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Colorado is poised to become the first state in the nation with segregated holding cells for transgender ladies in prison, if a decide indicators off on it.
After a class motion lawsuit was filed by a number of transgender inmates in 2019 towards the Colorado Department of Corrections (CDOC) alleging discrimination, harassment and assault, a decide is scheduled to rule on a consent decree that might convey additional modifications – together with surgical intercourse modifications and hormone remedy – to the state’s penitentiary, Fox News Digital has realized.
The consent decree, a court-ordered settlement in a authorized dispute, would additionally require all trans ladies at present or beforehand in CDOC to obtain a $2.1 million payout, relying on the severity of the alleged assault, discrimination and harassment whereas in prison. Rewards could vary from $1,000 to $10,000 per plaintiff.
From left to proper: Corwin Raven, Keith Rivers, Andre Karpierz, and Jordan Gallentine. (Courtesy of CDOC)
Several of the plaintiffs looking for judicial approval of the consent decree are at present serving life with out parole for murder and assault, in accordance to courtroom paperwork obtained by Fox News Digital.
Keith Rivers, 46, now referred to as “Cupcake” is at present serving a life sentence for murdering a sufferer exterior of a tavern in 1999. According to the class motion lawsuit, Rivers got here out as transgender in 2004 and has made “numerous requests for surgical treatment for her gender dysphoria,” which have been denied, “and she longs for competent talk therapy related to her gender dysphoria.”
Another plaintiff, Andre Karpierz, who goes by “Lavinya,” 47, can be serving a life sentence with out the chance of parole for first diploma homicide. Karpierz is at present being held in the Denver Womens Correctional Facility, in accordance to CDOC data.
The class motion lawsuit states Karpierz started hormone substitute remedy in 2016 and “continues to suffer from severe depression related to her [gender dysphoria] and has lived in constant fear of being raped in the male facilities.”
Jordan Gallentine, referred to as “Jane,” 33, can be serving prison time for “attempted suicide by cop” and assault. According to the lawsuit, Gallentine “lives in a constant state of severe anxiety and depression due to lack of medical treatment, lack of mental health treatment, and a persistent fear of sexual assault and a violent death.”
Transgender insurance policies have been criticizes amid the disproportionate violent crime charge amongst transgender ladies compared to organic females. (Fox News Digital)
Plaintiff Corwin Raven, 35, referred to as “Kandice,” is at present serving time for two separate assault prices and is scheduled to be launched in 2026. According to courtroom paperwork, Raven “has attempted suicide twice and attempted selfcastration as a means to deal with her severe gender dysphoria.”
“Her numerous requests for transition-related surgery have been denied by CDOC,” the lawsuit alleges.
A spokesperson for CDOC instructed Fox News Digital in an announcement they “anticipate [a decision] will happen soon, but there is no specific timeline,” for its finalization.
According to courtroom paperwork, the decree “substantially improves the medical and mental health care provided” to plaintiffs and guards them “from cross-gender searches … access to women’s canteen items (such as cosmetics), requires CDOC to appropriately identify” transgender inmates, “and provides improved training on transgender issues to CDOC staff, medical and mental health providers, and leadership.”
Colorado is not the first state to broaden its services to embody transgender hormone remedy or surgical intercourse modifications. An identical case in Washington final yr resulted in the requirement to present these similar therapies to inmates. And this week, the Department of Justice dominated Utah’s corrections division discriminated towards a transgender inmate by refusing hormone remedy.
Colorado Republican Party chairman Dave Williams known as the consent decree one other step the “woke left” is taking towards “up-ending our criminal justice system.”
“We’re making accommodations for folks that we shouldn’t be making accommodations for,” Williams instructed Fox News Digital. “This is an outrageous situation.”
“Taxpayers shouldn’t be footing the bill so these people can feel better about themselves,” Williams stated. “Especially if they’ve committed homicide.”
The decree would enact a number of modifications. First, it might create two separate housing units for transgender ladies inmates: the “Voluntary Transgender Unit” (VTU) at the males’s Sterling Correctional Facility, and the “Integration Unit” (IU) at the Denver Women’s Correctional Facility.
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The authentic lawsuit, which was filed on behalf of greater than 100 trans ladies in CDOC, alleged the CDOC “expose[d] them to harassment, rape, sexual assault, and other violence,” at the palms of guards and different inmates.
According to one among the attorneys representing the plaintiffs, Paula Greisen, the decree is “designed to bring new safety measures to protect these women from victimization in the men’s prisons.”
Greisen instructed Fox News Digital the decree would additionally “allow the class members to transition to gender affirming housing at the women’s facility, and ensures that necessary medical and mental health treatment will be provided.”
“These changes have the overwhelming support of the transgender community and we are all confident that the Court will sign the decree,” she stated.
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