A federal judge has ruled that it is unconstitutional for an Indiana prison to deny transgender inmates gender reassignment surgery, following a lawsuit filed by the inmates against the prison.
Last year, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) sued the Indiana Department of Corrections on behalf of Jonathan C. Richardson (aka Autumn Cordleione), a transgender inmate convicted of strangling his 11-month-old stepdaughter in 2001.
Indiana law prohibits the Bureau of Prisons from using taxpayer money to perform gender reassignment surgery on inmates. LitigationThe senators' lawsuit, filed on August 28, 2023, argues that the law violates the Eighth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which bans “cruel and unusual punishment.”
ACLU sues Indiana for denying sex reassignment surgery to inmate who strangled 11-month-old baby
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) sued the Indiana Department of Corrections on behalf of Jonathan C. Richardson (aka Autumn Cordleione), a transgender inmate convicted of strangling his 11-month-old stepdaughter in 2001. (Indiana Department of Corrections/Getty Images)
The ACLU lawsuit says the surgery was “medically necessary” for Richardson, who is serving a 55-year sentence for manslaughter.
Judge Richard Young agreed with the ACLU and ruled in Cordelione's favor last week.
“Specifically, Ms. Cordelioune has demonstrated that her gender dysphoria constitutes a serious medical need and that, notwithstanding other medical treatments provided by the Defendants to treat her gender dysphoria, she requires gender reassignment surgery to prevent the risk of serious physical and psychological harm,” the ruling states.
According to the order, DOC must take “all reasonable steps” to help Cordelione undergo sex reassignment surgery.
Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita, a Republican, said in a post on X that his office is still reviewing the judge's decision but “make no mistake, our office will appeal this decision.”
“An Indiana inmate convicted of murder is trying to make our taxpayers pay for his gender reassignment surgery! Indiana residents do not want this,” Rokita said.
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According to the ACLU's original filing, Cordelionet was diagnosed with gender dysphoria in 2020 and prescribed female hormones and testosterone blockers, both of which he has “consistently taken since that time.” Other accommodations provided to the inmate included “panties, cosmetics and fitting clothing.”
“Accordingly, at this point, gender reassignment surgery is necessary to align her physical identity with her gender identity and alleviate her gender dysphoria,” the lawsuit states.
“She believes that the only treatment for her deep-rooted gender dysphoria and the serious harm it causes is to undergo gender reassignment surgery, specifically testicular removal and vaginoplasty,” the statement said.
The ACLU lawsuit also claims that Cordelionet has identified as female since she was six years old and that she is a “woman trapped in a man's body.”
According to Court DocumentsCordelione strangled his 11-month-old daughter to death while his wife was at work on Sept. 12, 2001. During his initial interview with a detective, Cordelione described what happened in a calm, “unemotional” manner, according to court documents from the Indiana Court of Appeals.
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Jonathan C. Richardson (aka Autumn Cordelione) has been in prison for over 20 years. (iStock)
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In a separate lawsuit last year, Cordelionet filed a civil suit against the prison chaplain, alleging that she was barred from wearing the hijab just outside her bed. Identifying as a Muslim Woman.
