Following the tragic death of a 14-year-old transgender girl in western Pennsylvania, several state House lawmakers are calling on the Senate to pass an anti-hate crimes bill that would provide additional protections for gender and sexual orientation classes.
On Wednesday, the House LGBTQ+ Equality Caucus released a statement expressing their sorrow over the loss of Pauly Likens and their determination to take action against discrimination. They declared that it is unacceptable for hate crime laws in Pennsylvania to not extend to crimes that are motivated by a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity. The caucus is committed to ensuring that LGBTQ+ Pennsylvanians are not targeted because of who they are.
The remains of Pauly Likens of Sharon, Mercer County, began washing up on July 2 along the banks of the Shenango River Lake, authorities said. Authorities claim that the girl succumbed to sharp force injuries to her head, followed by her sawing into pieces and abandonment in several areas around the lake.
A first-degree murder charge, along with several other charges, has landed DaShawn Watkins, a 29-year-old from Sharon, in custody at the Mercer County Prison without bail. As of now, he remains there, and his preliminary hearing is set to take place on July 25.
In less than a year, the United States has witnessed the tragic deaths of 24 transgender individuals, with Pauly being the latest victim.
The House LGTBQ+ Caucus has stressed the need for the passing of H.B. 1027 by their colleagues in the state Senate, especially with the increasing incidents of violent hate crimes across the country. They believe that it is long overdue to update Pennsylvania’s hate crime statute, which would allow charges to reflect the particularly brutal and malicious nature of hate-based violence.
Reps. Dan Frankel and Napoleon Nelson are sponsoring H.B. 1027, which aims to amend Pennsylvania’s ethnic intimidation statute. If passed, the bill will provide extended protection for victims who are targeted based on their race, color, religion, national origin, ethnicity, ancestry, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, and disability (including autism). Additionally, the bill would grant victims the right to pursue a civil cause of action against their offenders.
In October 2023, the legislation was passed by the state House in a bipartisan vote. However, the state Senate’s Judiciary Committee is yet to consider it.
Frankel expressed that the loss of Pauly Likens has not only extinguished a light but has also caused fear and unrest in LGBTQ+ communities throughout the state. She pointed out that the federal government and many other states have recognized these groups as targets of hate crimes and have provided resources for law enforcement to respond accordingly. Frankel questioned the integrity of the commonwealth if it fails to protect its vulnerable citizens.
Governor Josh Shapiro has made a commitment to sign the bill.
By analyzing cell phone data, the police were able to connect Watkins to Pauly and locate him. According to the authorities, Watkins had scheduled a meeting with someone through the dating app Grinder on the evening of June 22. By tracking Pauly’s phone, the police were able to determine her location near the reservoir in the early morning of June 23.
According to PennLive, Peter Acker, the District Attorney of Mercer County, stated his intention to prosecute the case as a hate crime, even though the current law does not provide adequate protections.
