Victim testifies in Seattle hate crime trial over alleged unprovoked anti-trans attack

The trial for the man King County prosecutors say brutally beat a trans woman in an unprovoked attack while using anti-trans slurs in Seattle’s U-District last March reached its second day Thursday.

Andre Karlow, 39, has been charged with second-degree assault and a hate crime for the alleged unprovoked attack on Andy Holcepl.

In March 2025, just after 6 p.m., Holcepl was attacked by a group of people. The suspects used anti-transgender slurs during the assault, according to court documents obtained by KIRO Newsradio. Holcepl suffered multiple injuries before she was able to escape and contact the police.

Victim’s testimony continued Thursday

Back on the stand Thursday, Holcepl testified about the beating she took at the hands of four men, including the defendant, and how she felt when she saw her black eye and broken teeth for the first time.

“I remember when I went to the restroom, and I looked in the mirror to see what happened. I think that’s when the pain started coming,” Holcepl said.

That answer came under direct examination from King County Deputy Prosecutor Yessenia Manzo. Later, Holcepl testified during cross-examination about her injuries.

“I got punched in the (expletive) face, and then I felt my teeth shatter, and I spat them out on the sidewalk, ” Holcepl said. “I think I just went over this with you already. I really don’t like reliving it over and over and over again.”

Holcepl concluded her testimony just before 12 p.m. An eyewitness took the stand next. He witnessed the attack and, through an interpreter, testified about what he saw.

Attorneys on both sides of this case were awaiting Judge Jim Rogers’s ruling on the admissibility of a phone call allegedly made by the defendant. During that 24-minute call, Karlow talked with an unknown person about his hatred for trans people.

“If I didn’t hate trans people before, I do now, absolutely,” Karlow is heard saying in the recording, although it is unclear who he is speaking to. “I think Trump should kill them. Get them out of here. Make them canoe across the Atlantic during hurricane season … I’m pissed. You know I’m pissed.”

Judge Jim Rogers ruled that piece of evidence inadmissible. Prosecutors said it goes to his state of mind. Judge Roger disagreed, to an extent. While the phone call reflects his state of mind at the time of the call, Rogers said it does not reflect his state of mind at the time of the crime, and that it would be unfair to the defendant to tell jurors about the call.

Testimony resumes Friday morning.

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