In June of 2008, Duanna Johnson said former Memphis Police Officer Bridges McRae beat her after making derogatory remarks about her sexuality. Johnson said another man, Officer J. Swain, held her down during the beating. Both officers were fired from the department. In the video you can see another officer holding her back and in the background you can see people standing by and watching.

Duanna Johnson, who was preparing to sue Memphis police after the beating, was shot to death on Nov. 9. According to The Tennessee Eyewitness News:

Memphis police say it happened just before midnight at Hollywood near Staten Avenue, Sunday, November 9, 2008. According to detectives, when officers arrived at the scene, they found the body lying in the street. Police say a witness heard gunfire and then saw three people running away from the scene. Investigators do not have any suspects at this time. Lawyer Murray Wells confirmed to Eyewitness News that the person who was killed is his client Duanna Johnson.

In Tennessee, three transgendered women have been killed in the past three years, all in Memphis. The irony: Tennessee is along the ‘Bible Belt’ of the South.

p.Johanna is a single lesbian who lives in Southern California. You can find out more about her and view her photos by visiting her page on MySpace.