In the late hours of May 21, 2018, the life of Gigi Pierce, a 28-year-old transgender woman also known by the name Jeliza, was cut short on a sidewalk in downtown Portland, Oregon. Originally from Boise, Idaho, Pierce had friends who described her as someone who was often trying to help others. On that Monday night, a dispute with a woman named Sophia Adler, 33, escalated with fatal consequences.
The encounter between Pierce and Adler, who were acquainted, turned violent.
According to a witness who was a friend of Pierce, the argument began with Pierce telling Adler not to touch her. Adler then allegedly struck Pierce in the face with her purse, and as Pierce moved to retaliate, a single gunshot rang out. First responders found Pierce wounded on the sidewalk and attempted to provide emergency aid, but she died at the scene. Adler remained at the location and was arrested by Portland police.
Initially, Sophia Adler was charged with murder and booked into the Multnomah County Jail. However, the case took a different turn when it was presented to a grand jury. Adler claimed she acted in self-defense, stating that Pierce had threatened her with a knife. After a three-day proceeding, the grand jury declined to indict Adler on the murder charge, taking into account the state's self-defense laws.
While cleared of murder, Adler did not walk away without consequence. The grand jury did indict her on a single count of unlawful possession of a firearm because, although she had purchased the gun legally, she did not have a license to carry it concealed. Adler pleaded guilty to this charge and was sentenced to 100 days in jail, with credit for time already served. Her sentence also included two years of probation, during which she was required to undergo evaluations for drug, alcohol, and mental health issues and seek treatment if necessary. Authorities stated that the investigation did not suggest the crime was bias or hate-related.
