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.