Angie Zapata Murder Trial Begins Today

The trial of Allen Ray Andrade who is accused of murdering Colorado transgender teen Angie Zapata , (pictured), begins today. It marks the first time a hate crime under the sexual orientation section of the law goes to trial in America. You might recall we told you about Angie way back in July of last year. The 18 year-old was found by her sister inside her apartment in Greeley, Colorado, beaten to death. Days later, Greeley police found Allen Ray Andrade, 22, inside Zapata’s car in a nearby town. According to the Associated Press, "Andrade told investigators that he struck Zapata twice in the head with the extinguisher and thought he had 'killed it' before hitting her again as she struggled to get up, an arrest affidavit said. The pair met through a mobile networking site and had spent the night."

A judge last month threw out part of Andrade's confession, saying police didn't honor his request to remain silent 39 minutes into his interrogation. Tape-recorded jail calls in which Andrade allegedly told his girlfriend [Ed: He has a girlfriend?] that he "snapped" and that "gay things need to die" will be allowed by District Judge Marcelo Kopcow during the trial.

Andrade's sisters say that Angie was always attracting male suitors, most of whom backed out when they realized she was not born a woman. The trial has drummed up a groundswell of support because of its historic nature, with this website and a Twitter livefeed of the trial already in place.