Jury Convicts Edward Thomas Of Assault On Transgender Woman Muhlaysia Booker
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM/AP) — A man charged with felony aggravated assault in the beating of Muhlaysia Booker — a transgender woman from Dallas — has been convicted of misdemeanor assault.
The Dallas Morning News reported Dallas County jurors deliberated about four hours Monday before convicting Edward Dominic Thomas of the lesser charge in Muhlaysia Booker's beating.
Earlier in Thomas' trial, his attorney Andrew Wilkerson, was arrested for disrupting the court, making side bar comments, arguing with the court and refusing to abide by the Courtroom decorum rules.
Thomas was sentenced to 300 days in jail, including time served since his April arrest, on the condition that he doesn't appeal the sentence. That leaves a little more than four months left for him to serve.
Police said Thomas admitted beating Booker on April 12 outside a Dallas apartment complex, and that Thomas was one of the assailants captured on video and was offered $200 to beat Booker.
Booker was found shot to death in May on the 7200 block of Valley Glen Drive. Kendrell Lavar Lyles was arrested in connection with her murder and is currently awaiting trial.
(© Copyright 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)