Krissy Bates Update

[Trigger warning for violence; transphobia.]

Arnold Waukazo, the killer of Krissy Bates, a trans woman who was murdered in January of this year, has been convicted of second-degree murder.

Waukazo waived his right to a jury trial and Hennepin County District Judge Allen Oleisky presented the verdict today.

Defense counsel had argued to downgrade charges from First Degree, Pre-Meditated Murder to Manslaughter as a result of "heat of passion" and self defense. Waukazo and Bates had been involved in a relationship prior to Bates' death. The prosecution repeatedly argued that the aggressive and deliberate attack which resulted in Bates' death at the hands of Waukazo, in fact, the antithesis of self-defense and a passionate response.

"This is cold blooded murder," states Mike Freeman, Hennepin County Attorney, in his summation. "This was a premeditated planned committed action... he killed her and left her to die."

Nonetheless, Judge Oleisky apparently bought the defense's argument, which doesn't appear to have been an explicit "trans panic" defense, i.e. Waukazo murdered Bates upon discovery she was trans, but instead some variation that cast Bates as a potential threat to Waukazo.

I can't comment much on the case without further details, but I did want to pass on that Waukazo has at least been held accountable for his crime.

[H/T to Shaker GoldFishy. Previously: RIP Krissy Bates, Krissy Bates Update 1, Transgender Day of Remembrance.]