Defendant In Araujo Case Contradicts Key Prosecution Witness

HAYWARD, Calif. -- One of three men charged with killing a transgender teen gave jurors his version of what happened that night, contradicting some of the testimony of the prosecution's key witness.

Earlier, Jaron Nabors testified for the prosecution that Eddie "Gwen" Araujo was viciously beaten and strangled after her biological identity was revealed in an explosive confrontation in October 2002.

But defendant Jason Cazares gave a somewhat different account, appearing to try to shift some blame to Nabors.

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Appellate division hears arguments in transgender bathroom lawsuit
By KAREN MATTHEWS
Associated Press Writer

NEW YORK -- A lawyer for a Queens landlord that was sued for alleged discrimination against transgendered people who used the wrong bathroom argued Wednesday that city and state laws did not apply at the time.

"The issue that caused a problem here was whether an anatomical male who feels more comfortable as a woman should be able to use the ladies' room," Emanuel Gold, the attorney for the owners of the Bruson Building in Jackson Heights, told a five-member panel of the state Supreme Court's Appellate Division. "The only thing we're saying ... is that, in the year 2000, the statute did not apply to gender identity."

But Edward Hernstadt, a lawyer for the plaintiff, the Hispanic AIDS Forum, said New York courts have consistently held that state anti-discrimination laws protect transgendered people.

The Hispanic AIDS Forum sued its former landlord in 2001, charging that its lease was not renewed because some of its transgendered clients were deemed to be using the wrong bathrooms and other tenants complained.