Seven suspects, charged in the death of Sam Nordquist, have pleaded not guilty to torturing and killing the Black transgender man inside an upstate New York hotel room.

Two experts - a long-time DA and a Cornell professor - discuss the reasons to or not to charge the alleged killers of Sam Nordquist with hate crimes.

Seven people pleaded not guilty Tuesday to a long list of charges in the killing of Sam Nordquist, a Black transgender man who was allegedly held captive and tortured in an upstate New York hotel room for more than a month before succumbing to his torment.

Seven people have appeared in court, charged with the murder of Black trans man Sam Nordquist. The suspects appeared in court on Tuesday (11 March), where they all entered not guilty pleas to first-degree murder,

Nordquist, 24, was beaten, sexually assaulted, starved and forced to consume feces, urine and tobacco juice over the course of a month, officials said Wednesday.

Protestors in New York state have called for justice, following the death of 24-year-old trans man Sam Nordquist, CBS 6 Albany reports. The protest march, which took place in Albany on Saturday (8 March),