by Bob Walsh
Lindsay Saunders-Velez, 20, is a transsexual and is a guest of the people of Colorado. She asserts that she was raped by other prisoners within hours of being transferred to a "punishment pod" for disciplinary infractions. Her lawyers asked the judge to block her transfer. He declined to do so, saying that their mere assertion that she would be in danger was not justification for the request.
Ms. Saunders-Velez is doing a three year stretch for violating terms of a plea deal on a menacing charge.
She is suing the prison system for, among other things, violation of federal law requiring that transgender prisoners be individually evaluated for housing assignment. It seems that Colorado, as well as most other system, still go by the "if it has a dick it's a man" justification. I am not sure that is unreasonable at least until dedicated transgender housing units can be established.
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