A grand jury has indicted two female suspects on hate crime charges in the attack on a transgender woman at a Baltimore area McDonald’s last month.
The attack was captured on video by a now former McDonald’s employee, and shows the victim being kicked and punched in the head by the two females people until she appears to have a seizure.
Teonna Brown, 18, was indicted Monday on assault and hate crime charges in the attack on Chrissy Lee Polis at the restaurant last month. She is also charged with assaulting a customer and a McDonald’s employee who tried to intervene.
A 14-year-old girl is facing the same charges in juvenile court.
The hate crime charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine, which could be added to the 25-year maximum for the assault charge Brown already faces. Both suspects remain in custody.
Polis was attacked when she got into a confrontation with the two female patrons over use of the women’s restroom.
Never Miss a Beat
Subscribe to our newsletter to stay ahead of the latest LGBTQ+ political news and insights.
Brown was defending herself and maintains her innocence, according to her attorney, Timothy P. Knepp.
“She’s a very nice young lady who lives with her mom and is not the person the press has made her out to be,” Knepp said.
The video of the attack is here, you be the judge.
