Sam Nordquist, a 24-year-old transgender man, was tortured for over a month before being killed in Canandaigua. Seven suspects face first-degree murder charges, but prosecutors declined to pursue hate crime charges, sparking outrage.
This has been subject to repeated reader and resident questions since the charges were filed and the suspects appeared in court.
The Ontario County DA’s office cited Nordquist’s connection to the suspects, some of whom are LGBTQ+, as a reason for the decision. Experts say proving a hate crime is challenging and would only add five years to sentencing. However, activists argue labeling the attack as a hate crime would acknowledge violence faced by transgender people.
Nordquist endured severe physical and sexual abuse before his death. His supporters continue to push for legal recognition of the attack’s nature, while prosecutors focus on securing convictions without added complications from hate crime charges.
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