Streetwise and searching for clues: Philadelphia activists launch their own investigation into December's murder of transgendered performer Nizah Morris. (Behind the Headlines).

Ever since Nizah Morris died on Christmas Eve, gay and lesbian activists in Philadelphia have questioned the police department's handling of the case. Morris, a 47-year-old transgendered woman who worked as a performer at the bar Bob & Barbara's, was found passed out outside another bar December 22. Officers offered her a ride home, but she asked to be let off on a street corner, where passing motorists found her lying in the street with a bashed head minutes later. Morris died two days afterward, and it was over a month before the police department declared her death a homicide.

Citing its frustration with the department's investigation and an inability to get straight answers regarding the crime, the local gay group Racial Unity announced in April that it was launching its own investigation. Members of the African-American organization have hit the streets, searching for clues and offering a $1,000 reward to anyone providing information leading to an arrest in the case. Racial Unity president Asa Khalif described what the group is doing and what its members expect to find.

--Christopher Tkaczyk

What can you do that the police can't?

We have a lot of street credibility, so we're able to go out and talk to people of the night and get information.

Why don't the police have that access?

There's been several incidents with the police abusing gay and lesbian people--in particular, gay and lesbian people of color.

How do you think gay people of color are viewed by the police?

You're just another faggot to them. They have no problem telling you that verbally.

Why are you pursuing your own investigation?

We wanted to put pressure on the Philadelphia police because [Morris] was African-American and she was transsexual. We wanted to keep her in the spotlight and make it a high-profile case for them so they would react.

Have you gone out on the street with photographs to show to people, searching out and talking to people who might have seen something on December 22?

We've done the whole nine yards. We've carried fliers. And we've hired some professionals as well.

Professionals?

Private investigators.

What have you uncovered?

I really don't want to speak on that right now, simply because I don't want to jeopardize or taint any of the evidence we have.

How has the community responded to you?

There actually was a news crew who wanted to follow us, but I declined because usually after midnight there are prostitutes out there and people who are not out of the closet. We certainly don't want to scare anyone. We want to be able to pull them over and say, "If you have any information, here's a number. Call me. You know I'll protect you. It's anonymous and it's not a problem." So we certainly didn't want a camera crew with us. But we've been putting up fliers. We've been talking to organizations and bar owners asking if there's any slight information that you have, to please contact us. The smallest detail is valuable.

What have you seen so far that the police have failed to do?

So far, it's leading toward police misconduct. And I'm not saying all law enforcement [personnel] here in Philadelphia are bad. I'm certainly not saying that. I have friends who are openly gay and serve on the police force here in Philadelphia. And they're wonderful friends of my partner and I. But I will say there is a deep-seated hatred toward gay and lesbian people--in particular, gay and lesbian people of color. And that's where Racial Unity has to come in to say enough is enough.