*Trigger Warning: Use of graphic language*

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The case of Brandon Teena is one of the most well-known accounts of police misconduct against someone who identified as transgender. When Brandon’s identity as a trans man was revealed to two acquaintances, John Lotter and Tom Nissen, they proceeded to rape and beat him. Although they threatened to kill him if he went to the police, Brandon reported the crime. Officer Laux of the Falls City, Nebraska Police Department interviewed Teena in order to understand what exactly the crime that took place was and to record a statement. In this interview, the officer failed to take the complaint seriously and instead poked fun at Teena. In the interview, he was recorded asking Teena questions that invalidated his identity such as, “Do you run around once in a while with a sock in your pants to make you look like a boy?” and, “Alright, so after he pulled your pants down and seen you was a girl, what did he do?” Not only did he invalidate Teena's gender identity but he also taunted him about his own sexual assault saying, “I can't believe that if he pulled your pants down and you are a female that he didn't stick his hands in you or his fingers in you.” Four days later the police questioned the accused but released them despite the evidence that was grounds to arrest them. Three days later Nissen and Lotter fatally shot and stabbed Brandon Teena for reporting the rape to police.