This year marks my 17th year — and counting — reporting on her case. Today, widespread police reform efforts are underway. But when Morris was alive, many police officers believed they could brutalize the LGBTQ community with impunity.
At the time of her death, Morris was a 47-year-old trans woman of color and a beloved figure in the Philadelphia community. She was a popular entertainer and advocated for transgender rights.
On December 22, 2002, she attended a private party at the old Key West Bar, near 13th and Walnut streets. From all accounts, she had too much to drink at the party.