The Human Rights
Campaign on Wednesday called for a criminal
investigation into the case of police brutality against a
transgender woman in Memphis.
A newly released
video shows a police officer brutalizing Duanna Johnson
while she was being held in the Shelby County Criminal
Justice Center. Johnson is a transgender woman and had
been arrested on a charge of prostitution.
"This type
of profound violence is the exact thing that police officers
are supposed to protect people from," said HRC
president Joe Solmonese in a press
release. "HRC is calling for a full criminal
investigation and prosecution to the fullest extent of
the law."
Surveillance
video of the incident shows an unidentified officer hitting
Johnson several times with handcuffs wrapped around his
knuckles, as another officer holds Johnson's shoulders
as she tries to protect herself.
After being
struck repeatedly, Johnson rose to protect herself and was
maced in response.
Johnson claims
the officers reportedly called her a "faggot"
and "he-she," according to an interview
she gave to Memphis's WMC TV.
Video of the
attack can be viewed at www.wmctv.com/global/story.asp?s=8515744.
The
Memphis police department has reportedly fired the officer
who held Johnson down while she was being
struck, and put the officer who actually threw
the punches on nonenforcement status pending an
administrative hearing.
