A woman whose beating of a transgender woman at a McDonald's restaurant near Baltimore was captured on videotape has pleaded guilty to the attack. Baltimore County State's Attorney Scott Shellenberger says 19-year-old Teonna Brown pleaded guilty Thursday to one count of first-degree assault and one count of a hate crime. Video of Brown's beating of 22-year-old Chrissy Polis went viral online, drawing national attention to the struggles of transgender people. Democratic Gov. Martin O'Malley pledged to seek greater protections for transgender people. Brown's sentencing is set for next month. Prosecutors say they plan to seek a prison term of five years. Shellenberger says a girl charged as a juvenile in the same attack acknowledged her role in juvenile court on July 1 and was committed to a detention facility. |