California Appeals Court Nixes Surgery For Transgender Inmate
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS / AP) -- A California appeals court has rejected a transgender inmate's attempt to force the state to pay for her sex reassignment surgery and to move her to a women's prison.
The First District Court of Appeal in San Francisco did not explain in a brief order published Wednesday why it concluded that Lyralisa Stevens is not entitled to a gender change operation while serving 50-years to life for murder at Vacaville State Prison.
The court also said that prison officials were protecting Stevens adequately by assigning her to a single cell apart from male inmates. If her housing arrangements are changed or her personal safety is "otherwise compromised," Stevens can petition for additional relief then, the court said.
Prison Law Office attorney Alison Hardy, who represents Stevens, said she does not know if she will appeal to the California Supreme Court.
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