From: Riki Anne Wilchins Date: Mon, 27 Nov 1995 13:09:43 -0500 Subject: ANOTHER TRANSEXUAL MURDERED IN BOSTON ANOTHER TRANSEXUAL MURDERED IN BOSTON Contact: Nancy Nangeroni / 617-497-6928 / nrn@world.std.com. [BOSTON, MA - November 21] Following all too closely on the May 15 strangulation-stabbing of Deborah Forte in Haverill, MA, another Boston-area transexual has been murdered. Chanel (aka Roman) Pickett, 23, was strangled to death in nearby Watertown, MA early on the morning of Monday, November 20. Arrested in the case was William C. Palmer, 34, a manager of computer programming for Unisys in Somerville. Chanel was found dead in Palmer's room at about 1 p.m. Monday, roughly 8 hours after the murder occurred. Palmer's attorney had called the police to turn him in. Palmer was a reputed admirer of pro-op transexuals who frequented one of Boston's two TS pick-up bars, the Playland. On Sunday evening, November 19, Palmer drove Chanel and her twin transexual sister Gabrielle to their Chelsea apartment, staying for about 90 minutes to drink, and snort cocaine he had purchased near the Playland. Palmer apparently attempted to persuade the twins to participate in a three-way tryst. Only Chanel packed an overnight bag and went home with him. According to Gabrielle, Chanel did not regard Palmer as a trick, but as a potential relationship partner. Palmer's roommates stated he and Pickett spent 5 hours in Palmer's room, during which an argument broke out. The roommates knocked on the door, but were assured everything was all right. Shortly thereafter, the conflict escalated and Pickett was strangled to death. Despite admitting his guilt, Palmer entered a "Not Guilty" plea in Waltham District Court on Wednesday. basing his his defense on grounds he was unaware Picket was "a he", and that this discovery led directly to his strangling her. Buttressing Palmer's claim of ignorance, his defense attorney Walter B. Prince was quoted in the Boston Globe as branding "absurd" allegations Palmer dated transexuals, or knew Pickett had male genitals, saying, "We have it on pretty solid ground that any accusations of that nature are certainly false and out of character for a gentleman who has lived the normal upstanding life that he has. He has worked every day of his life since high school and has deep roots in the community." Prince was further quoted in the Boston Herald as stating, "clearly [there] was a horrendous fight that occurred, and my client [Palmer] received multiple bruises and bites from this assailant." Prince apparently did not address whether bruises Palmer suffered might have been incurred as the victim struggled for her life. Palmer's assertion of ignorance was refuted by patrons of the Playland Cafe in the strongest possible terms, including Gabrielle Pickett, the dead girl's sister. Typical of comments were those of one transvestite patron, who declared, "He had approached me one time. He asked me if I had real breasts, and I said no because I'm not a pre-op. That's when he seemed to lose interest." Another patron, 30-year old transexual Toyaer Shearrion, who had dated Palmer 4 times stated, "He knew what he was doing. He loves them." Prosecuting Assistant DA Thomas O'Reilly reputedly accepted Palmer's pleas of initial ignorance of Chanel's gender. However, according to newspaper accounts at the Friday bail hearing, ADA O'Reilly quoted Palmer as declaring to the dead woman just hours before he strangled her, "You're the best-looking pre-op transsexual I've ever seen." Chanel Pickett had been fired by Nynex last February, after defending herself against a co-worker's harassment of her gender. Currently, there is no legal recourse for transsexual persons who are fired from their jobs for reason of their gender, and honest transgender folks are rarely hired. Chanel turned to sex work to save money for surgery and medical needs. It is fair to ask if Chanel would be alive today had Nynex supported her instead of joining with the worker who harassed her and firing her. The Employment Non-Discrimination Act will (when amended as planned) provide legal recourse in situations such as this, securing for transgender folks the right to work without harassment for their gender. Unfortunately the bill is not yet law. In the words of Toyaer Shearrion, Chanel was "a beautiful person. She was always there for you if you needed something." As with Brandon Teena, the Transexual Menace and friends will hold a Memorial Vigil on the opening day of the murder trial. [END]