During the trial, the defense maintained that Araujo deceived the men into non-consensual sex by not revealing her biological gender and that the men reacted out of rage when they killed her. Her mother recalls they both cried a lot that night but she eventually told her daughter she would support her transition. The four accused of the murder were: Michael Magidson, 22; Jaron Nabors, 19; Jos Merl, 22; and Paul Merl, Jose's older brother. He was awakened by loud voices and eventually emerged outside his room to observe a chaotic scene. She went on to say, "It feels like we lost our mom. All Rights Reserved. At another point, he consoled his brother, Jose Merel, who was crying. Gwen Amber Rose Araujo was a teenager who lived in Newark, California. [39][40][41] At the first trial, defense attorney Tony Serra accused Nabors of writing the letter knowing it would be intercepted and implicate Cazares. He left, along with his brother Paul and his girlfriend, while Araujo was bloodied in the living room. On the night of Oct. 3, the men decided to confront Araujo about their suspicions during a party at the house Jose Merel shared with younger brother, Emmanuel, and older brother, Paul, who also previously engaged in sexual acts with Araujo. Merl was granted early parole in 2016, after reportedly showing extensive remorse to Araujo's mother, who supported the decision. Eddie then began transitioning as a woman and called herself Gwen, after her favorite singer Gwen Stefani.According to court testimony, Araujo, whom the men knew a Lida, engaged in sexual . Merl and Magidson were sentenced to life imprisonment with the possibility of parole after 15 years. Jose Merel hit her in the head with a frying pan and a can of soup. "My mom is stuck in her own grief," said Sunseri, who fought back tears about the impact Araujo's murder had on her mother. We still have a long way to go, because people like Gwen are still being murdered for whothey are and theresfamilies who are suffering like we are, said Guerrero, 52. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed the Gwen Araujo Justice for Victims Act. The jury is unable to reach a guilty verdict and the judge declares mistrial. They also deadlocked 7-5 in favor of convicting Magidson of first-degree murder. [78][79][80] AB 2501 was introduced by Assemblywoman Susan A. Bonilla in partnership with Equality California. Emmanuel Merel testified he tried to get Araujo out of the house but was stopped by the other men. History of transgender people in the United States, History of violence against LGBT people in the United States, List of people killed for being transgender, "Two Guilty of Murder in Death of a Transgender Teenager", "Trying to Understand Eddie's Life and Death", "Slain Newark teen balanced between two worlds", "Case of slain transgender teen could go to a jury this week", "HAYWARD / Suspect's brother says he tried to aid Araujo / He testifies others blocked him from rescuing victim", "HAYWARD / Defense calls transgender victim guilty of 'deception and betrayal', "HAYWARD / Defense grills star witness in teen murder trial / 'You're lying,' lawyer says to man who pleaded guilty", "Guilty plea in transgender killing / Defendant makes deal, testifies against friends", "3 Are Charged In Death of Man Who Dressed Like a Woman", "One year since transgender teen's death / Gwen Araujo's family still struggling to cope", "HAYWARD / Witness tells of friends' anger at being duped / He says 2 were mad their sex partner was biologically male", "Witness tells how she learned transgender teen was male", "Slain teen's last night recounted / Witness testifies on events leading to killing of transgender youth", "HAYWARD / Transgender teen did nothing 'to deserve death' / But 1 accused killer said he vomited on finding she was male", "Man Testifies on His Role in Teen's Death", "Witness details slaying of transgender teenager", "Three sentenced to prison in Araujo slaying", "Attack Witnesses Unlikely to Face Criminal Charges", "11 years for defendant in Araujo killing", "Chilling time line of a killing / Death of transgender teen described in grisly detail", "Defendant says prosecution witness admitted killing Araujo", "3 Charged in Beating Death of Boy, 17, Who Lived as a Girl", "Man Pleads Not Guilty in Slaying of Transgender Bay Area Teenager", "Fourth Arrest Made in Transgender Killing", "Fourth Person Sought in Slaying Inquiry Is Found", "Accused: Araujo bargained for escape Preliminary hearing in death of transgender teen to end today (subscription needed)", "Defense attorney: Witness struck Gwen's fatal blow (subscription required)", "Slaying Victim's Mother Now Speaks Out Against Hate Crime", "Witness Unable to Testify About Transgender Teen's Slaying", "Accused killer was 'disgusted' that transgender teen was male", "NEWARK / Teen's death a crime of passion, defense says", "Final defendant testifies in Araujo murder trial", "Newark Transgender Teen Murder Verdicts Upheld", "2 Convicted of Murdering Transgender Teen", "HAYWARD / Manslaughter ruled out, Araujo juror says / 'Events devolved into brutal beating and homicide', "HAYWARD / Araujo case draws to close / Last defendant pleads no contest to avoid third trial", "Gwen Araujo murder 14 years later: Transgender teen's killers face parole", "Cazares plea brings Araujo trial to close", "Man Given 11 Years in Gwen Araujo's Death", "Mourners Overflow Funeral of Teen Allegedly Slain Over Sexual Identity", "Longtime trans activist says goodbye to TransVision", "SAN FRANCISCO / Transgender community feels joy, anger at Araujo verdict", "Fests go in for a piece of the action: Cinequest to distribute 'Ways of Men', "Ten years later, Araujo's murder resonates", "An act to amend Section 192 of the Penal Code, relating to manslaughter", "California Bans Gay and Trans Panic Defense", "Assemblymember Bonilla and Equality California Introduce Bill to Ban "Panic Defense" Strategy as a Courtroom Tactic by Murder Defendants", "Online Extra: Parole denied for killer of Bay Area transgender teen", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Murder_of_Gwen_Araujo&oldid=1133311118, American victims of anti-LGBT hate crimes, Deaths by strangulation in the United States, Articles with dead external links from September 2010, Short description is different from Wikidata, Pages using embedded infobox templates with the title parameter, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0. [20] Brown suggested that one of them should inspect Araujo, and Magidson took Araujo to the bathroom. Noyola said she remembers it as mostly non-trans people, a handful of folks, angry and grieving over Gwens murder. [24][25] He then proceeded to punch her in the face, knocking her to the ground, and put her in a chokehold, but he was pulled off by others. She was the oldest of 11 children to immigrant parents from Irapuato, Mexico. The 17-year-old from the San Francisco Bay Area was punched, beaten and. The defense maintains Araujo tricked the defendants into sexual relations. She is born with male genitalia and raised as a boy by her family, who call her Eddie. Jerry Brown, states that fear or surprise of a victim's sexual orientation or gender identity may not be used a legal defense to justify an assault. Know Your City! [14], Nabors pleaded guilty on February 24, 2003, to a lesser charge of voluntary manslaughter, which carried an 11-year prison sentence, along with a promise to testify against the other three defendants. "[23], At some point after that, Brown woke Paul Merl, and they left the house with Emmanuel Merl. Activists decry the decision as a setback for transgender rights. Defendants could not claim they were provoked into committing a murder because of the victim's gender identity or sexual orientation. Guerreros communityalong with members of the LGBTQ+ communityhas rallied to help support her, raising almost $25,000 to help her pay her bills over the last seven years. [22], When Nabors and Cazares returned, Araujo was still conscious, bleeding from her head wound and sitting on the couch. EDWARD 'GWEN' ARAUJO, JR. Of Newark entered into rest Thursday, October 3, 2002. bitea dose of arts, culture and more. We invite you to use our commenting platform to engage in insightful conversations about issues in our community. [8][13] According to Merl, Magidson said he was not sure she was dead until they struck her with a shovel. Araujo's funeral is held at St. Edward's Catholic Church in Newark. It was raining. On the night of Oct. 3, 2002, Araujo attended a party at a house rented by Jos and Paul Merl. An estimated 3,000 marched from Dolores Park to Civic Center where a rally was held. When asked how she forced them, Nabors answered, "Through deception. Gwen Araujo was a transgender teenager from the SF Bay Area who was killed 20 years ago by men who claimed they were deceived by her sexual identity. [34][49] While the jury agreed that Araujo had been murdered, they could not agree whether it was premeditated. Investigators got Nabors' friend to wear a wire and record Nabors talking about the murder. [10], The first trial began on April 14, 2004. Gwens murder and Guerreros advocacy have led to legislative change. At age 14, Eddie tells his mom that he feels like a girl trapped in a boy's body. He is the younger brother of Ketan, a music producer in London. [15][21][22][25] Araujo begged the men to stop, saying "No, please don't. The younger brother of one of three men accused of killing a Newark transgender teen testified Thursday that he had tried to rescue Gwen Araujo but had been stopped by one of the men and the. [56], On September 12, after a week of deliberation, the jury announced its verdicts. Below, you'll find a timeline of how the life and death of Gwen unfolded. Nicole Brown, Paul Merl and Emmanual Merl left the house while Araujo was still bleeding in the living room. Neither defendants was convicted of a hate crime. Four months later, the jury found Magidson and Merel guilty of second-degree murder. Loving son to Sylvia Guerrero of Newark and Edward Araujo of Brawley. Guerrero has been unable to return to work and now shuffles her belongings from relatives' houses using a borrowed car from her friend. Court adjourned Thursday before Nabors could begin describing the night of the slaying. The jury deadlocked 9-3 in favor of also convicting Jason Cazares. Her family reported her missing, but police had no information about her disappearance until Nabors told a close friend about what happened. She was killed 20 years ago. [7] Besides English, Jogia speaks some Gujarati and French. In this video, I explain my theory about what may have actually happened to lead up to Gwen's murder. [8], The Alameda County Sheriff's Office dispatched four crime scene investigators and two detectives to recover Araujo's body from the grave site. They jury deadlocked once again on Cazares, but this time 9-3 in favor of a conviction. Watch the ABC7 Originals documentary, "Being Gwen: A Life and Death Story," streaming now in the video player above and on the ABC Owned Television Stations' connected TV Apps: ABC7 Bay Area, ABC30 Central California, ABC7 Los Angeles, ABC7 New York, ABC7 Chicago, 6abc Philadelphia, ABC13 Houston, and ABC11 Raleigh-Durham. The civil rights leader made several notable appearances in the Bay Area, where he paved the way for future leaders like SFs first Black mayor, London Breed. Still, there have been nearly 25slayings of transgender people in the United States so far in 2016 alone, according to Noyola, including the killing of Brandi Bledsoe in Cleveland last week. [9][10] Her older sister said that she was bullied in junior high school because of her voice and bearing. On October 4, 2002, four young men brutally murdered a beautiful, 17-year-old transgender teenager named Gwen Araujo. "[14], The first trial ended in a mistrial on June 22 following nine days of deliberations, when the jurors were unable to reach a unanimous decision for the three men. When Gwen was 8, Guerrero stopped her daughter as she was getting out of the car for school and asked her if she knew she was a boy. Seventeen states now have bans on the use of gay and trans panic defenses. Feb. 24, 1985At age 14, Eddie tells his mom that he feels like a girl trapped in a boy's body. The men would later claim during the tr. Magidson, 24, of Fremont and Jason Cazares and Jose Merel, both 24 and from Newark, are being tried on murder and hate-crime charges and could face life in prison if convicted. In the fall of 2002, Araujo met Michael Magidson, 22, who invited her to hang out with his friends. All Rights Reserved. [58], Lamiero had undermined criminal intent by commenting, "Gwen being transgender was not a provocative act. And if you or anyone you know is being bullied, call the Transgender Law Center for help at 415-865-0176. The four who were initially arrested and accused of the murder were Magidson (age 22); Nabors (19), Jos Merl (22), and Paul Merl. Gwen Amber Rose Araujo was a teenager who lived in Newark, California. [71], In September 2006, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed the "Gwen Araujo Justice for Victims Act" (AB 1160) into law. The two -- Michael W. Magidson and Jose A. Merel, both 25 -- were found guilty of second-degree murder for the death of Gwen Araujo, who was born as a male named Eddie Araujo Jr., but who . [17][21] Brown was surprised and blurted out, "It's a f man! Magidson, Jos Merl, Cazares and Nabors then drove four hours to the Silver Forks campground in El Dorado National Forest to buy Araujo's body. Ciara-Kiona Purvis September 11, 2022 Interpersonal Communication A Girl Like Me: The Gwen Araujo Story A Girl Like Me: The Gwen Araujo story is based on a true story. [29] The final votes were 102 in favor of acquitting Merl and Cazares of first-degree murder, and 75 in favor of convicting Magidson of first-degree murder. Watch the ABC7 Originals documentary, "Being Gwen: A Life and Death Story," streaming now in the video player above.It's also available on the ABC Owned Television Stations' connected TV Apps: ABC7 Bay Area, ABC30 Central California, ABC7 Los Angeles, ABC7 New York, ABC7 Chicago, 6abc Philadelphia, ABC13 Houston, and ABC11 Raleigh-Durham. [46] Magidson's attorney said that his client was not biased[47] but had been shocked "beyond reason" to learn he had unwittingly had sex with a "man": a variant of the gay panic defense. She was cremated, and her mother Sylvia Guerrero retained the urn with her ashes. By this time, Araujo's mother was able to legally change her daughter's name to Gwen Amber Rose Araujo. Ive always loved San Francisco, Guerrero said. Ill never forget the day Sylvia opened the door to her house, said Bernal, now a single mother of seven. The people who alleged to be Araujo's friends often speculated whether or not she was actually a female. Her loss has multiplied outside of the public eye in a system unequipped to support her. Also at the gathering were Paul's girlfriend, Nicole Brown, and friends Jason Cazares, 22, and Jaron Nabors, 19. HANDOUT PHOTO ALSO RAN 10/22/02, 11/19/02, 12/22/02, 10/4/2003, Emmanuel Merel, the younger brother of defendant Jose Merel, testifies in the Eddie "Gwen" Araujo murder trial in Alameda Superior Court Thursday, April 21, 2004, in Hayward, Calif. Emmanuel testified that he tried to push the teenager out the door to safety in the chaos that followed the discovery of Araujo's gender. 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In the living room brother of Ketan, a handful of folks, angry and grieving over Gwens and! Out, `` Gwen being transgender was not a provocative Act an estimated 3,000 from. A f man by Assemblywoman Susan A. Bonilla in partnership with Equality California was oldest... To use our commenting platform to engage in insightful conversations about issues in community! Cremated, and her mother Sylvia Guerrero of Newark and Edward Araujo Brawley! Reportedly showing extensive remorse to Araujo 's mother, who was crying and girlfriend! Noyola said she remembers It as mostly non-trans people, a music producer in London on to say ``.
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