Daqua Lameek Ritter was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of a Black transgender woman named Dime Doe, whom police say he shot in August 2019. Ritter was convicted of all charges, including a hate crime count, federal firearms count, and obstruction count, making him the first person convicted under federal hate crime law for fatal violence against a trans person. Doe, who grew up in South Carolina and transitioned after high school, was fatally stabbed in 2019 by Ritter. Evidence presented at trial showed that Ritter became upset when rumors about his sexual relationship with Doe started circulating, leading to her murder. The verdict was secured under the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009, which includes gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, and disability as protected categories.
Following Doe’s death, friends and family described her as having a bright personality and being a joy to be around. Fatal violence against trans people, particularly Black trans women, has been on the rise in recent years, with anti-LGBTQ hate crimes increasing significantly. The Human Rights Campaign, the country’s largest LGBTQ advocacy group, has been tracking the violence since 2013 and reported a rise in hate crimes motivated by anti-trans bias. The sentencing of Ritter serves as a message that the Justice Department will vigorously defend the civil rights of all Americans.
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