Trans prostitute convicted of voluntary manslaughter for Crissy Field slaying after jury ACQUITS him of murder
The trans prostitute accused of killing his client at San Francisco’s Crissy Field was found guilty of voluntary manslaughter this afternoon after a jury acquitted him of second-degree murder.
Leion Butler shot Hamza Walupupu in the head during a dispute that arose between the pair when Walupupu learned that Butler was a ‘transgender woman’ – in effect, a man – after a sex act had already been performed on him by the sex worker.
The jury of nine men and three women deliberated for two days after hearing six days of evidence at the city’s federal courthouse.
In rejecting the murder charge and reaching their guilty verdict on voluntary manslaughter, jurors must have concluded that Butler acted in ‘imperfect self-defense’, in the ‘heat of passion’ or as a result of a ‘sudden quarrel’.
They disregarded the option to convict Butler of involuntary manslaughter.
Earlier the jury sent questions to the judge requesting a layman’s explanation of ‘malice aforethought’ and ‘immediate danger’ and asking, when considering whether Butler acted reasonably, reasonableness ought to be seen from the perspective of an average person or from the perspective of Butler.
U.S. District Judge Susan Illston responded by pointing the jury back to her jury instructions which covered these issues.
Judge Illston set sentencing for June 27 2025. Butler faces a maximum penalty of 15 years’ imprisonment.
See background to the case here.
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