District of Columbia Councilmember David Grosso has introduced legislation that would amend Chapter 1 of Title 23 to curtail the availability and effectiveness of defenses that seek to partially or completely excuse crimes such as murder and assault on the grounds that the victim’s sexual orientation, gender identity, or other inherent identity, is to blame for the defendant’s violent action and to require an anti-bias jury instruction in criminal trials if requested by the prosecutor or the defendant.
This would effectively bar the use of the trans panic defense or gay panic defense which has been used in several hate crimes.
Co-sponsoring the bill are councilmembers: Jack Evans, Robert White Brianne Nadeau, and Mary Cheh.
Download the legislation here.
