Two teenagers are on trial for the murder of a transgender girl in a shocking case that has drawn international attention.
Brianna Ghey, 16, was stabbed 28 times in a park in Warrington, northwest England, in February. Her body was discovered by dog walkers.
The case drew international attention and shock in Britain, in particular after two 15-year-olds were charged with her murder.
The two defendants, a boy and a girl now aged 16, allegedly discussed killing Ghey in the days and weeks leading up to her death. They have pleaded not guilty to murder.
The prosecutor, Deanna Heer, told the jury that the two defendants "blamed the other" for Ghey's death, but that both were culpable. "The prosecution case is that, whoever it was who delivered the fatal blow or blows, both defendants are equally guilty," she said.
Heer outlined that messages recovered from the defendants' phones showed a "preoccupation" with "violence, torture, and death." The messages also allegedly showed the defendants discussing how they wanted to kill people they knew, including Ghey.
"The messages demonstrate also how, over time, they encouraged one another to think about how they would actually carry out a killing," Heer said. "And the messages show how they planned together to kill Brianna in just the way that she was in fact killed."
Some have also spoken out against violence against transgender people. Transgender people are at a high risk of violence, both in the UK and elsewhere. According to a 2021 report by the National Crime Agency, transgender people in the UK are four times more likely to experience violence than the general population.
The trial is expected to continue Tuesday and last for several weeks.
