Mick Hartley

An Argentinian man who abducted a young girl, then sexually assaulted and strangled her, is now claiming he's trans. From Anna Slatz at Reduxx:

The family of a slain child is expressing outrage after learning that her killer has quietly declared a transgender identity and may be transferred to a women’s prison. The death of 12-year-old Micaela Ortega was the first case of child grooming resulting in murder recorded in Argentina’s history….

Luna was found guilty and sentenced to life imprisonment in October of 2017. The trial was said to be “historic” because it represented the first time in Argentina’s history that a child grooming case had resulted in the murder of the victim.

In 2020, an anti-grooming bill was adopted by Argentina’s government under the name “Mica Ortega’s Law” in memory of the girl.

But the case that rocked Argentina years ago is now once again renewing outrage after it was revealed that Jonathan Luna has self-declared a transgender identity and was moved out of the men’s population and into a special gender identity unit. Luna has changed his name to “Yoana Luna,” and is claiming he “felt” like a woman even at the time of the child’s murder — something which could have an impact on his conviction for femicide.

In Argentina, femicide is a gender-specific crime introduced in 2012 to address the nation’s epidemic of sex-based violence. According to the United Nations, one woman is murdered every 32 hours in Argentina. The femicide aggravation is defined broadly as “a crime against a woman when the act is perpetrated by a man and gender violence is mediated.”

Because Argentina has self-identification law, males who identify as women cannot typically be charged with femicide. Luna’s lawyers are now reportedly moving to challenge his femicide conviction, and for his crime to be reclassified as simple homicide.

Speaking to LA BRÚJULA 24, law professor and prominent public defender José Pazos Crocitto gave his opinion on the case, stating that he believes Luna is trying to game the system.

You don't say.

This week, La Nueva reported that Luna’s lawyers, along with the Buenos Aires Committee Against Torture, have now presented a habeas corpus in order to bolster Luna’s attempt to be granted the transfer.

Luna has also requested his cellphone be returned to him because he’s “having a hard time” while in prison.

Ortega’s mother has been vocal in opposing the possibility of his transfer, publicly stating this week: “I will not allow him to be with women,” and adding: “[Luna] hates women. It has been proven with the psychological and psychiatric tests that were carried out on him in Bahía Blanca, he despises the female sex.”

The whole system would seem to despise the female sex.