25 November 2016, 14:42 GMT
WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — Joshua Brandon Vallum, 29, admitted that he murdered a 17-year-old transgender woman, Mercedes Williamson, after having sexual relationships with her, the release stated on Wednesday.
US Attorney General Loretta Lynch said the historic case reaffirms the Justice Department's constant effort to eliminate any type of hate crimes and protect the rights of all Americans.
Vallum is already facing life in prison after pleading guilty to murdering the woman in a Mississippi state court. While the state convicted Vallum on murder charges, the federal government was able to prosecute him for a hate crime because Mississippi does not have a hate crimes statute “that protects people from bias crimes based on their gender identity,” the release explained.
