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Two Men Charged for LGBTQ Hate Crimes in Separate Incidents

BY BTL STAFF
A 26-year-old Detroit man, Jason Hogan, has been charged after shooting a transgender woman.
From Jan. 13-22, an investigation by Detroit Police officers led to Hogan's arrest. He has been charged – by Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy's Office with assistance from the Fair Michigan Justice Project – with assault with intent to commit murder, a felony punishable by up to life in prison, along with possessing a firearm during the commission of a felony, which is punishable by two years in prison. The case was assigned to FMJP special prosecutor Jaimie Powell Horowitz.
It is alleged that on Jan. 13 Hogan met the victim and arranged to pay for sexual activity in the back of his car. After performing a sex act, Hogan shot the victim in the face with a 9mm Ruger handgun. The victim escaped and sought treatment for her injury at Grace Hospital.
Fair Michigan Director of Transgender Outreach Julisa Abad said, "This case highlights the mortal danger faced by transgender individuals in Michigan. Since Michigan law permits employment discrimination against LGBTQ residents, trans people sometimes must resort to sex work in order to survive, which puts them at extreme risk of criminal violence. It is incredibly encouraging to know that The Fair Michigan Justice Project, the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office and the Detroit Police Department have stated, in no uncertain terms, that violence against the trans community is unacceptable under any circumstances and that these agencies stand ready to aggressively prosecute these brutal crimes committed."
Hogan was arraigned on Jan. 24 and was given a $250,000 cash bond. The probable cause conference will be held on Jan. 31. The preliminary examination is scheduled for Feb. 6 in front of Judge Kenneth J. King of the 36th District Court.

Worthy and the FMJP also charged 46-year-old Anthony Thornton in Port Huron with kidnapping, multiple rapes and unlawful imprisonment after old rape kits were processed.
It is alleged that on April 20, 2010 Thornton met his first victim, a lesbian, at the Coalition on Temporary Shelter homeless shelter in Detroit. The victim accompanied Thornton and two other men to an abandoned house to drink and smoke.
When the victim attempted to leave, Thornton and the other men held her down and took turns raping her. The victim had a rape kit collected, but the kit was not processed until March 20, 2015. A Combined DNA Index System hit identified Thornton. It is also alleged that, on March 8, 2011, Thornton's second victim was invited to a home in Detroit by a friend. When the victim arrived, the friend was not there but Thornton was. Thornton overpowered the victim and raped her. Thornton only stopped his attack when he heard someone at the door. The victim was able to escape through a back window and immediately reported the crime. Her rape kit was recently processed, and a CODIS hit identified Thornton. The victim has positively identified Thornton as her attacker.
Horowitz handled both cases for which Thornton has been charged with three counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct, three counts of second-degree criminal sexual conduct, one count of kidnapping, and two counts of unlawful imprisonment. First-degree criminal sexual conduct and kidnapping are felonies punishable by up to life in prison. Second-degree criminal sexual conduct and unlawful imprisonment are felonies punishable by up to 15 years in prison.
Fair Michigan President Dana Nessel said, "These cases illustrate the tragedy of Michigan's failure to quickly process thousands of rape kits in Detroit and the importance of Prosecutor Worthy's longtime crusade to bring the perpetrators of sex crimes to justice. An accused serial rapist evaded justice for years, and the victims' demands for justice were unaddressed. The Fair Michigan Justice Project, in association with the Prosecutor's Office and the Detroit Police, is proud to take up these cold cases and finally deliver justice to the women and LGBT individuals who were victimized."
Thornton was arraigned on Jan. 24 and was given a $100,000 cash bond. The probable cause conference will be held on Jan. 31. The preliminary examination is scheduled for Feb. 7 in front of Judge Shannon A. Holmes of the 36th District Court.

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