A Texas man has avoided being convicted of murder and manslaughter after his lawyer used the defense often known as 'gay panic' as the reason he killed his neighbor. James Miller, 69, of Austin was found guilty Tuesday of criminally negligent homicide in the 2015 death of Daniel Spencer, 32. The killing happened in September 2015 after Spencer invited Miller to his East Austin home to drink and play music. Miller testified that Spencer grew angry when Miller rejected his sexual advances according to The Austin-American Statesman. Currently there are 48 U.S. states that allow the 'gay panic' or 'trans panic' defense, in which a defendant can cite a victim's sexuality or gender identity as the justification for violent crime to obtain lesser charges or a reduced sentence.

Source: Daily Mail April 28, 2018 15:22 UTC