Murder of Ee Lee

{{short description|Murder of a Hmong-American woman in Wisconsin, United States}}

{{Infobox civilian attack

| image = Milwaukee County Wisconsin incorporated and unincorporated areas Milwaukee highlighted.svg

| caption = Location of Milwaukee within Milwaukee County, Wisconsin

| title = Murder of Ee Lee

| location = Washington Park, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.

| date = Rape and beating:
{{start date|2020|09|16}}
Lee's Death:
{{start date|2020|09|19}}

| victim = Ee Lee

| perps = Kamare Lewis and Kevin Spencer

| type = Murder, by beating, rape, violence against women

| motive = Anti-Asian racism

| verdict = Pleaded guilty

| convictions = First-degree reckless homicide, second-degree sexual assault

| charges = First-degree intentional homicide, first-degree sexual assault (dropped after plea deal){{Infobox event

| title =

| child = yes

| sentence = Lewis:
26 years in prison, plus 19 years extended supervision{{cite web|title=19-year-old man sentenced to 26 years in prison for 2020 rape, murder of woman in Washington Park|url=https://www.cbs58.com/news/19-year-old-man-sentenced-to-26-years-in-prison-for-2020-rape-murder-of-woman-in-washington-park|access-date=June 22, 2023|archive-date=June 22, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230622003029/https://www.cbs58.com/news/19-year-old-man-sentenced-to-26-years-in-prison-for-2020-rape-murder-of-woman-in-washington-park|url-status=live}}
Spencer:
32 years in prison, plus 20 years of extended supervision{{cite news |last=Van Zelst |first=Christina |date=August 3, 2023 |title=Washington Park killing, rape; Milwaukee man gets 32 years in prison |url=https://www.fox6now.com/news/washington-park-killing-rape-milwaukee-spencer-prison |work=WITI |location=Milwaukee |access-date=August 8, 2023 |archive-date=August 5, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230805041333/https://www.fox6now.com/news/washington-park-killing-rape-milwaukee-spencer-prison |url-status=live }} }}}}

Ee Lee ({{circa}} 1984 – September 19, 2020) was an American woman who was raped and murdered by two black teenagers in a racially-motivated{{cite web |title=Kamare Lewis sentenced in rape and murder of Ee Lee in Washington Park |url=https://www.tmj4.com/news/local-news/kamare-lewis-sentenced-in-rape-and-murder-of-ee-lee-in-washington-park |website=WTMJ-TV Milwaukee |access-date=June 20, 2023 |date=June 16, 2023 |quote=Prosecutors described the attack as racially motivated because the suspects said racial slurs at her.}} daylight attack in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The two perpetrators, Kamare Lewis and Kevin Spencer, pleaded guilty to first-degree reckless homicide and second-degree sexual assault in 2023. Later that year, Lewis was sentenced to 26 years in prison, while Spencer was sentenced to 32 years in prison.

Background

Ee Lee, a Hmong American, was originally from Thailand and grew up mostly in California. Lee had been homeless since the late 2000s, according to Lee's sister, who described her as "going through an unstable time".{{Cite web |last=Carson |first=Sophie |last2=Volpenhein |first2=Sarah |date=September 24, 2020 |title=Vigil held for Hmong woman who died Saturday, three days after being found at the Washington Park Lagoon |url=https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/2020/09/24/hmong-woman-dies-incident-washington-park/3511409001/ |access-date=2024-02-18 |website=Journal Sentinel |language=en-US |archive-date=February 24, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210224011234/https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/2020/09/24/hmong-woman-dies-incident-washington-park/3511409001/ |url-status=live }} Lee was 36-years old at the time of her death. She was survived by a fifteen-year-old son and a three-year-old daughter.{{Cite web |title=Unsolved case of woman found dead in Washington Park leads to custody battle over daughter |url=https://www.cbs58.com/news/family-wants-biological-daughter-back-from-foster-care |access-date=2024-02-18 |website=CBS58 |language=en}}

Rape and murder

In the afternoon of September 16, 2020, Ee Lee was sitting on a blanket in Washington Park after buying food at a nearby Asian supermarket when she was attacked by a group of teenagers, who initially intended to rob her. Lee was punched and kicked several times before the youths dragged her to a treeline near Washington Park Lagoon, where she was raped by then-17-year-old Kamare Lewis and then-15-year-old Kevin Spencer while nine others watched. During and after the assault, Lee was beaten with tree branches and then left for dead by the group, who subsequently left the park on foot and bicycles.{{Cite web |last=Kraemer |first=Sam |date=2021-02-09 |title=Teens face homicide charges in rape, murder of Ee Lee |url=https://www.fox6now.com/news/teens-face-homicide-charges-in-rape-murder-of-ee-lee |access-date=2024-02-27 |website=FOX6 News Milwaukee |language=en-US |archive-date=February 27, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240227163533/https://www.fox6now.com/news/teens-face-homicide-charges-in-rape-murder-of-ee-lee |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2021-01-14 |title=Over 10 teenagers accused of raping and beating Asian woman to death in Wisconsin |url=https://www.weareresonate.com/2021/01/over-10-teenagers-accused-of-raping-and-beating-asian-woman-to-death-in-wisconsin/ |access-date=2024-02-27 |website=Resonate |language=en-US |archive-date=March 20, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220320032143/https://www.weareresonate.com/2021/01/over-10-teenagers-accused-of-raping-and-beating-asian-woman-to-death-in-wisconsin/ |url-status=live }} She was found half-clothed and unconscious, but still breathing at around 9:30 pm.{{Cite web |last=McBride |first=Jessica |date=2021-02-11 |title=Ee Lee Homicide: Extreme Brutality Detailed In New Criminal Complaint |url=https://www.wisconsinrightnow.com/2021/02/11/ee-lee-homicide/ |access-date=2022-01-11 |website=Wisconsin Right Now |language=en-US |archive-date=June 21, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220621143936/https://www.wisconsinrightnow.com/2021/02/11/ee-lee-homicide/ |url-status=live }} Video footage shows that the perpetrators directed anti-Chinese slurs against the victim.{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=February 23, 2021 |title=Graphic Details Emerge of Ee Lee's Homicide |url=https://www.asian-dawn.com/2021/02/23/graphic-details-emerge-of-ee-lees-homicide/ |website=Asian Dawn |access-date=January 11, 2022 |archive-date=March 20, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220320032141/https://www.asian-dawn.com/2021/02/23/graphic-details-emerge-of-ee-lees-homicide/ |url-status=live }} She was taken to Froedtert Hospital for treatment but died three days later.{{Cite web |last=General |first=Ryan |date=2021-02-10 |title=Teens Charged Over Rape and Murder of Milwaukee Woman |url=https://www.yahoo.com/now/teens-charged-over-rape-murder-182539117.html |access-date=2023-06-06 |website=NextShark |language=en |archive-date=June 6, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230606023603/https://www.yahoo.com/now/teens-charged-over-rape-murder-182539117.html |url-status=live }}

Legal proceedings

On February 6, 2021, two local African American teenagers, Kamare R. Lewis, 17, and Kevin T. Spencer, 15, were arrested and charged with first-degree intentional homicide and first-degree sexual assault with an aggravating factor of great bodily harm. Lewis had recorded the rape and murder on his phone and had shared the video with his friends. Approximately nine other youths were present in the video.{{Cite web |last=McCloskey |first=Jimmy |date=2021-02-11 |title=Boys, 15 and 17, 'filmed themselves raping and killing woman, 36, at park' |url=https://metro.co.uk/2021/02/11/boys-15-and-17-filmed-themselves-raping-killing-woman-36-at-park-14067686/ |access-date=2021-02-23 |website=Metro |language=en |archive-date=June 15, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220615193819/https://metro.co.uk/2021/02/11/boys-15-and-17-filmed-themselves-raping-killing-woman-36-at-park-14067686/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last=Danbeck |first=Jackson |date=2021-02-10 |title=2 teens charged in sexual assault, murder of Ee Lee in Washington Park last year |url=https://www.tmj4.com/news/local-news/2-teens-charged-in-sexual-assault-murder-of-ee-lee-in-washington-park-last-year |access-date=2021-02-23 |website=TMJ4 |language=en |archive-date=March 20, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220320032152/https://www.tmj4.com//news/local-news/2-teens-charged-in-sexual-assault-murder-of-ee-lee-in-washington-park-last-year |url-status=live }}{{Cite news|date=14 January 2021|title=Over 10 Teenagers Accused Of Raping And Beating Asian Woman To Death In Wisconsin|work=Resonate|url=https://www.weareresonate.com/2021/01/over-10-teenagers-accused-of-raping-and-beating-asian-woman-to-death-in-wisconsin/|access-date=28 April 2021|archive-date=March 20, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220320032143/https://www.weareresonate.com/2021/01/over-10-teenagers-accused-of-raping-and-beating-asian-woman-to-death-in-wisconsin/|url-status=live}} Spencer confessed to raping and murdering Lee. Spencer was involved in another murder in December 2020.{{cite web|title=Teens charged with sexually assaulting woman, beating her to death|website=YouTube|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzswrZ9tlwc&feature=youtu.be|access-date=January 26, 2022|archive-date=January 26, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220126080842/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzswrZ9tlwc&feature=youtu.be|url-status=live}}

According to the criminal complaint in two different interviews, one of the perpetrators said that they never called for help at all because he thought she was dead or soon to be dead and it "wouldn't have made a difference and that he didn't really care about her at all because she is not someone he knows personally."{{Cite web|date=2021-02-11|title=Teens charged in random attack of woman raped, beaten to death in Milwaukee County park|url=https://abc17news.com/news/national-world/2021/02/11/teens-charged-in-random-attack-of-woman-raped-beaten-to-death-in-milwaukee-county-park/|access-date=2021-02-23|website=ABC 17 News|agency=CNN|language=en-US|archive-date=March 20, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220320032141/https://abc17news.com/news/national-world/2021/02/11/teens-charged-in-random-attack-of-woman-raped-beaten-to-death-in-milwaukee-county-park/|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|last=State of Wisconsin|first=Circuit Court|date=2021-02-11|title=Criminal Complaint Lewis, Kamare R, Multiple Parties|url=https://www.wisconsinrightnow.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Criminal-Complaint-Lewis-Kamare-R-Multiple-Parties.pdf|access-date=2021-02-24|website=wisconsinrightnow|language=en-US|archive-date=February 23, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210223060742/https://www.wisconsinrightnow.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Criminal-Complaint-Lewis-Kamare-R-Multiple-Parties.pdf|url-status=live}}

= Guilty pleas =

On March 16, 2023, both Kamare Lewis and Kevin Spencer entered plea deals for the lesser offenses of first-degree reckless homicide and second-degree sexual assault, with the previous charges of first-degree intentional homicide and first-degree sexual assault dropped. Instead of facing a life sentence as they previously had, they faced 15 to 80 years in prison.{{Cite web |last=Dawson |first=Drew |date=16 March 2023 |title=Two plead guilty to sexual assault, homicide in Ee Lee's 2020 death in Washington Park |url=https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/crime/2023/03/16/two-plead-guilty-in-gruesome-2020-washington-park-killing/70016548007/ |access-date=2023-05-31 |website=Journal Sentinel |language=en-US |archive-date=May 31, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230531062035/https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/crime/2023/03/16/two-plead-guilty-in-gruesome-2020-washington-park-killing/70016548007/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |date=2023-03-16 |title=Washington Park killing, rape; Milwaukee man pleads guilty |url=https://www.fox6now.com/news/washington-park-killing-rape-guilty-plea |access-date=2023-05-31 |website=FOX6 News Milwaukee |language=en-US |archive-date=May 31, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230531062035/https://www.fox6now.com/news/washington-park-killing-rape-guilty-plea |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |title=Milwaukee man charged with raping, beating woman to death at Washington Park pleads guilty |url=https://www.cbs58.com/news/milwaukee-man-charged-with-raping-beating-woman-to-death-at-washington-park-pleads-guilty |access-date=2023-05-31 |website=CBS58 |language=en |archive-date=May 31, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230531062044/https://www.cbs58.com/news/milwaukee-man-charged-with-raping-beating-woman-to-death-at-washington-park-pleads-guilty |url-status=live }}

On June 16, 2023, Lewis was sentenced to 26 years in prison plus 19 years of extended supervision upon release.{{cite web |last=Wells |first=Jenna |date=June 16, 2023 |title=19-year-old man sentenced to 26 years in prison for 2020 rape, murder of woman in Washington Park |url=https://www.cbs58.com/news/19-year-old-man-sentenced-to-26-years-in-prison-for-2020-rape-murder-of-woman-in-washington-park |website=CBS58 |access-date=June 22, 2023 |archive-date=June 22, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230622003029/https://www.cbs58.com/news/19-year-old-man-sentenced-to-26-years-in-prison-for-2020-rape-murder-of-woman-in-washington-park |url-status=live }} Spencer was sentenced on August 3 to 32 years in prison, plus 20 years of extended supervision.

Response

Vigils were held for Lee by the Hmong American Women's Association and broader Wisconsin Hmong community.{{Cite web|date=2020-09-24|title=Vigil to be held for woman killed in Washington Park|url=https://www.tmj4.com/news/local-news/vigil-to-be-held-for-woman-killed-in-washington-park|access-date=2021-02-23|website=TMJ4|language=en|archive-date=March 30, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210330200254/https://www.tmj4.com/news/local-news/vigil-to-be-held-for-woman-killed-in-washington-park|url-status=live}}{{Cite web |last=Carson |first=Sophie |last2=Volpenhein |first2=Sarah |title=Vigil held for Hmong woman who died Saturday, three days after being found at the Washington Park Lagoon |url=https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/2020/09/24/hmong-woman-dies-incident-washington-park/3511409001/ |access-date=2021-02-23 |website=Milwaukee Journal Sentinel |language=en-US |archive-date=February 24, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210224011234/https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/2020/09/24/hmong-woman-dies-incident-washington-park/3511409001/ |url-status=live }}