1. Police officers in Oklahoma are now backtracking after claiming trans student Nex Benedict's death "was not caused by trauma," and have filed search warrants suspecting "foul play."
Meanwhile, LGBTQ+ leaders are calling for the DOJ to step in.
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Meanwhile, LGBTQ+ leaders are calling for the DOJ to step in.
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2. Recent statements by the Owasso police department have raised serious questions about their ability to investigate Nex's death. Allegations of cover-ups, a long history of anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment in the school system have emerged.
Read my article here:
erininthemorning.com/p/lgbtq-leader…
Read my article here:
erininthemorning.com/p/lgbtq-leader…
3. Nex Benedict was a transgender gender fluid teenager in Oklahoma. They were reportedly jumped in a bathroom and beaten, leaving them with a head injury. Reportedly, the school didn't call an ambulance and instead, their mother took them to the hospital. They died the next day.
4. Many immediately condemned the attack, pointing to the influence of anti-trans leaders with power in the state. Chaya Raichik, who runs anti-LGBTQ+ hate account Libs of TikTok, was appointed by State Superintendent Ryan Walters to "make schools safer."
https://twitter.com/RyanWaltersSupt/status/1749814067500597285
5. The next day, the Owasso Police Department released a statement that their death "was not caused by trauma," a statement that was immediately called under heavy suspicion.
6. Immediately, this prompted calls for the Department of Justice to step in. Major LGBTQ+ leaders have stepped forward echoing the call, including Brandon Wolf and Kelley Robinson of HRC.
https://twitter.com/bjoewolf/status/1760127353181655260
7. Similarly, a local former student has alleged that the school has a history of covering up issues around LGBTQ+ students there as well as a history of allowing teachers to call LGBTQ+ students slurs.
7. Now, a day later, it appears police are backtracking. A search warrant released today states that police now suspect "foul play" and are looking into the cell phones and lockers of those suspected of involvement in Nex's death.
8. Major Democratic leaders have called for an end to anti-LGBTQ+ hate and justice, including Representative Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi ), Senator Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren), and Representative Mark Takano (@RepMarkTakano)
9. It remains to be seen if the Biden Administration or the DOJ step in, both have been silent on Nex's death.
If they do not, there may be questions that remain forever in this case as mistrust simmers over local police statements.
If they do not, there may be questions that remain forever in this case as mistrust simmers over local police statements.
10. Lastly, I am an LGBTQ+ journalist covering this topic every day - all of the bills, breaking news, and cultural moments.
Please, if you find my work important, subscribe to support it at erininthemorning.com/subscribe
Please, if you find my work important, subscribe to support it at erininthemorning.com/subscribe
Correction: the day the warrant was served is unclear. While the USA Today story that reported it says it was from Feb 9th, it later says the warrant was filed Wednesday. I have adjusted the story to account for the ambiguity, while still centering it around calls for the DOJ.
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