Boston Man Assaults Transgender Woman on Subway
The victim was riding a Blue Line train when she was accosted by a man who beat and kicked her while yelling derogatory remarks.
A Boston man was charged with assault for attacking a transgender woman while she was riding the city’s rapid-transit train last month.
Gregory Burnett faces charges of assault and battery causing serious bodily injury, assault and battery, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, and a civil rights violation with injury for repeatedly punching and kicking the victim.
The incident occurred on Halloween, when the victim was riding the Blue Line train, which had stopped at the Maverick station in East Boston, with the doors open, when Burnett boarded the train and began shouting derogatory terms at her, according to NBC News.
“You’re not a woman, you’re a man,” Burnett reported screamed at the 41-year-old trans woman, whose name has not been released, and then started punching and kicking her. She told police Burnett repeatedly kicked her in the crotch area.
The victim told police she tried to defend herself, but Burnett grabbed her foot by the heel and pulled her leg, causing her to fall to the ground, fracturing her wrist.
Several passengers intervened and fought off Burnett before kicking him off the train. The victim told police that, due to Burnett’s remarks, she believes she was targeted because of her gender identity.
Police were eventually able to identify the 53-year-old Burnett as the alleged attacker through witness descriptions and surveillance video footage. He was arrested on November 12 at the Maverick train station.
On November 22, Judge Debra DelVecchio found Burnett dangerous and ordered him to be placed on house arrest, with GPS monitoring. He will only be allowed to leave home for work.
Burnett is next scheduled to appear in court on January 21 for a probable cause hearing.
“We will never tolerate anyone being subjected to abuse — much less physical attack — for their sexual orientation, gender identity or expression,” Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden said in a statement. “And all our residents and visitors have the right and expectation to travel on public transportation in peace and safety.”
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