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Delaware bans LGBTQ+ panic defense with overwhelming bipartisan support (www.lgbtqnation.com)

submitted 1 year ago by DevCat@lemmy.world to c/usa@lemmy.ml

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Delaware has officially banned the so-called “gay and trans panic” defense, becoming the 17th state in the nation to do so.

The panic defense is a legal defense strategy used to justify violent crimes against LGBTQ+ people due to a perpetrator “panicking” over discovering their victim’s sexual orientation or gender identity.

According to the Movement Advancement Project, no state allows the defense to be used on its own, but it is often used alongside other defense strategies as a way to advocate for leniency.

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[–] Maddie@sh.itjust.works 103 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Attempting to use that defense should immediately up the charges to a hate crime

[–] GenderNeutralBro@lemmy.sdf.org 44 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Yeah, it's hard to read it as anything other than a confession. WTF.

If you can't be trusted to be nonviolent around nonviolent strangers, then you are not fit to participate in society. You belong in confinement for the sake of everyone's safety.

[–] some_guy@lemmy.sdf.org 20 points 1 year ago (1 children)

But he tried to touch my peepee! And I was scared because I liked it! I had to kill him to suppress the gay in me! /s of course

[–] joyjoy@lemm.ee 7 points 1 year ago

Is that what they mean by "gay panic"? I think I like the tumblr version better.