A 19-year-old Minneapolis man, Keaten Morris, has been sentenced to a year in jail and three years of probation for his role in the assault of a transgender woman at a light rail station in February. The attack, which left the victim with severe injuries including a head injury and brain bleed, occurred near Lake St. Station. Morris pleaded guilty to third-degree assault as part of a plea deal that saw a first-degree aggravated robbery charge dropped. He is also mandated to complete a chemical dependency treatment program.
Surveillance footage captured Morris and two others pushing the victim down the stairs and continuing the assault while she was on the ground. Two of the assailants, later identified as Morris and 23-year-old Kevin York Jr., boarded a train and were apprehended four stops later with the victim's belongings. York also pleaded guilty and awaits sentencing. While both men initially faced significant prison time and fines, the charges were not classified as bias-motivated despite the victim's transgender identity.
Judge Peter Cahill noted that Morris’s violation of a conditional release resulted in the jail time, despite the time already served. The third individual involved in the attack has not been identified.
