The mother of 23 year-old transgender Minneapolis school shooter Robin Westman, who signed the name change for her biological male son from Robert to Robin, has hired a criminal defense lawyer and is refusing to speak to police.
Mary Grace Westman has retained high-profile criminal defense lawyer Ryan Garry, Fox News reports:
“When asked why the mother obtained a criminal attorney, Garry told Fox, ‘She is completely distraught about the situation and has no culpability but is seeking an attorney to deal with calls like this.’
“Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said dozens of interviews have been conducted with the shooter’s relatives, friends and associates and those who witnessed the carnage unfold at Annunciation Catholic Church.”
According to court documents, Mary Grace Westman applied for a legal name change for her in 2019, because the "minor identifies as female and wants her name to reflect the identification."
On Wednesday, her transgender son took three legally-obtained guns to Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis – where his mother had previously worked and he had been a student – and opened fire, killing two and wounding 18 others while they were praying. He then committed suicide.
"The shooter’s mother was an employee of the parish previously for some time," Police Chief O’Hara said at a press conference, concluding that “obviously there is a connection between the shooter and this particular parish."
Gary has a track record of representing controversial clients, The New York Post notes:
“The Post has reached out to Garry, who previously worked with controversial NFL player Colin Kaepernick in a lawsuit representing George Floyd protesters, represented rapper Desiigner when he was charged with indecent exposure on an aircraft in 2023 and secured a not guilty verdict for a decorated state trooper wrongfully accused of a sex crime, according to a Superlawyers profile.”
