Defense Begins in Transgender Killing

After two weeks of sometimes gruesome testimony, the prosecution in the case of three men accused of killing a transgender teen rested Tuesday. Then it was the turn of the defense attorneys, who began by trying to chip away at the credibility of the prosecution’s main witness.

On trial are Michael Magidson, 23, Jose Merel and Jason Cazares, both 24. They are charged with killing Eddie “Gwen” Araujo after discovering that Araujo, 17, whom they knew as a girl called “Lida,” was biologically male.

Most of the details about Araujo’s killing have come from a fourth man, Jaron Nabors, who said he was present for much of the assault and had faced murder charges until he decided to plead guilty to manslaughter and testify against the others.

Defense attorneys said Nabors was lying to save himself.