On November 3, 2020, Chanel Hines, a Black Trans woman, was shot five times by her parole officer, Jeff
Dept of Corrections, DOC stated it was under their discretion and nothing changed. Once again, Strong’s handling of a
Smith in Canandaigua, NY. The Office of Parole reported that
patient in their facility for care, while under police custody
the officer was executing a routine Parole violation when the
was brought to light. For the majority of her stay Chanel was
altercation ensued. The media went on to report the incident,
also denied mail, packages and calls. The first two weeks
misgendering and “dead-naming” her. They reported her having
after the shooting she was only allowed two 5 minute
been shot 3x while trying to run over the Parole officer
supervised speaker phone calls with her mother, Damita
attempting to “apprehend” her. The officer sustained no injuries.
under the threat of the call being disconnected if they
Blaque/OUT was put in touch with the family early on and have
discussed the case. When she was eventually allowed an
followed their journey to justice. We came to learn that witness
attorney visit, the officers refused to leave the room to
reports greatly differed from what the police were reporting. We
enable client/atty confidentiality. Chanel was shot multiple
worked to get media outlets to correct their original reports and
times, experienced blindness in one eye, loss of the use of
tell the accurate story of the 27yr old woman who was shot by
her arm and hand, a collapsed lung and in surgery, lost half
law enforcement. Over the course of a month we learned just
of one of her lungs. After three weeks, Chanel was moved to
how sad and infuriating Chanel’s story was and more and more
an all male upstate correctional facility with a hospital unit
of what actually took place. Chanel was shot at 7 times through
and once again her family was denied visits and
the windshield and hit by 5 bullets by Smith. The family only
communication. Calls eventually were restored and now
learned this after weeks in recovery. She was removed from the
Chanel sits in wait, still in pain and recovering, without
vehicle at the scene and left on the ground with no medical
visitation- all without new charges even being levied against
treatment for over an hour. Chanel was airlifted to Strong
her. Chanel’s Mother, Damita Bonnemere, her staunchest
Memorial in Rochester, NY where she endured 3 emergency
supporter, began a crusade to make sure Chanel receives
surgeries with no support. Chanel was denied any visits from
the justice that she deserves. Joined by Free the People
family her entire stay at Strong despite no one being able to
ROC, Blaque/OUT Mag, Next Generation Men of Transition,
provide any statute that supported that. Strong pointed to the
BlackCuse Pride, BLM Syracuse and countless members of
