News conference by the family of murder victim LaTeisha Green

Syracuse, NY - As Onondaga County's first prosecution of a hate-crime murder case begins today, family and supporters of the victim urged state and federal politicians to pass legislation that protects transgendered people.

Dwight DeLee, 20, of Gifford Street, is charged with second-degree murder as a hate crime in the Nov. 14 shooting death of Moses Cannon, 22, a transgendered person who went by the name LaTeisha "Teish" Green.

The prosecution contends the victim was targeted because of sexual orientation, making it a hate crime prosecution. Jury selection started today.

"We call upon the lawmakers to be courageous and do the right thing by passing hate crime legislation that protects transgender people like Teish from violence and discrimination," said Rhonda Gary, Green's aunt, who read a statement prepared by the family. Green's mother, Roxanne, was going to read the statement but was too distraught to do so.

"We call upon the court to deliver justice for our beloved Teish," Gary said.



Green's extended family supported her since her decision at age 16 to start dressing as a woman.

"But we couldn't shield her," Gary said. "She regularly received death threats and was beaten up by her peers in schools. .$?.$?. We will never get to watch Teish achieve her goals, simply because someone was blinded by their bias against Teish and who she was."

Michael Silverman, Executive Director of Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund, urged New York lawmakers to pass the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act, which includes transgenders in hate crime protection laws.

The state Assembly already has passed the law; it's pending in Senate.

"It is inexcusable that transgender people are excluded from hate crime protections in New York state while so many other categories of people are protected," Silverman said.

Nationally, the Matthew Shepard Act would provide hate crime protection for lesbians, gay men and transgenders, Silverman said.

"Everyone should be treated with dignity and respect," said Kim Dill, spokesperson for The Rainbow Alliance of Central New York, which has been working to increase awareness about hate crimes motivated by bias against gender identity and sexual orientation.

Thirteen other states already have included gender identity and expression in hate crimes and human rights laws, said Ross Levi, director of Public Policy & Education for the Empire State Pride Agenda.

"It's an outrage that transgender New Yorkers continue to be targeted for violence and discrimination based solely on who they are," Ross said.