The mother of a gay teenager says her daughter won’t return to Jackson County High School after an incident in which she claims three other girls tried to kill her.  Dee Johnson told The Lexington Herald-Leader her daughter, 18-year-old Cheyenne Williams, has enough credits to graduate and it would be unsafe for her to return to classes.

Two classmates, who are both 18, are scheduled for arraignment Monday on attempted murder and kidnapping charges.  The other girl implicated is a juvenile.

Williams says her classmates tried to push her off a cliff April 16, and Johnson says her daughter was attacked because she is gay.

Kentucky State Police, however, determined that the incident was not a hate crime.  “It began as a prank of some sort,” said Kentucky State Trooper John Hawkins.  “It definitely is not a hate crime.”

Jordan Palmer, president of the Kentucky Equality Federation, said police officers don’t have the final word on what should be considered a hate crime.

According to state law, there is no “hate crime charge,” but the sentencing judge may determine whether the primary motivation for a crime is hate. If that determination is made, additional penalties may apply at sentencing, said Allison Martin, spokesman for the Kentucky Attorney General’s office.

In an e-mail to Jackson County schools officials on Friday, the Kentucky Equality Federation disputed statements that the incident was a prank and asked for assurances of safety for gay students.

The three suspects have long been friends with Williams, and school officials weren’t aware of any problems among them before Friday, said Tim Crawford, an attorney for Jackson County High School.

The three suspects allegedly offered Williams a ride to a job interview Friday afternoon, Crawford said. During the ride, Williams found out the interview was being delayed by two hours, and the four then went instead to Flat Lick Falls.

Williams’ family alleges that the three attacked Williams at the falls and tried to push her off a 50-foot cliff, state police said. The area of Appalachia is about 60 miles southeast of Lexington and borders the Daniel Boone National Forest.

Crawford said Williams’ mother told him the girls forced her back into the car, took her home and threatened her not to say anything.

Johnson said her daughter was attacked because she is openly gay and that the attack was linked to a gay awareness event earlier in the day [National Day of Silence].

Kentucky Equality Federation’s Discrimination, Hate Crimes, and School Bullying Committee is continuing to work with Williams’ family and conduct their own investigation according to Richard Jones, a committee member and one of three people attached directly to Kentucky Equality Federation’s Office of the President.  Mr. Jones is responsible for administration and communications.

© 2010 The Courier-Journal and © 2010 United We Stand – Kentucky’s LGBTI News

Federation news conference with Lex18 News, WYMT-TV, and WKYT-TV:

Copied from Kentucky Equality Federation’s YouTube Account.

NOTE: United We Stand – Kentucky’s LGBTI News believes everyone is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Though we cannot control public opinion, regardless of evidence the public is made aware of, arrest warrants, statements, etc. all people are innocent until proven guilty under the laws of the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the United States of America.