Jul 10, 2009 6:02 am US/Eastern
Transgendered Woman Beaten With Rocks, Bottles
Queens District Attorney Says Justice Will Be Served In Hate Crime Committed Against Haitian Immigrant
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
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Carmella Etienne, a transgendered woman from Queens, told CBS 2 HD's Dave Carlin about how she endured a brutal bias attack on July 8, 2009.
CBS
Beaten with rocks and bottles, a transgendered woman from Queens on Thursday spoke out about a chilling hate crime.
At Queens County Court two men were charged with assault as a hate crime. Their alleged victim, scared and scarred, said she called police on her cell phone while she was being attacked.
"I'm pretty traumatized by this," Carmella Etienne said.
Etienne, 22 moved to Queens from Haiti six years ago and soon after began her transformation from male to female.
Now medically and legally a woman she thought taunting and teasing were in her past. But on Wednesday night she said she was verbally and physically assaulted on 116th Avenue.
"I never know them, never saw them," said Etienne, who lives in St. Albans. "I was walking from the store, coming to my house and attacking me with rocks with chunky rocks and empty beer bottles.
"The empty beer bottle they throw at me slash over and cut my legs; it cut my leg up."
Queens District Attorney Richard Brown said the two men under arrest will be dealt with.
"Cases involving hate and prejudice will just never be tolerated," Brown said.
Brown said if convicted the suspects, 25-year-old Nathaniel Mims and 22-year-old Rasheed Thomas, could face 15 years in prison.
Their attorneys did not comment on Thursday.
"Nobody has the right to tell you you can't be who you are," Etienne said.
When asked if she feels brave for trying to stand up to the alleged attackers, Etienne said, "Oh wow, I guess I would say that because I'm a very strong minded person. I'm very head strong and I believe in myself."
Etienne said she plans to enroll in college this fall to study fashion and wants all hate crime victims to come forward, call police and get justice.
(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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