USA: Gay and trans panic defenses continue to be used in court cases in many US states
| Gay and trans panic defenses first appeared in court cases in the 1960s and continue to be raised in criminal trials today. In these cases, defendants have argued that their violent behavior was a rational response to discovering by surprise that the victim was LGBTQ. Our new report examines current research on violence against LGBTQ people in the U.S. and the use of the gay and trans panic defenses over the last six decades. It also provides model language that states may use to ban the gay and trans panic defenses through legislation Currently, 12 states and the District of Columbia have passed legislation eliminating the use of gay and trans panic defenses, but the defenses remain available in most states. |
International and Comparative SOGIESC Law - Professor Andreas R Ziegler 