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July 29, 2008

Transgender Woman Beaten by Cops in Trouble Again

A transgender woman whose jailhouse beating in June resulted in two Memphis police officers losing their jobs was charged with prostitution on Sunday, according to Nashville Fox affiliate WZTV.com.

A jailhouse videotape that became public last month showed an officer repeatedly striking 43-year-old Duanna Johnson during an earlier prostitution arrest.

The officer and his partner were fired while an investigation organized by the Human Rights Campaign into the beating continues.

Johnson, a biological male who lives as a woman, was arrested again early Sunday morning.

Johnson was charged with soliciting an undercover police officer for sex and for possession of drug paraphernalia. (The Advocate)

Reader Comments

These comments are reproduced as written by visitors to this Web site. They have not been edited for content, grammar, or spelling. The viewpoints appearing here are those of the writer, and do not necessarily reflect the opinion or views of advocate.com, The Advocate, or its affiliates.

  • Name: Beverly C
    Date posted: 2008-07-29 8:08 PM
    Hometown: Fairbanks

    Comment:

    While she shouldn't have been beaten, and lets face it , trans women are as a whole very poorly treated at best in jails, sometimes the transgender community is our own worse enemy. I speaking as a MTF here. If there was truly equal opportunity in this country AND parents wouldn't kick out their GLBT children. Then perhaps we wouldn't be making the news so much in negative ways. Yes people make poor choices, but too many of us are forced to sell ourselves just to survive. I thank God nearly every day because my transition has been very good with a supportive management that took a chance on me.


  • Name: Pat
    Date posted: 2008-07-29 9:44 AM
    Hometown: Rochester, NY

    Comment:

    Regardless of her poor life decisions, nothing justifies what happened to her at the hand of the cops.


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