The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has filed a lawsuit against the Indiana Department of Corrections on behalf of transgender inmate Jonathan C. Richardson, also known as Autumn Cordellion.
Richardson was convicted of strangling his 11-month-old stepdaughter to death in 2001. The lawsuit challenges a recent Indiana law that prohibits the use of taxpayer dollars to fund sex reassignment surgeries for inmates, arguing that it violates the Eighth Amendment's prohibition of "cruel and unusual punishment."
According to the ACLU lawsuit, the surgery for Richardson, who is currently serving a 55-year prison sentence for reckless homicide, is deemed a "medical necessity." The filing states that Richardson was diagnosed with gender dysphoria in 2020 and has been consistently taking female hormones and testosterone blockers since then.
The inmate has also been provided with accommodations such as panties, makeup, and form-fitting clothing. The lawsuit argues that gender-affirming surgery, specifically an orchiectomy and vaginoplasty, is necessary to align Richardson's physical identity with their gender identity and alleviate gender dysphoria.
The lawsuit further claims that Richardson has identified as a woman since the age of six and is described as "a woman trapped in a man's body." Court documents reveal that Richardson strangled his then-wife's 11-month-old daughter to death in 2001. During an initial interview with a detective, Richardson remained calm and "unemotional" while recounting the incident. Richardson's booking sheet initially indicated a charge of murder, but it was later corrected to reckless homicide. When informed of the correction, Richardson allegedly stated, "well all I know is I killed the little f---ing bitch."
Richardson's wife subsequently filed for divorce and obtained a restraining order in October 2001. The Indiana Corrections Department declined to comment on the pending litigation, and Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita expressed opposition to using taxpayer dollars for gender-affirming surgeries in prisons.
Rokita argued that residents want their tax dollars to benefit their families and the state, rather than funding surgeries to reverse an inmate's gender. He emphasized that the cost of such surgeries ranges from $10,000 to $150,000 and characterized them as unnecessary and an "atrocity."
Richardson's earliest possible release date is December 2027. The ACLU previously won a case against the Federal Bureau of Prisons on behalf of transgender woman Cristina Nichole Iglesias, who was imprisoned for threatening to use a weapon of mass destruction. As of now, the ACLU has not responded to a request for comment from Fox News Digital regarding the current lawsuit.
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