Albany County Circuit Court Judge Robert Sanford agreed with the prosecutor that there was probable cause that Kelver committed assault.

Last September, Ríhanna Kelver was standing outside the Crowbar & Grill in Laramie, Wyoming, preparing to start her bartending shift, when she noticed a group of men across the street. One of them was shouting in her direction, and Kelver heard several homophobic and transphobic slurs as he began approaching her. Moments later, according to court testimony and surveillance footage, the man shoved Kelver to the ground hard enough to injure her tailbone.

Kelver responded by drawing a pistol from her bag, chambering a round, and pointing the weapon at the man who had pushed her. She kept the safety on and never fired. The man and his companions retreated.

Today, Kelver, a 28-year-old trans woman, faces two felony charges—aggravated assault and possession of a deadly weapon with unlawful intent—which could carry up to 15 years in prison.

  • JoeBigelow@lemmy.ca
    1510·
    16 hours ago

    I guess it’s complete victim blaming but what goes through a queer person’s head living in fucking Laramie “tie a gay kid to a fence and abandon him” fucking Wyoming? It’s like a black person moving to a sundown town.

    Edit: I suppose I should have said “Why would you expect any other outcome in Laramie ‘tie a gay kid to a fence, beat him and abandon him’ fucking Wyoming.” Because yea, I don’t know if they were born there or what. It’s just surprising like the sun coming up in the morning.