Belize Transgender woman's murder hate crime says family

El Guardian reports that police are investigating the January 12th murder of Joseph Sanchez, 18 as a robbery even though no money or personal items were taken as recorded by a video camera on a nearby school.

" Police found Sanchez motionless body on Elston Kerr Street, behind Gwen Lizarraga High School. He had a single stab wound to the chest. They’ve since reviewed camera footage of the attack which reveals that Sanchez was walking on the sidewalk when two men on bicycle rode up to him. He realized that the men intended to rob him, so he threw his phone away. At knife point, they frisked him, and he didn’t resist them in anyway. After taking what they wanted from him, the man with the knife inexplicably stabbed Sanchez in the chest. Investigators are puzzled as to why the assailants decided to murder Sanchez, since he cooperated completely."

That version is refuted by members off her family who say Sanchez has been afraid for her life after her boyfriend broke up with her. United Belize Advocacy Movement (UNIBAM) reports that:

"Sanchez’s family is disputing the police’s theory that his death is as the result of a robbery, however. They say that that theory does not hold water because his cell phone and money were not stolen. They believe that the well-known cross-dresser was killed simply because he liked to dress as a woman."

"She said that he had been receiving death threats, and had been told on several occasions that he would be killed."

" Abner Sanchez, Joe’s brother, said that his brother was frequently harassed and threatened because he dressed in women’s clothing."

"Abner said that when he saw his brother at the morgue, he saw marks on his hands and face which made him believe that Joe fought with his attackers. He believed his brother was lured out of their house, and that whoever did so intended to kill him. He said that his brother’s phone had been handed over to police."

One report states that she used to be picked up at her house by men who conspicuously  never walked with her. in public.

Belize human rights advocates recently challenged the constitutionality of the Belize anti sodomy lays which carries a 10 year imprisonment and outlaws entry of LGBT people into the country. That effort was defeated  thanks to the efforts of Scott Stirm, a Texas evangelical who rallied local churches to keep this law.

*Note I am addressing Ms. Sanchez with female pronouns out of respect for her dress when she was murdered. R.I.P. Joseph Sanchez.

DA caught persecuting a transgender teen for defending herself may look for a non judicial resolution

Looks like a way out for the DA caught using his office to persecute a transgender teen for something that happens nearly every day in school yard somewhere in America.

After years of bullying and the schools inaction on confronting it Jewlyes Gutierrez, a transgender high school student finally snapped and struck back. The incident, where she was attacked by three students in the schools court yard gained national attention after a video cell phone video went viral.

After the fight all four girls were suspended and later made public apologies to each other, which in nearly all other cases would have meant a resolution was found.

But not in this case where a transgender student5 was involved.

 The DA decided to press assault charges against Ms. Gutierrez shocking her friends, family and even the District school board president. They all wanted to know why and a online petition was began by her sister. It now has now has over 138,00 signatures making it the fastest growing petition in California and quickly becoming one of the most signed petitions ever for Change.org.

Deputy District Attorney Daniel Cabral told the Times Hearld public pressure did not drive the discussions.

"Whenever cases are pending like this, the attorney and the district attorney meet and talk about ways of handling the matter," he said. "And that's what we're doing."

Cabral and deputy public defender Kaylie Simon said late Wednesday afternoon that they were considering enlisting the help of the National Center on Crime and Delinquency to possibly facilitate a "restorative justice circle" for all students involved, which would allow them to accept accountability for their roles in the bullying and the fight, and learn from the process. But they said they weren't sure whether charges would be dropped.