The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and LLEGO, the national Latina/o Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Organization, are urging Milwaukee law enforcement officials to fully investigate the murder of a local activist, including elevating the murder to the classification of a hate crime.
Milwaukee activist Juana Vega was shot repeatedly in the face and chest and died on Sunday, Nov. 11. First-degree intentional homicide charges have been filed against Pablo Parrilla who, according to witnesses, threatened to kill Vega on numerous occasions because of her past lesbian relationship with Parrilla's sister, Melodia "Ria" Parrilla. Local law enforcement officials have not yet classified the murder as a hate crime, despite the obvious evidence in the case, NGLTF said.
Under Wisconsin law, such a classification would not alter the mandatory life sentence already required by a first-degree intentional homicide conviction.
"This vicious murder happened solely because the victim was a lesbian. This is exactly the reason that the hate-crimes law exists," said NGLTF executive director Lorri L. Jean. "The Wisconsin hate-crimes law has been scrutinized by the U.S. Supreme Court and has been found constitutional, yet it has been rarely, if ever, applied in a case involving bias violence against a member of the Milwaukee-area lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender community. Now is the time."
"We urge the Milwaukee District Attorney to consider the perpetrator's hate of gays and lesbians as a motive behind the murder of Juana Vega," said LLEGÓ Executive Director Martín Ornelas-Quintero. "DA and police officials must look into all variables associated with Vega's murder, and act accordingly with Wisconsin State Law. Legal authorities should also ensure Vega's family right to a fair and expeditious process."
NGLTF pressed three key Milwaukee officials to closely examine the case. A letter urged Mayor John Norquist, Common Council President Marvin Pratt, and County Executive Tom Ament to "give full consideration to enhancing the homicide charge with a charge that the alleged killer committed a hate crime."
Vega, 36, was a Mexican-American lesbian, an entrepreneur ( owner of The Biker's Express, a bike messenger service in Milwaukee ) , a painter and a chef. She was active in Las Americas Without Borders, a social organization for GLBT Latino/as in Milwaukee. Her brutal murder occurred on the last day of the Creating Change conference, the national conference of the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender movement, which was convened in Milwaukee by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Foundation.
Pablo Parrilla objected to the couple's lesbian relationship, and often used derogatory epithets to reference the couple, LLEGO said. He also reportedly threatened to kill Vega for "turning his sister gay."
In the two months preceding Vega's murder, the Milwaukee Police Department responded to complaints of gunshots being fired at the couple's home. Vega's relatives and neighbors allege that Pablo Parrilla fired shots at her as she stood outside the home.
At the preliminary hearing Nov. 26, Parrilla pled "not guilty" to charges of first-degree intentional homicide. Parilla is currently on two-year probation after serving a nine-month sentence in a correctional facility for a battery conviction. Parilla had an outstanding arrest warrant for violating parole at the time of his arrest.
"LLEGÓ has a vested interest in ensuring that the Juana Vega case is pursued accordingly because of the nature of her murder," stated Ornelas-Quintero. "Juana Vega's vicious and atrocious murder is emblematic of the rising number of hate crimes committed against LGBT individuals in the country. According to the FBI's annual crime report for 2000, the latest year for which hates crimes data is available, 15% of the nation's hate crimes were based on sexual orientation." He added, "Juana Vega's murder is no exception."
NGLTF and LLEGO urge gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people to contact the Milwaukee County Executive Tom Ament to urge the full investigation of the murder of Juana Vega, including the application of the Wisconsin Hate Crimes law: Tom Ament, Milwaukee County Executive, 901 N. 9th Street, Courthouse Room 306, Milwaukee, WI 53233-1458, Phone: 414-278-4211, Fax: 414-223-1375, Email: tomament@milwcnty.com .