Maryland
‘Rally for Justice’ protests prosecutors’ response to murder of Md. trans woman
Man charged with fatal shooting of Meghan Lewis released while awaiting trial
The transgender advocacy organization Safe Haven Maryland released a statement Sunday night, Jan. 7, announcing it was holding a “Rally for Justice: Demanding Accountability for Meghan Lewis,” at 8 a.m., Monday, Jan. 8, outside the Harford County, Md., courthouse to protest what the group believes to be the mishandling by prosecutors of the Dec. 27 murder of Lewis, a beloved transgender woman.
Police in Bel Air, Md., where Lewis lived, said witnesses reported she got into an altercation with a man named Brian Delen, 47, who was delivering food outside her condominium building after he reportedly misgendered her by calling her “sir.”
Police said Lewis allegedly yelled at Delen when he started to drive off in his car. WBAL TV News in Baltimore reports that court documents say Delen then got out of his car, pulled out a gun, and fatally shot Lewis.
The documents say Delen immediately after shooting called 911 and surrendered to police, who found him in possession of a semi-automatic pistol for which he had a valid permit, according to WBAL
The Maryland Safe Haven statement says the group called the rally outside the courthouse at 20 West Courthouse Street in Bel Air to protest, among other things, a decision by prosecutors with the Harford County State’s Attorney’s Office not to classify the incident as a hate crime.
The statement says Safe Haven Maryland and its supporters at the rally would also be protesting a decision by Harford County District Court Judge Susan Hazlett to release Delen on his own personal recognizance until at least the time of the next court hearing scheduled for Jan. 25. The judge ordered him to be held in home detention with a GPS monitoring device.
Court records show Delen has been charged with Second Degree Murder, Assault-First Degree, and Firearm Use/Felony-Violent Crime. Some transgender activists have said he should have been charged with First-Degree murder.
“We call upon the community, local law enforcement agencies, the state’s attorney’s office, and other relevant authorities to join us in our pursuit of justice for Meghan Lewis,” the Safe Haven statement says, which was released by Safe Haven Executive Director Iya Dammons. “We request meetings with officials to discuss the case, present evidence, and express our concerns about the handling of the investigation,” it says.
In what it describes as a “Demand for Accountability,” the statement declares:
• Hold the state’s attorney’s office accountable for not charging the murder as a hate crime, despite evidence suggesting it was motivated by bias or prejudice.
• Call for transparency and an explanation from the state’s attorney’s office regarding their decision-making process.
• Demand a thorough review of the handling of the case by law enforcement agencies, including any potential mishandling or negligence in the investigation.
In response to a request by the Washington Blade for comment, the Harford County State’s Attorney’s Office released a statement Monday morning saying the case remains under “thorough investigation, to examine all evidence and determine what additional charges are appropriate.”
The statement points out that the State’s Attorney’s Office requested that Delen be held without bail pending trial and questions regarding how the decision was reached to release him on his own recognizance “should be directed to the judiciary,” meaning the judge who made the release decision.
“The evidence in this case will be thoroughly evaluated in the same manner as any case presented to our office for prosecution and as always, the State’s Attorney’s Office remains committed to seeking justice,” the statement concludes.
The Harford County Office of the Public Defender, which is serving as Delen’s defense counsel, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Maryland
Supreme Court ruling against conversion therapy bans could affect Md. law
Then-Gov. Larry Hogan signed statute in 2018
By PAMELA WOOD, JOHN-JOHN WILLIAMS IV, and MADELEINE O’NEILL | The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday ruled against a law banning “conversion therapy” for LGBTQ kids in Colorado, a ruling that also could apply to Maryland’s ban on the discredited practice.
An 8-1 high court majority sided with a Christian counselor who argues the law banning talk therapy violates the First Amendment. The justices agreed that the law raises free speech concerns and sent it back to a lower court to decide whether it meets a legal standard that few laws pass.
Justice Neil Gorsuch, writing for the court’s majority, said the law “censors speech based on viewpoint.” The First Amendment, he wrote, “stands as a shield against any effort to enforce orthodoxy in thought or speech in this country.”
The rest of this article can be read on the Baltimore Banner’s website.
Maryland’s legislative caucuses outlined their legislative priorities heading into the final weeks of the 2026 General Assembly during a joint press conference on March 24.
The press conference was titled “We are Maryland,” where a representative for each of the legislative caucuses outlined priorities.
State Del. Kris Fair (D-Frederick County) of the LGBTQ+ Caucus opened the press conference with a statement on the unity of Maryland’s caucus.
“Together we can show our state and our community a different world, one where we mutually support one another and through that support uplift every Marylander,” he said.
In a press conference on March 5, the LGBTQ+ Caucus outlined its top legislative priorities. Fair highlighted two of those bills again during the “We are Maryland” press conference.
The first of the two highlighted pieces of legislation was Senate Bill 626 and House Bill 1589.
The bills would simplify the process of updating an individual’s birth certificate and align the Department of Health and DMV systems to reflect those changes. The bill is being led by state Sen. Clarence Lam (D-Anne Arundel and Howard Counties) and state Del. Ashanti Martinez (D-Prince George’s County).
The second piece of legislation is Senate Bill 950 and House Bill 1209, which would update and modernize laws and regulations around so-called conversion therapy. The bills have failed to pass either chamber thus far. They are being led by state Sen. Cheryl Kagan (D-Montgomery County) and state Del. Bonnie Cullison (D-Montgomery County).
(The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday ruled against a Colorado law that bans so-called conversion therapy for minors. Maryland is among the U.S. jurisdictions that prohibit the widely discredited practice for anyone under 18.)
Martinez and Lam have introduced bills in their respective chambers that would expand PrEP access in Maryland. Martinez did not attend the press conference, and Fair did not mention it when he spoke.
State Del. N. Scott Phillips (D-Baltimore County) represented the Black Caucus during the press conference. State Del. Dana Jones (D-Anne Arundel County) spoke on behalf of the Women’s Caucus, State Del. Teresa Woorman (D-Montgomery County) represented the Latino Caucus, and State Del. Lily Qi (D-Montgomery County) represented the Asian-American and Pacific Islander Caucus. State Del. Jared Solomon (D-Montgomery County) represented the Jewish Caucus, and state Del. Sean Stinnett (D-Baltimore County) represented the Muslim Caucus during the press conference.
Solomon ended the press conference by explaining the importance of all the caucuses coming out together.
“We are stronger when we’re together, and many of these issues that we have talked about, again, impact all of us,” said Solomon.
Cameroon
Gay Cameroonian immigrant will be freed from ICE detention — for now
Ludovic Mbock’s homeland criminalizes homosexuality
By ANTONIO PLANAS | An immigration judge on Friday issued a $4,000 bond for a Cameroonian immigrant and regional gaming champion held in federal immigration detention for the past three weeks.
The ruling will allow Ludovic Mbock, of Oxon Hill, to return to Maryland from a Georgia facility this weekend, his family and attorney said.
“Realistically, by tomorrow. Hopefully, by today,” said Mbock’s attorney, Edward Neufville. “We are one step closer to getting Ludovic justice.”
The rest of this article can be found on the Baltimore Banner’s website.
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Md. lawmakers reaffirm legislative priorities
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The White House5 days agoThousands attend ‘No Kings’ protests in D.C.
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U.S. Supreme Court4 days ago
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