Trans-identified male previously sentenced for child sexual abuse now receives 15-year prison term for bludgeoning friend to death.

Accident – Death – Obituary News : A trans-identified male who previously received a lenient two-year sentence in a youth treatment facility for sexually abusing a 10-year-old girl has now been handed a 15-year prison term for bludgeoning his friend to death with a rock. Hannah Tubbs, born James Tubbs, now 27, had joked about gaming the system after being tried and housed in a juvenile detention center for females. Tubbs had pleaded guilty to child sexual abuse, an offense he committed in 2014, just two weeks before his 18th birthday.

The recent incident occurred in April 2019 in Kern County, California, where Tubbs reportedly beat his friend, Michael Clark, to death with a rock. Tubbs has now accepted a plea deal and a charge of manslaughter. Prior to the plea deal, Tubbs had faced charges of first-degree murder, threatening a witness, robbery, and assault. In exchange for pleading guilty to manslaughter, Tubbs was sentenced to 15 years in prison.

The victim, Michael Clark, was a 22-year-old camper from College Place, Washington. Tubbs and Clark were friends and participants in a “survivalist transient group” made up of homeless individuals camping together in the Lake Isabella area at the time of Clark’s death. Clark’s body was discovered in the Kern River in Lake Isabella in August 2019, several months after he was killed.

During the trial, Tubbs’ father testified that Tubbs had lived with Clark for a brief period. The court also heard testimony from Kern County District Attorney Investigator Donald Krueger, who stated that Tubbs had claimed to have dual personalities competing in his mind when questioned about Clark’s death. Tubbs described a “transgender-me” as one of his personalities and claimed to have a darker, angrier persona that caused him to black out and commit actions he later could not recall. Tubbs confessed to beating Clark to death with a rock, attributing it to his darker side taking over.

Tubbs first made headlines in February after being found guilty of sexually assaulting a young girl in a Denny’s bathroom in 2014. Despite the severity of the crime, Tubbs was only sentenced to two years in a juvenile treatment center, where he was housed with female youth for a short time. The lenient sentence sparked outrage, especially when it was announced that Tubbs would not have to register as a sex offender upon completing his sentence.

Following Tubbs’ transfer to the youth treatment center for girls, audio of a call between Tubbs and his father was leaked, in which Tubbs was heard laughing and boasting about the lenient sentence and lack of consequences. This further fueled the public’s anger over the case.

It is worth noting that Tubbs began claiming a transgender status only after his arrest for the sexual assault of a child. Despite being charged as a man for the murder of Clark, Tubbs has been referred to as “Hannah” by the presiding judge. However, Tubbs’ legal name is James, and he is currently detained in a men’s jail in Kern County.

The handling of Tubbs’ case has sparked controversy and raised questions about the justice system’s response to crimes committed by transgender individuals. Some argue that Tubbs is using his gender identity as a means to receive favorable treatment, while others believe that his transgender status should be respected and acknowledged.

In the meantime, Tubbs will serve his 15-year prison sentence for the brutal murder of his friend. It remains to be seen whether he will be housed in the female prison estate, as California law requires inmates to be housed according to their self-declared gender identity. The case of Tubbs highlights the ongoing debate surrounding the rights and treatment of transgender individuals within the criminal justice system..