![]() ![]() It’s the defense lawyer doing what they are legally obligated to do,” Ward added.īoth sides will argue the merits of their position before Judge Garza next week. “It’s not the defense lawyer questioning anyone’s lifestyle or anything of that nature. I think that’s where we're headed,” Levine said. “I think this will be resolved over time, to where the chosen name is always used and the chosen pronoun is used. They added that, "the only entities to refer to Pierre Booker as Muhlaysia Booker are news stations." That’s what defense filings point to, citing: "Pierre Booker never legally changed his name with vital statistics," and "all of the documents that were turned over to defense counsel.refer to Pierre Booker as Pierre Booker." “I just think it would be an issue they’d be concerned about if all the documentation identifies her as a male, as Pierre.” I think she’s entitled to go by the female pronoun, to go by her chosen female name,” Levine said. “Muhlayshia Booker identified as a female. She was one of 19 trans women to be murdered in 2019, when she was found face down in the street in May of 2019, the victim of gun violence. Levine says an indictment allows a complainant to be named by any name they were known by. Twenty-two year- old Muhlaysia Booker was living her life and working toward the fame she desired when her life was snuffed out, the victim of a hate crime, many say. “Very unique,” said attorney Micheal Levine, who is also not involved in this case. “There could be a big difference for some jurors when there’s a man sitting in that defendants chair fighting for his freedom, and the person on the other end of that thing identified as a man or identified as a woman,” Ward said. To name him 'Muhlaysia' Booker could have the jury wrongfully conclude that Pierre is female.This is prejudicial against our client ,who is male." He said yes.ĭefense attorneys object, writing: "Pierre Booker is legally a male by gender. Prosecutors asked Judge Hector Garza to rule the name in the indictment could read Muhlaysia. “In this case, you have a situation where the issue is what name do we put on that indictment, and how do we identify that person,” said attorney Demarcus Ward, who is not involved in this case. MORE: Dallas police investigating assault on transgender woman as possible hate crimeĭefense attorneys argue that if Booker is presented as a female to jurors it tips the scales unfairly against their client, because of bias against men hitting women.Įdward Thomas is facing an aggravated assault with a deadly weapon charge against "P." Booker,” according to the indictment. There is video evidence and there are witnesses. Though Booker is dead, a trial is set for October for the man accused of assaulting her. The disagreement is over the name jurors will hear and see. ![]() Prosecutors want the indictment against the assault suspect to read Muhlaysia Booker, but defense attorneys for Edward Thomas object. ![]()
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