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 for 1996 Hate Crime Murders Slashed Throats of Julianne Williams, 24 & Lollie Winans, 26 NGLTF & HRC Praise Move-Killer Hated Women, Lesbians |
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Compiled By GayToday
The bodies of Julianne Williams, 24, and Lollie Winans, 26, were found June 1, 1996 at a secluded campsite with their wrists bound and throats slashed. According to the indictment, "The United States maintains that the defendant hated women and lesbians and that hatred was a motive for his killing …" Lorri L. Jean, executive director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force said: "After more than five years, we're relieved that progress has been made in the case. However it serves as a sad reminder about the pervasiveness of hate violence against gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people," Prosecutors quoted Darrell David Rice as saying he "hates gays" and that the victims "deserved to die because they were lesbian whores." He has been linked to other crimes against women in the area. The Charlottesville, Virginia grand jury indictment states that in each case the defendant intentionally selected the victim because of her "actual or perceived gender or sexual orientation." The federal hate crime indictment was made possible only because the murders occurred on federal land. This allowed the 1994 Hate Crimes Sentencing Enhancement Act, which applies only to federal crimes, to be used. The Local Law Enforcement Enhancement Act, currently pending in Congress, would make violent hate crimes federal offenses. Currently only 27 states and the District of Columbia have hate crimes laws that include sexual orientation. "The pending Local Law Enforcement Enhancement Act would ensure that hate crimes against gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people - no matter where they occur - are investigated and prosecuted," continued Jean. "With this indictment, the federal government has recognized the horrendous nature of this hate crime and that it should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law," said Winnie Stachelberg, political director of the Human Rights Campaign. "Congress must build on this recognition and pass the Local Law Enforcement Enhancement Act, so other cases can be handled fairly and be brought to justice." In 1996, NGLTF strongly urged then-Attorney General Janet Reno to order a complete investigation including the possibility of a hate crime because of the victims' sexual orientation. Reno responded to NGLTF and made clear the Justice Department's commitment to a full investigation.
Sadly, FBI statistics only offer a glimpse of the problem. It is widely recognized that hate crimes on the basis of sexual orientation often go unreported due to fear and stigmatization. Additionally, federal reporting of hate crimes to the FBI by state and local jurisdictions is voluntary, resulting in no participation by many jurisdictions each year. |
