilty.
It’s a huge load off his shoulders. All he said to me was: 'Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.'
--Chambers’ attorney, Bukie Adetula
About two-dozen of Chambers relatives celebrated the verdict after it was announced.
Several of White's relatives, including both of her grandmothers were also in attendance. They expressed their disappointment to Essex County Assistant Prosecutor Eileen Connor.
Obviously, we and the victim’s family are very disappointed in the verdict. But we put forth all the evidence in the case and did the best we could under the circumstances.
--O'Connor
Except that either authorities tried the wrong person…or the else the jurors had a non-existent regard for the value of the life of a transwoman.
So in the end, Nobody Did It.
