Killing of Islan Nettles

Killing of Islan Nettles
LocationHarlem, New York City, U.S.
DateAugust 17, 2013 (2013-08-17)
Attack type
Homicide
VictimIslan Nettles
PerpetratorJames Dixon
MotiveTransphobia
ChargesFirst-degree manslaughter

Islan Rose Nettles (d. August 22, 2013) was an African American transgender woman who was attacked on August 17, 2013, and died from her injuries on August 22, 2013.

Life

Islan Nettles was a 21-year-old woman living in Harlem, New York. She was born the second-oldest out of seven children. After graduating from Bread and Roses Integrated Arts High School in 2009, she took courses at the New York City College of Technology in hopes of becoming a professional fashion designer. She worked as an intern assistant fashion designer at Ay'Medici, and an assistant photographer and fashion instructor at Harlem Children's Zone.[1]

Killing

Nettles was attacked in Harlem just after midnight on August 17, 2013.[2] She was walking with two friends when the three of them came across a group of men at Frederick Douglass Boulevard and 148th Street, across the street from a police station.[3][4] She was brought to Harlem Hospital, where doctors had to remove a portion of her skull and brain.[5] Nettles was declared brain-dead August 20 2013, but the doctors delayed taking her off life support until August 22 at the request of Nettles' mother Delores.[5][6]

Vigil and funeral

A vigil was held for Nettles at Jackie Robinson Park on August 27, 2013. Shouts erupted from the crowd at several points during the vigil due to frustration from transgender audience members over the lack of transgender speakers, and several speakers' tendency to misgender Nettles.[7][8]

Nettles's funeral was held at St. John Pentecostal Church on Lenox Avenue and 132nd Street. A veil was put over her face to cover up her injuries.[9]

Court case

The killer, James Dixon, was not indicted until March 2015, despite turning himself in three days after the attack. During his confession, Dixon said that he had flown into "a blind fury" when he realized that Nettles was a transgender woman.[10] He also said his friends mocked him for flirting with Nettles—not realizing that she was transgender[11]—and that he felt the need to attack her because "[his] pride was at stake."[12] Furthermore, in an incident a few days prior to the beating, his friends had teased him after he flirted with two transgender women while he was doing pull-ups on a scaffolding at 138th Street and Eighth Avenue.[10]

Dixon pleaded not guilty to first-degree manslaughter at his indictment, despite the police having several recorded confessions from him.[13][14] His attorney, Norman Williams, tried to prevent the confessions from being used for the trial based on technicalities, but the evidence was ruled admissible.[10][11] Afterwards, Dixon changed his mind about exercising his right to trial, and pleaded guilty.[15] Dixon was not charged with murder, which would have required proof of intent, nor was he charged with a hate crime.[13] He received a 17 year sentence, which judge Robert Stolz lowered to 12 years.[14] He would have faced up to 25 years in prison if found guilty during a trial.[11] Delores Nettles believed the sentence was too lenient, and sought to push for federal hate crime charges.[16][17][18]

Dixon was incarcerated at Clinton Correctional Facility.[12]

Reaction

Trans Lives Matter!: Justice for Islan Nettles is a seven-minute film that focuses on Nettles' killing. The film was directed by Oluseyi Adebanjo and screened by PBS Channel 13, as well as the Brooklyn Museum. Other screenings where the film has been featured include Official Selection at the 28th BFI Flare London, LGBT Film Festival, Gender Reel Film Festival, Al Jazeera America, and Black Star Film Festival.[19]

On January 30, 2014, over 100 protestors gathered outside the 1 Police Plaza, New York City Police Department headquarters.[20] Amongst the protestors was Delores Nettles.[21] There were also local LGBTQ+ rights organizers such as Daniella Carter, Lourdes Ashley Hunter, and Madison St. Sinclair.[22]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Killing of Transgender Woman Shocks Harlem Community". DNAinfo New York. Archived from the original on 2026-01-21. Retrieved 2026-05-24.
  2. ↑ Schwirtz, Michael (8 September 2013). "Embarking on a New Life, Transgender Woman Has It Brutally Taken". The New York Times. Retrieved 2 June 2019.
  3. ↑ "Fatal Beating of Transgender Woman Ruled a Homicide". DNAinfo New York. Archived from the original on 2025-07-14. Retrieved 2026-05-24.
  4. ↑ "Brooklyn Man Arrested for 2013 Death of Transgender Woman Islan Nettles". DNAinfo New York. Archived from the original on 2025-09-13. Retrieved 2026-05-24.
  5. 1 2 "Mother of Fatally Beaten Transgender Woman Calls for Justice". DNAinfo New York. Archived from the original on 2025-06-15. Retrieved 2026-05-24.
  6. ↑ "Transgender Woman Dies After Beating in Harlem, Cops Say". DNAinfo New York. Archived from the original on 2026-02-11. Retrieved 2026-05-24.
  7. ↑ Shapiro, Lila. "Vigil For Murdered Transgender Woman Disrupted". The Huffington Post. Archived from the original on 2014-03-29. Retrieved 2026-05-24.
  8. ↑ Ason Indigo (2013-08-31). Vigil for slain trans women Islan Nettles. Retrieved 2026-05-24 – via YouTube.
  9. ↑ "Beaten Transgender Woman's Injuries Hidden by Veil-Draped Open Casket". DNAinfo New York. Archived from the original on 2025-08-13. Retrieved 2026-05-24.
  10. 1 2 3 McKinley Jr, James C. (2 April 2016). "Man's Confession in Transgender Woman's Death Is Admissible, Judge Rules". The New York Times. Retrieved 2 June 2019.
  11. 1 2 3 "Man Accused of Killing Trans Woman Says He Was 'Tricked by a Transgender' | Broadly". Broadly. Archived from the original on 2016-04-15. Retrieved 2026-05-24.
  12. 1 2 VICE News (2019-07-21). Trans Woman's Killer Used the "Gay Panic Defense." It's Still Legal in 42 States. Retrieved 2026-05-24 – via YouTube.
  13. 1 2 McKinley Jr, James C. (3 March 2015). "Manslaughter Charges in Beating Death of Transgender Woman in 2013". The New York Times. Retrieved 2 June 2019.
  14. 1 2 Jacobs, Shayna. "James Dixon, accused of fatally beating transgender woman, rejects plea deal and will stand trial — but has already confessed several times, prosecutors say". nydailynews.com. Archived from the original on 2021-10-22. Retrieved 2026-05-24.
  15. ↑ "Man Pleads Guilty to Beating Transgender Woman Islan Nettles to Death". DNAinfo New York. Archived from the original on 2025-05-12. Retrieved 2026-05-24.
  16. ↑ McKinley Jr, James C. (19 April 2016). "Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Beating Death of Transgender Woman". The New York Times. Retrieved 2 June 2019.
  17. ↑ "Plea Deal for Islan Nettles Killer a 'Slap in the Face,' Her Mother Says". DNAinfo New York. Archived from the original on 2025-01-13. Retrieved 2026-05-24.
  18. ↑ "12-Year Sentence for Transgender Woman's Killer 'Not Right,' Family Says". DNAinfo New York. Archived from the original on 2024-05-22. Retrieved 2026-05-24.
  19. ↑ Freelon, Kiratiana (13 September 2023). "Exclusive: Watch Experimental Short, 'Trans Lives Matter! Justice for Islan Nettles' | IndieWire". www.indiewire.com.
  20. ↑ "Transgender Groups Protest Handling of Islan Nettles' Death". DNAinfo New York. Archived from the original on 2026-02-15. Retrieved 2026-05-24.
  21. ↑ Jacqueline Gares (2014-02-05). Delores Nettles 1/30/14. Retrieved 2026-05-24 – via YouTube.
  22. ↑ Democracy Now! : LINKTV : February 19, 2014 8:00am-9:01am PST, LINKTV, 2014-02-19, retrieved 2026-05-24{{citation}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
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