COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina is one of the only two states that has not enacted statewide hate crime legislation. Because of this, officials from the U.S. Attorney's Office and the FBI participated in Pride Festival events in Columbia.
"We feel all the more importance to educate members of the community of the federal statutes that we have and that we use to prosecute individuals for bias-related crimes," Attorney Ben Garner said.
A murder case in South Carolina recently made history as the first time in the nation someone has been federally convicted of killing someone based on their gender identity.
Daqua Ritter was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of a Black transgender woman, Dime Doe.
Ritter killed Doe in August of 2019 in Allendale County, South Carolina. Prosecutors successfully argued that the murder was committed because of Doe's gender identity.
Garner, who helped prosecute the case, said laws must be in place to protect the community.
“Right now, without any state hate crimes, it leads people in the community to believe that bias-motiviated crimes aren’t being investigated and shouldn't be reported," Garner said. "And so, that’s all the more important, that's why we believe it's important, to be out here educating member of the community."
During the trial, it was revealed Ritter wanted to have a discreet relationship with Doe – and he fatally shot her when word of their relationship started to spread.
Garner said he is pleased with the case's result, but he says more needs to be done to protect members of the LGBTQ community. He said that many crimes are never reported.
Garner will also help prosecute another hate crime trial, the U.S. vs. Knox and Clippard. In this case, two South Carolina men are accused of robberies targeting Hispanic victims.
That trial begins on Nov. 14.
