Minneapolis, MN – On the evening of June 4, Leslie Feinberg, a renowned transgender activist and author of Stone Butch Blues and Trans Liberation, was arrested for showing solidarity with Chrishaun “CeCe” McDonald.

CeCe McDonald is a 24-year-old African American transgender woman who was walking with a group of her friends in Minneapolis on the night of June 5, 2011. As CeCe and her friends walked by the Schooner Tavern, a group of white bar patrons began shouting racist and transphobic slurs at them. One of the women in the group smashed her beer glass across CeCe's face. In CeCe's struggle to defend her life from this violent attack, one of her attackers died. CeCe was quickly arrested and charged with two counts of second degree murder. In May 2012, CeCe accepted a plea agreement to a reduced charge of second degree manslaughter by negligence, and on June 4 she received a 41-month prison sentence. On June 5, 2012, she was transferred to a men's prison in Saint Cloud, Minnesota.

Leslie Feinberg is currently being held in the Hennepin County Jail and has been charged with felony property damage. Bail was posted June 6 and supporters are awaiting Feinberg’s release. At 8:30 a.m. on June 7, Feinberg will appear in court for arraignment.

Feinberg has been a vocal supporter of CeCe's, showing deep dedication to raising awareness about McDonald’s case and connecting her fight with broader struggles.

Feinberg was arrested almost exactly a year – within the hour – after the attack against CeCe and her friends that led to CeCe's arrest. Leslie Feinberg and CeCe spent the night of June 4, 2012 in the same jail, before CeCe was transferred to Saint Cloud on the morning of the June 5. Feinberg has been extremely clear that their actions have been in solidarity with CeCe, intended to draw greater attention to the injustice that CeCe is facing.

#MinneapolisMN #LGBTQRights #ChrishaunMcDonald #LeslieFeinberg

Minneapolis, MN – Leslie Feinberg was arrested the evening of June 4, amidst hundreds of Chrishaun “CeCe” McDonald supporters protesting outside of the Hennepin County Public Safety Facility.

Feinberg is being held at the Public Safety Facility in downtown Minneapolis and is facing charges of property damage. The protest was held on the eve of McDonald’s transfer to the state prison system, where she will serve out a sentence of 41 months for defending herself against racist and transphobic attackers.

Although McDonald initially faced two charges of second degree murder, earlier this month she accepted a plea agreement to a reduced charge of second degree manslaughter due to negligence.

Outraged supporters took to the streets, blocking traffic for over an hour in protest of the violent abuses McDonald has faced at the hands of the legal system. Feinberg joined demonstrators, who made a point of making noise loud enough to be heard within the facility where McDonald is currently being held, and who marched through the streets in a show of love and solidarity with CeCe McDonald and with all incarcerated individuals. Feinberg was the only person arrested and is excited to draw more attention to McDonald’s story and to the prevalent racism and transphobia within the criminal justice system.

#MinneapolisMN #Racism #LGBTQRights #ChrishaunMcDonald #LeslieFeinberg #InjusticeSystem

Minneapolis, MN – Chrishaun “CeCe” McDonald accepted a plea agreement, May 2, to a reduced charge of manslaughter in the second degree in the criminal case resulting from the racist, transphobic assault that she survived last June.

The prosecution originally charged her with felony murder in the second degree. However, after entering into plea negotiations this morning, the defense and the prosecution settled on the reduced charge. McDonald will be sentenced on June 4 at 1:30 p.m. under Hennepin County Judge Daniel Moreno to 41 months in prison. According to a statement from her support committee, “The executed sentence will be reduced by one third, for ‘good time’ and credit for the time McDonald has served pending this resolution.”

The plea agreement comes nearly a year after McDonald was arrested, interrogated, denied adequate medical care for a laceration she suffered during the attack, and held in solitary confinement for a month for being a transgender person. During the pre-trial proceedings, supporters raised worldwide support for the demand that the charges against McDonald be dropped. Last month, supporters delivered 15,000 signatures and dozens of letters of support for McDonald from organizations and prominent individuals from around the globe to Hennepin County Attorney Michael Freeman. Freeman consistently failed to exercise his professional discretion and take a stand against racism and transphobia by dropping the charges.

“Freeman’s aggressive prosecution of CeCe was a continuation of the racist, transphobic assault that led to her being charged and resulted in the tragic death of one of the assailants,” said Kris Gebhard of the CeCe McDonald Support Committee. “We’ve been proud to stand with CeCe as she fought this unjust prosecution and will continue to stand with her as she fights for justice as a trans woman of color within the prison system.”

In a press conference after the plea agreement was accepted in court, Katie Burgess of the Trans Youth Support Network addressed the crowd of supporters filling the steps outside the Hennepin County courthouse. Burgess stated, “Over the past 10 months I have witnessed the legal system isolating and attacking another young trans woman of color in our community, CeCe McDonald. And over the past 10 months, I have also witnessed our community say very clearly, ‘You are not alone, CeCe! And we have had enough!’”

Burgess continued, “With the whole world watching, Freeman’s office consistently chose not to take the opportunity to stand up against racism and transphobia. Freeman himself said, and I quote, ‘The criminal justice system is not built for, nor is it necessarily good at, solving a lot of society’s problems.’”

Burgess concluded, “We know that this system is not designed to deliver justice to young trans women of color. We are going to continue to support CeCe as she goes through this process and continue to stand for justice for all trans people and people of color so that this is the last time a young trans woman of color has to go through this.”

Supporters will pack the courtroom for the sentencing on June 4 and continue to rally support for McDonald and to demand justice for all trans people and people of color.

#MinneapolisMN #Racism #LGBTQRights #ChrishaunMcDonald

On April 27, over 40 supporters overflowed McDonald’s pre-trial evidentiary hearing, in which Judge Moreno heard motions regarding what evidence will be allowed in trial. Although Judge Moreno ruled that McDonald supporters will not be allowed to wear “Free CeCe” t-shirts or anti-swastika buttons in court, supporters were not deterred, and overflowed the court room again April 30 for the continuation of the hearing.

Most notably, Judge Moreno sustained a motion from the prosecution to exclude the deceased’s criminal record, which includes three assault convictions. Schmitz was convicted of assaulting his ex-girlfriend, his ex-girlfriend’s 14-year old daughter and his ex-girlfriend’s father. Judge Moreno has yet to rule whether the swastika tattoo on the deceased’s chest will be admitted into the trial, either in photos or testimony. Judge Moreno refused to approve the defense’s request for expert witness to testify about climate of violence transgender people navigate in Minneapolis and nationally. He has yet to rule on whether an expert witness can educate the jury about what the word “transgender” means.

McDonald’s defense argued that the deceased’s prior assault convictions, the swastika tattoo and expert testimony about the incredibly disproportionate level of violence transgender people face provides crucial context to the case by demonstrating that McDonald had reason to fear for her life on June 5, 2011. The National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs reported in 2010 that “transgender women made up 44% of the 27 hate murders in the United States, while representing only 11% of total survivors and victims.”

Also noteworthy, in the April 30 continuation of the pre-trial hearing, the prosecution stated that no weapon had been recovered from the scene on the night of June 5 and that it remains unclear what the weapon that caused the deceased’s fatal wound was.

#MinneapolisMN #LGBTQRights #ChrishaunMcDonald

Nationally and globally, individuals and organizations are declaring Freeman’s decision to prosecute McDonald, who survived an unprovoked racist and sexist attack last June, unjust and appalling. Petition signers hail from across the 50 United States and dozens of countries. Her case has been discussed extensively in online media and featured in articles in the Huffington Post, GLAAD’s blog, Racilious, and PrettyQueer. On April 15, the case was highlighted on MSBNC’s Melissa Perry Harris show as a prime example of violence against transgender people and discrimination against transgender people within the U.S. legal system.

Nationwide, numerous notable individuals have publicly declared support for Chrishaun McDonald and called on County Attorney Freeman to drop the charges, including Leslie Feinberg, author of Stone Butch Blues; Dean Spade, Assistant Professor at Seattle University School of Law and founder of the Sylvia Rivera Law Project; Minnie Bruce Pratt, author of S/he; Kate Bornstein, author of Gender Outlaw: On Men, Women, and the Rest of Us; and Laverne Cox, reality TV star, producer, and Huffington Post columnist. Cox stated, “This case highlights how even when trans people, particularly trans people of color, are lucky enough to survive the brutal violence that is a part of so many of our lives, we are all too often victimized all over again by the criminal justice system.”

McDonald supporters delivered a letter to Hennepin County Attorney Michael Freeman signed by numerous national organizations including Queers for Economic Justice, Transgender Law Center, Sylvia Rivera Law Project, TGI Justice Project and the Soul Force Equality Ride. Local signatories include diverse groups at the University of Minnesota including academic departments and student organizations, Twin Cities International Workers of the World General Membership Branch, Minnesota Committee to Stop FBI Repression, Freedom Road Socialist Organization and Committees United Against Police Brutality. Family members also delivered letters from State Representatives Susan Allen (61B) and Karen Clark (61A) and Minneapolis City Council member Cam Gordon.

Citing County Attorney Freeman’s work to protect “domestic violence survivors, seniors and vulnerable adults,” the letter calls on him to “value the safety of all members of our community.” The letter states, “The racism and transphobia that fueled the hate crime against Ms. McDonald and her friends are not acceptable to our community or on Minneapolis streets,” and, “continuing the injustice against Ms. McDonald does not serve the community’s interests and we support you choosing to drop the charges.”

Supporters will once again pack the courtroom for McDonald’s next hearing on April 24. Her trial is scheduled to begin April 30. Katie Burgess, executive director of the Trans Youth Support Network, said of the petition and letter delivery, “We’re here to tell Freeman: the country – the world – is watching you. It’s still not too late to do the right thing. Let CeCe come home.”

#MinneapolisMN #RacismInTheCriminalJusticeSystem #LGBTQRights #ChrishaunMcDonald

By Luce Guillen-Given, Lex Huran, Kris Gebhard, Billy Navarro Jr., Katie Burgess and Jill Bartel

Minneapolis, MN – A young African American transgender woman was attacked by a group of white men outside of the Schooner Tavern on Lake Street in South Minneapolis, early on the morning of June 5, 2011. Chrishaun (CeCe) McDonald and her friends were on their way to the grocery store when they were attacked by patrons of the bar with transphobic and racist slurs, and one person bashed Ms. McDonald’s face with a glass beer mug. Although Ms. McDonald was the target of a hate crime, she was singled out and charged with second degree murder after one of the attackers was killed.

After her arrest, she was held for two months in solitary confinement for her ‘protection.’ She was denied adequate medical attention for those two months during which the wound on her face, which punctured her cheek, abscessed to the sized of a golf ball. Ms. McDonald and community members rallied for her transfer from solitary and she was moved to an all male psychiatric wing for about a month. Last week she was sent back to solitary confinement again, for unknown reasons.

Since Ms. McDonald’s arrest her family has received harassing phone calls threatening both their well-being and her safety in jail. They have also been approached violently in public settings: They have had bottles thrown at them and several trucks have followed them down the street. They continue to fear for their safety and want Ms. McDonald home.

Community members emphasize that Ms. McDonald’s case takes place in a broader atmosphere of violence against transgender women of color. “The painful reality is that the expectation of violence is constant for many transgender women of color. That violence takes place within families, on the streets, in the workplace, in schools and in jails and prisons,” noted Katie Burgess, Executive Director of the Trans Youth Support Network. In a national survey of trans people, the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force found that 38% of African American respondents experienced police harassment, 15% reported being physically assaulted by the police and 7% reported being sexually assaulted by the police.

“Given the discrimination, harassment, abuse and violence that Chrishaun and so many other transgender women of color face every day, we see that the only resolution to this case is to release her back to her family and friends. It is clear that she can never be safe while housed in a prison or jail. Her family wants her back home.” Burgess explained, “We know that Chrishaun cannot receive a fair trial by a jury of her peers – because of transphobia and racism, the deck is stacked against her.”

Community members have rallied for each of Ms. McDonald’s three court appearances, packing her court room and calling for solutions to violence against transgender women of color in Minnesota. “We need to stop the bullying, we need to stop transgender people being assaulted…We need to stand in unity, as GLBT people,” said David Tomlinson of local GLBT organization Sotaboyzz Ent. ZaVawn Zay, Ms. McDonald’s brother, reiterated, “It’s a sad day that in 2011 transgender people still have to look over their shoulder when walking down the street. I would like to see change, I would like to see the people and the community involved and putting their social differences aside and come as one.”

“CeCe has shown amazing resiliency and leadership during the past few months, calling for her own release and an end to this kind of violence and discrimination,” said Burgess. JayJay Cross, McDonald’s sister, called on those gathered to sustain their support: “I want my sister to get out of jail, because she means so much to me. I want to ask people to support her, to love her, to show caring…She just shined in that courtroom. When she told us she loved us it just showed everyone in the courtroom her spirit.”

Leaving the courtroom during her cousin’s last appearance, Cee Cee Howell said, “It’s just a shame that we have to keep going through these trials...we have to sit here being frustrated and sad. Love her and can’t wait for her to get out and I’ll stick with her till the end.”

In a communication to her supporters, Ms. McDonald said, “This kind of love gives me inspiration and keeps me motivated to fight for myself and those who have been in my shoes, and for future generations. I believe this one incident is going to open the eyes of many and show people what…the GLBTQ community has to go through.”

Visit http://supportcece.wordpress.com or email mpls4cece@gmail.com for more information, or find us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002567181562

#MinneapolisMN #LGBTQ #AfricanAmerican #RacismInTheCriminalJusticeSystem #CeCeMcDonald #transgender #ChrishaunMcDonald