21-Year-Old Man Charged With Beating Transgender Woman In Hollywood
HOLLYWOOD (CBSLA.com) — A 21-year-old Los Angeles man was charged Monday in an attack on a transgender woman in Hollywood last month.
Nicol Shakhnazaryan, who was arrested Thursday, pleaded not guilty to charges of battery with serious bodily injury, assault by means likely to produce great bodily injury and a special allegation of great bodily injury. He's jailed on $50,000 bail.
Police believe Shakhnazaryan was one of four men who beat 22-year-old Vivian Diego in the 6200 block of Hollywood Boulevard, near a Metro stop, May 31.
The attack, which authorities called a hate crime, was caught on security video and showed the suspects knock down and kick the victim.
Diego suffered a broken jaw, a shattered cheekbone and two cracked ribs. Her jaw was wired shut, and she was hospitalized for seven days.
No other arrests have been made in the case, in which a $25,000 reward was offered.
If convicted, Shakhnazaryan faces up to eight years in prison. He's due back in court July 16.
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