gojikas:

Funding Freedom

”Kyle Peterson is an African American Trans Man, who was born and lived in Southern Georgia. On October 28th 2011, the life that Ky Peterson knew came to an end. Ky was a victim of a vicious sexual assault by a total stranger who happened upon him as he was walking home from a convenience store. During the attack Ky fought back against his attacker and accidentally caused a lethal wound to the attacker.

Ky was arrested for murder, but was not treated for his injuries. At his 1st appearance, he pleaded Not Guilty with a Sumter County Public Defender. After that, he was returned to the county jail where he sat for a YEAR with no word from a single person about his case. 1 year later, a public defender appeared and offered Ky a plea “bargain” of 20 years with 15 years to serve.

*According to Georgia State Code O.C.G.A. § 16-5-3 (a) … A person who commits the offense of involuntary manslaughter in the commission of an unlawful act, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than one year nor more than ten years.

Like many people caught unaware in the Georgia legal system, Ky was bullied into signing this plea “deal”. It is this sentence, along with the many other negligent actions of Sumter County, which leads us to believe that Ky has suffered tremendous injustices because of racial, gender, and sexual biases. Ky was unlawfully sentenced. Upon arriving in prison, Ky has suffered continuous dehumanizing treatment from Pulaski State Prison’s staff and officers. He’s not the only one; there is an unusually high population of Trans men and women being held with the U.S prison system. Our purpose is to raise awareness of Ky’s situation and the dehumanization that the transgender population suffers in state institutions.”

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This fund is to raise money for several specific areas:

1. Cover legal costs to expedite Ky’s release.
2. Pending Civil rights cases against the agencies responsible for his un-lawful incarceration.
3. Legal paperwork to have Ky’s status, being recognized as Male, filed and enforced with the State of Georgia.
4. Please donate if you can! And, if possible, spread the word to support Ky.
5. You can learn more here on the Freeing Ky site!