Interview with Pauline Mitchell, The mother of Fred Martinez

"It is so quiet here now."

Pauline Mitchell's son, Fred, was found murdered on June 21st on the outskirts of Cortez, CO. He had last been seen on his way to a rodeo on June 16th. Both the investigation and the prosecution of his murder have been controversial. Montezuma Country District Attorney Joe Olt has refused to elevate the murder to a hate crime.

And although it appears multiple assailants may have been involved, thus far only Shaun Murphy, 18, from nearby Farmington, NM, has been charged.

The dominant theme surrounding Fred's murder has been his gender and sexuality. One persistent theme emerging from the prosecution has been reports of racist treatment in general, and towards Fred's mother in particular.

GenderPAC National News interviewed Ms. Mitchell by phone at her home on Friday evening, August 31. She had earlier returned from her job as a housekeeper. We spoke about the death of Fred, whom she thinks of as her son who was nadleeh (NAKT-leh), a Navajo word often translated as two-spirit.

GenderPAC National News: First, on behalf of GenderPAC, our members and Board, please let me extend our sympathies to you in your loss.

Pauline Mitchell: Thank you.

GNN: What was Fred like during these last years?

PM: Well, happy. Three years ago he started changing, wearing make -up. First eyebrow pencil. Later on curling his hair, putting more make-up on, and putting on nail polish. And Fred always carried a purse. Other than that, he dressed normal. He liked it. He was out with mostly girls. And he loved to fiddle around with his girlfriends' hair.

One day we sat down in the front room, and he said, "This is the way I want to be." His brothers didn't say anything to him. We really didn't say nothing to him. Fred was my baby. We treated him like he is precious to us. The youngest. If that is how you want to be, if you are happy with it, okay.

GNN: How have you felt about media coverage of your son's death?

PM: Most of them are saying things that are not true, saying that he was wearing dresses, using the girl's room -- which he never did.

GNN: We understand Fred was often a target for school violence.

PM: Yes, because of the way he dressed. I understood kids picked on him. But he never told me, his girlfriends told me.

GNN: What about the school authorities?

PM: He was sent home often. I would have to leave work to go pick him up because they sent him home so much. The principle and vice-principle made so many complaints. Too many Native American kids are sent home from school.

One time, Fred went in wearing the same shoes this other girl was wearing. They were sandals. Nike. She didn't get sent home, but Fred did. I complained to the school, but of course they aren't going to listen to me because I'm Native American.

GNN: What would you want to say to other parents in a similar position?

PM: Don't let them treat your kids like that. The kids are the way they are. They have feelings. They don't need to be treated like that.

GNN: We wrote the FBI asking them to elevate Fred's murder to a hate crime, and to step in and make sure it's fully investigated and prosecuted.

PM: That's great. I don't think the local authorities have done a good job.

GNN: Why do you say that?

PM: It was kind of trashy down there where they found his body. There were lots of things to look at. [for investigation]. They didn't even look around. They didn't remove any of it or try to find anything. That is the reason I don't think they investigated that much. That is one reason I am so mad.

This happened to my son and no way am I going to let that go. I am going to get to the bottom of it.

GNN: How have you been treated by the authorities since Fred's death?

PM: When they released Fred's autopsy, they didn't even let me know first. They just released it in the newspapers. The District Attorney didn't even want to talk to us or anything. Of course, he denied it. But he was being rude and ugly when we were there.

It makes me so mad. When they had Fred's body bagged, I wanted to look at his body, to make sure. When they showed it to me, they had left a bunch of blood and rubber gloves with him. It hurt and it made me mad. They were willing to leave these gloves and blood like this with my baby. They treat me this way because I'm an Indian.

And when I went down to the police station, all the Native Americans have handcuffs on them, even leg-cuffs. But white kids and Shaun, they have nothing on them. They can move around freely. It's just not right.

GNN: Do you think others may be involved in the murder?

PM: Shaun Murphy is really small and my kid is tall. When I went to court for the first time, I saw this boy. I don't think Fred knew this boy. I don't think Shaun chased him around down there alone.

Fred was always scared of the dark. He would never run down that canyon. There ain't no way he would of ran down there alone. He had friends. His wrists were cut off. They could have thrown him down there [after killing him].

GNN: Are there any suspects in your mind?

What about (name removed). They haven't changed him with anything. He destroyed the bloody clothes. He was with Shaun Murphy that night. And (name removed) was with them, also. Those two with Shaun should have known something. Why isn't anything being said? They haven't been charged with nothing. I just get so mad.

GNN: The Two Spirit Society's statement said Fred's murder was not an isolated incident, but part of the historic violence against Native Americans.

PM: Yes, I agree with that. They've just let it go, and nobody has ever got to the bottom of it. I will tell you here in Cortez, too many Indians die. They just let it go and nothing is done about it.

GNN: Do you see yourself becoming more of an activist because of this?

PM: I've been to vigils in San Francisco and we did one here in Cortez. I am not as good as Judy Shepard [mother of slain Mathew Shepard and co-participant in the vigil]. I am just learning. It's hard especially when you have to talk about your baby this way.

GNN: Why do you think he was killed?

PM: Because he was different.

GNN: What would you like people reading this to know?

PM: I am a single parent, and it's hard when you have kids. I have two granddaughters, two grandsons, and 6 boys, 26 on down. My oldest is 26, and Fred was the youngest. He's the baby.

My son was only 16 years old. He could have had a lot of good years ahead of him. I have been sick for a month and a half from the loss of my son. I love my son so much and I miss him very, very much. He was an outspoken boy, laughing and joking all the time.

It is so quiet here now.

[GenderPAC would like to extend its thanks to Four Corners Gay and Lesbian Alliance for Diversity (4CGLAD) and the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) for their help in arranging this interview.]