Judge rules state must pay for convicted murderer’s transgender surgery

Sep 25

Karah Rucker Anchor/Reporter

By Karah Rucker (Anchor/Reporter), Ian Kennedy (Lead Video Editor)

A federal judge has ruled that the state of Indiana must provide transgender surgery to an inmate serving time for murder. The ruling sparked a heated response from the state, highlighting ongoing tensions over state laws and the constitutional rights of incarcerated individuals.

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Autumn Cordellione, previously known as Jonathan Richardson, is currently serving a 55-year sentence in an all-male state prison for the murder of the inmate’s 11-month-old stepdaughter.

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In 2023, the inmate filed a lawsuit with the assistance of the American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana, challenging a state law that prohibits taxpayer funding for medical procedures for transgender individuals in prison. The court ruled in favor of the ACLU, stating that the surgery is necessary for Cordellione’s treatment of gender dysphoria, a condition the inmate was diagnosed with in 2020.

The court has ordered the Indiana Department of Corrections to take all reasonable actions to facilitate the requested procedure for the transition surgery.

“Today marks a significant victory for transgender individuals in Indiana’s prisons,” ACLU Legal Director Ken Falk said in a statement. “Denying evidence-based medical care to incarcerated people simply because they are transgender is unconstitutional. We are pleased that the court agreed.”

The state attorney general has indicated that the legal fight is not over, promising to appeal the decision and predicting that it will ultimately reach the highest court.

A federal Judge in Indiana ruled that taxpayers must foot the bill for the gender transition surgery of a convicted child murderer in prison. @AGToddRokita says not so fast. | @dagenmcdowell @SeanDuffyWI pic.twitter.com/JFn2FJTMWd
— The Bottom Line (@BottomLineFBN) September 24, 2024

“These cases are bubbling up all over the country,” Attorney General Todd Rokita said. “I anticipate that whether it’s this case or one just like it, you’re going to see the Supreme Court make a decision, and it should be pretty easy.”

Tags: Indiana, Transgender

A FEDERAL JUDGE HAS RULED THE STATE OF INDIANA MUST PROVIDE A TRANSGENDER SURGERY TO AN INMATE SERVING PRISON TIME FOR MURDER –

IGNITING A HEATED RESPONSE FROM THE STATE AND HIGHLIGHTING ONGOING TENSIONS AND DEBATE OVER STATE LAWS AND THE CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS OF INCARCERATED INDIVIDUALS.

THIS IS AUTUMN CORDELLIONE WHO USED TO GO BY JONATHAN RICHARDSON.

THE INMATE IS CURRENTLY SERVING A 55 YEAR PRISON SENTENCE IN AN ALL-MALE STATE PRISON FOR STRANGLING AN 11 MONTH OLD TO DEATH–

WHO WAS THE INMATE’S STEPDAUGHTER.

THE INMATE FILED A LAWSUIT IN 2023 WITH THE HELP OF THE “AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION OF INDIANA” – CHALLENGING A STATE LAW THAT PROHIBITS TAXPAYER FUNDING FOR MEDICAL PROCEDURES FOR TRANSGENDER INDIVIDUALS IN PRISON.

THE COURT – RULING IN THE ACLU’S FAVOR.

THE JUDGE IN THE CASE SAYING THE TRANSGENDER SURGERY IS PART OF THE INMATE’S TREATMENT FOR “GENDER DYSPHORIA” – A CONDITION THE INMATE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH IN 2020.

THE COURT HAS ORDERED THE INDIANA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS TO TAKE ALL REASONABLE ACTIONS TO FACILITATE THE REQUESTED PROCEDURE TO TRANSITION TO FEMALE.

THE ACLU RELEASING A STATEMENT –

“today marks a significant victory for transgender individuals in indiana’s prisons. Denying evidence-based medical care to incarcerated people simply because they are transgender is unconstitutional. We are pleased that the court agreed.”

THE STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL SAYS – THE LEGAL FIGHT ISN’T OVER.

PROMISING TO APPEAL – AND PREDICTING THIS TO BE A MATTER FOR THE HIGHEST COURT.

“these cases are bubbling up all over the country.”

“I anticipate that whether its this case or one just like it, you’re going to see, you’re going to have to see, the supreme court make a decision, and it should be pretty easy.”

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