South Carolina Man Convicted in Landmark Federal Hate Crime Trial

The conviction marks the first federal trial for a hate crime based on gender identity, highlighting the legal and societal implications of violence against transgender individuals.

• Daqua Lameek Ritter was found guilty of murdering Pebbles LaDime “Dime” Doe, a Black transgender woman, in a case that marks the first federal trial for a hate crime based on gender identity.
• The jury's verdict sends a clear message against bias-motivated violence, emphasizing that black trans lives matter and such crimes will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
• Prosecutors argued Ritter killed Doe to hide their sexual relationship and his own sexual identity, a motive that underscores the intersection of hate crimes with issues of gender identity and sexual orientation.
• The case was prosecuted under the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, highlighting the act's role in addressing violence motivated by the victim's gender identity.
• Ritter faces a maximum penalty of life in prison without the possibility of parole, with sentencing to be scheduled at a later date.

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