Two Compton men have been charged in connection with an alleged hate crime against three transgender women that occurred in Hollywood last month.
The charges are detailed in a press release from the L.A. County District Attorney’s office. Carlton Alexander Callaway has been charged with one felony count each of assault by means of force likely to produce great bodily injury, battery with serious bodily injury, second-degree robbery, attempted second-degree robbery, criminal threats and grand theft. Callaway is also accused of using a steel rod as a deadly weapon. If convicted as charged, Callaway could face 13 years and four months in prison.
Davion Anthony Williams has been charged with one felony count each of grand theft and assault with a deadly weapon. In this case, the weapon was a ride-sharing scooter. If convicted as charged, Williams could face eight years and four months in prison.
The charges also include allegations that these acts were hate crimes.
According to investigators, influencers Eden “the Doll” Estrada, Joslyn Flawless and Jaslene Whiterose were waiting for an Uber on the 6500 block of Hollywood Boulevard near Wilcox Avenue on Aug. 17 at about 2:15 a.m. when the alleged attack took place.
The district attorney’s office says Callaway first befriended the women before turning on them. Williams is accused of joining in on the attack and stealing from the women.
Flawless said one of the men threatened her with a crowbar, demanded she give him her shoes and jewelry and told her he would kill her if she was transgender. She said bystanders laughed at her. Video of the incident shows a man throwing a scooter at the women, and another man hitting one of the women in the back of the head with an object.
At one point during the altercation, a Los Angeles Police Department patrol car drove past but didn’t stop. It was apparently on a different call. According to LAPD Chief Michel Moore, that’s also under investigation.
According to the Human Rights Campaign, transgender and gender non-conforming people, especially Black transgender women, often face violence in the U.S. This year, 26 transgender or gender non-conforming people have been killed. In 2019, 27 trans or gender non-conforming people died due to violence. That number may be even higher, as some incidents are never reported.