Court records say Jonathan McKinsey, the New York Times technology executive who was later killed, attempted suicide twice during a volatile period in his relationship.
Before one of the attempts in 2010, his future wife, Candice Jang, allegedly told him that “no one would want to be with someone f–ked up and transgender” like him, according to the documents.
The records also allege that McKinsey made an earlier suicide attempt in 2009, although the circumstances remain unclear.
The pair married in Harris County, Texas, in 2011 despite the turmoil. Both reported incidents occurred while McKinsey was transitioning from female to male. He had previously been known as Dawn Finney.
McKinsey referred to the earlier attempt in a December 2009 email to Jang. In the message, he appeared to criticize his parents and said he had been taken to a psychiatric hospital.
A psychiatrist supporting Jang included the email in a declaration. “Who were the f–king a–hole parents that wouldn’t call their daughter who just wanted space who also by the way attempted suicide and ended up in a mental hospital just two months before? Right. Mom and Dad,” McKinsey wrote, according to the court filings.
In February 2010, about three months later, McKinsey alleged in a restraining-order filing that Jang repeatedly started intense arguments during the night and prevented him from sleeping.
During one confrontation, he said, Jang told him to kill himself, allegedly saying that nobody would want to be with someone as “f–ked up and transgender” as him.
McKinsey wrote that he attempted suicide after the remark, describing it as a “direct result of Candice’s abuse.” He said he called 911 before losing consciousness and survived.
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Throughout their contentious divorce and custody disputes, both Jang and McKinsey accused the other of verbal and physical abuse.
Jang contacted police last year after alleging that McKinsey struck their six-year-old son in the face with an open hand. Alameda County prosecutors charged him with two misdemeanor counts of child abuse.
McKinsey pleaded not guilty and was released from jail on the condition that he attend parenting classes.
The couple was fighting over custody of their three children when McKinsey’s in-laws allegedly ambushed him at a park and fatally shot him. Shouyong Zhang and Shili Chen, both 77 and Jang’s parents, have been charged with murder.
McKinsey had previously clashed with both of Jang’s parents. In one dispute involving the clothing worn by one of the children, Chen allegedly called him a “disgusting queer” and a “pervert.”
A member of McKinsey’s family told The Post on Tuesday that they believed Jang’s parents attacked him in an effort to secure sole custody of the children for their daughter.
If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255) or text Crisis Text Line at 741741.
If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts, you can dial the 24/7 National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 988 or go to SuicidePreventionLifeline.org.
