Suspects in beating of transgender woman Chrissy Lee Polis could face hate crime charges
(CBS/WJZ) ROSEDALE, Md. - Prosecutors are considering possible hate crime charges against the two women accused in the brutal beating of 22-year-old transgender woman Chrissy Lee Polis at a Baltimore-area McDonald's.
Police have arrested a 14-year-old girl and an 18-year-old girl they say attacked Polis. The 18-year-old has been identified as Teonna Monae Brown.
Baltimore County police spokesman Lt. Robert McCullough said that police are working with the state's attorney's office to determine whether other charges should be brought.
"Generally when it comes to cases that involve racial, religious, ethnic or sexual orientation from an investigative standpoint, we approach the case from the perspective of the victim," he said.
CNN reports that if charged with a hate crime, the suspects could face an additional 10 years in prison and an extra $10,000 fine.
According to CBS station WJZ, Polis says the incident started as she was trying to use the restroom at the restaurant.
"I went to go use the bathroom. Come back out, the girl spit in my face, said, 'Are you trying to talk to my man?' I said, 'No, I didn't even know that was your man at all.' The other girl came up, spit in my face, then they started ripping my hair, throwing me on the floor," Polis told The Baltimore Sun.
"They just seemed like they wanted to pick a fight that night, they really did. And come to find out that girl was only 14-years-old. I was shocked," she said. "They kicked me in my face; they really hurt me really bad and I'm just afraid to go outside now because of stuff like this."
Only one McDonald's employee can be seen trying to intervene in a video of the assault. Several others can be heard laughing. McDonald's says the employee who videotaped the attack has since been fired.
The 14-year-old suspect has been charged as a juvenile. Brown faces an assault charge.
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April 25, 2011 - Transgender woman Chrissy Lee Polis calls Md. McDonald's attack hate crime