discussion Ex-Virginia Tech football player acquitted of mistaken-gender-identity murder of date

[Assassin]

 

Former Virginia Tech football player Isimemen Etute, 19, has been acquitted of the second-degree murder of a Tinder date he "[mistook] for a woman" last year.

Etute had said he met Jerry Paul Smith, 40, in April 2021 to engage in oral sex with someone named "Angie" he matched with on Tinder. The next month, he returned to the victim's apartment to verify his* gender.

The 6'3", 205 lb. "elite athlete" groped the 153 lb. Smith before beating him to death.

The Roanoke Times reported that "Etute told the police he punched Smith five times in the face and continued punching the victim when they hit the ground and 'stomped' on them. Etute heard 'bubbling and gurgling' as he left the apartment but didn't call the police."

A medical examiner ruled that Smith died of blunt force trauma to the head. According to an autopsy, "every bone in his face was broken" and his teeth had been knocked out.

 

 

Police said Smith did not have a gun, but detectives found a knife under his mattress. Defense attorney Jimmy Turk argued that Etute acted in self-defense, and his fear and the victim’s weapon were not considered by police.

 

Prosecutor Patrick Jensen argued that Smith was in no position to get his knife, and said the 153-pound man was no physical match for the “elite college athlete” who was listed as 6-foot-3, 205 pounds.

 

A June 2021 report by The Advocate noted that it "[wasn't] clear why Etute thought Smith was a woman during the initial encounter. No one [had] identified Smith as transgender; his family has said he was a gay man."

 

Edited May 29, 2022 by Assassin

[Bosque]

         

[James_Dean]

[wastedpotential]

8 minutes ago, Assassin said:

The Roanoke Times reported that "Etute told the police he punched Smith five times in the face and continued punching the victim when they hit the ground and 'stomped' on them. Etute heard 'bubbling and gurgling' as he left the apartment but didn't call the police."

A medical examiner ruled that Smith died of blunt force trauma to the head. According to an autopsy, "every bone in his face was broken" and his teeth had been knocked out.

 

And he was acquitted? 

[Pheromosa]

Trans people really have to be more careful when engaging with men. The legal system and society is out to kill them.

RIP.

[Abracadabra]

What the ****

[Rev8]

So it was self-defense when HE went to the victim's place and Killed them?

 

am gonna say I am surprised by the US judging system but...

[Assassin]

1 minute ago, Pheromosa said:

Trans people really have to be more careful when engaging with men. The legal system and society is out to kill them.

RIP.

he wasn't even transgender.  

[Assassin]

3 minutes ago, wastedpotential said:

And he was acquitted? 

His lawyers argued it was self defense. 

 

Police said Smith did not have a gun, but detectives found a knife under his mattress. Defense attorney Jimmy Turk argued that Etute acted in self-defense, and his fear and the victim’s weapon were not considered by police.

Prosecutor Patrick Jensen argued that Smith was in no position to get his knife, and said the 153-pound man was no physical match for the “elite college athlete” who was listed as 6-foot-3, 205 pounds.

[CaptainMusic]

1 minute ago, Pheromosa said:

Trans people really have to be more careful when engaging with men. The legal system and society is out to kill them.

RIP.

He wasn’t a trans woman, he was a gay man who pretended to be a woman and tricked this guy.

 

He didn’t deserve to die but it’s wrong to trick people like that. Looking at the pictures I think this guy probably knew that deep down from the start that he wasn’t a woman and then acted out due to self hate.

[Pheromosa]

2 minutes ago, Assassin said:

he wasn't even transgender.  

Oh, then this is even more bizarre 

[Communion]

Girlies better be careful before saying anything stupid and transphobic - prosecution argued the person who called themselves "Angie" was more-so a gay man catfish and argued a more gay panic defense than trans panic.

 

Hopefully no one agrees with the idea that you can murder someone for being a catfish. 

[Bicassie]

horrible news

he should be in jail

[SimpleKindofLife]

It’s really weird that he didn’t at least get jail time

[Aspookykid]

This is so disturbing ?

[Afterglow]

A monster. Completely irrational reaction.

[brazil]

I can't with someone getting away with murder like this.

[Cloudy]

And he got away with it? Are you ******* serious?

 

EDIT: I literally want to throw up seeing this pic...

 

People react as Isimemen Etute is acquitted in his trial.

 

Edited May 29, 2022 by Cloudy

[Illuminati]

He murdered that person in cold blood and they're cheering him on

[despy]

21 minutes ago, Cloudy said:

And he got away with it? Are you ******* serious?

 

EDIT: I literally want to throw up seeing this pic...

 

People react as Isimemen Etute is acquitted in his trial.

 

this is so sick and nasty... i can't believe someone can get away with this just like that

[Archetype]

So he was catfished by a gay man and decided to kill him?  Then got away with it?  Tf?? 

[Price of Fame]

They argued self-defense, not gay/trans panic defense. 

 

the victim was also a known sexual predator who drugged people on campus   

[Katamari]

this is wild

[Katamari]

3 hours ago, CaptainMusic said:

He wasn’t a trans woman, he was a gay man who pretended to be a woman and tricked this guy.

 

He didn’t deserve to die but it’s wrong to trick people like that. Looking at the pictures I think this guy probably knew that deep down from the start that he wasn’t a woman and then acted out due to self hate.

according to what im reading on various sites he was a known serial rapist, which may explain the reaction in the court room 

[Communion]

52 minutes ago, Price of Fame said:

They argued self-defense, not gay/trans panic defense. 

Not accurate sadly; there were two claims to the defense: a claim that the murderer thought Smith was reaching under their bed for a weapon, and that finding out Smith was what he perceived to be a cis gay man, not a cis woman, caused him to panic. The judge even said the ruling that banned such defenses in the last year was not retroactive and would not impact its role in this case: