Philly Gay News Reporter Wins Award for Trans Homicide Coverage
Big ups to Philadelphia Gay News (PGN) reporter Timothy Cwiek, who won the Society of Professional Journalists’ 2013 Sigma Delta Chi Investigative Reporting award for his coverage of the homicide of transgender woman Nizah Morris. Cwiek had been covering the story, which yet to be solved, for 11 years. More from PGN:
Nizah MorrisMorris sustained a head injury Dec. 22, 2002, shortly after receiving a police courtesy ride in Center City Philadelphia. She died days later. For more than 11 years, Cwiek has pressed law-enforcement and city officials for transparency with case records, filing several Right to Know Law requests. His dedication to the case is largely credited with securing a reopened investigation by the city’s civilian-oversight committee, which last year issued a report calling the investigation “appalling” and urging state and federal probes.
Cwiek has been a PGN staffer since the late 1970s. He said the passion of Morris’ family and friends has kept him committed to the case. “It’s a great honor to be recognized by this distinguished organization,” Cwiek said. “If my coverage of the Morris case plays any role in securing a proper investigation, I’ll be very gratified.”
Read more of PGN’s profile on Cwiek — and the Norris case — here.
