Judge rules in favor of gender-affirming surgery for transgender inmate who strangled infant

EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WFIE/Gray News) – A U.S. District Court judge has ruled in favor of a transgender inmate who is seeking gender-affirming surgery.

Autumn Cordellioné, 42, is a transgender woman who was convicted of murdering her 11-month-old stepdaughter in 2001 by strangulation.

At the time of the murder, Cordellioné was known as Jonathan Richardson.

Cordellioné is serving a 55-year sentence with the Indiana Department of Corrections.

A lawsuit filed by attorneys with the ACLU shows Cordellioné was diagnosed with gender dysphoria in 2020 and takes female hormones.

The ACLU claims Cordellioné continues to struggle with gender dysphoria and experiences serious depression and anxiety.

The lawsuit claims gender-affirming surgery is necessary for Cordellioné’s health.

Cordellioné had been on a list to be evaluated for the surgery, but last year, a new Indiana statue blocked the Department of Corrections from providing gender-affirming surgeries.

The ACLU lawsuit claims that violates the Eighth Amendment and discriminates transgender prisoners.

Last week, U.S. District Court Judge Richard Young ruled in Cordellioné‘s favor, saying it would be a violation of the Eighth Amendment if gender-affirming surgery was denied.

“Specifically, Ms. Cordellioné has shown that her gender dysphoria is a serious medical need, and that, despite other treatments Defendant has provided her to treat her gender dysphoria, she requires gender-affirming surgery to prevent a risk of serious bodily and psychological harm,” the judge wrote in his ruling.

The ruling orders the Commissioner of the Indiana Department of Correction to take all “reasonable actions to secure Cordellioné‘s gender‐affirming surgery at the earliest opportunity.”

A spokesperson for the ACLU said the group is happy with the ruling.

“Denying evidence-based medical care to incarcerated people simply because they are transgender is unconstitutional. We are pleased that the Court agreed,” said ACLU of Indiana Legal Director Ken Falk.

Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita wrote on X that his office is planning to appeal the decision.

“I’m appealing a judge’s decision to award a taxpayer-funded gender surgery to an inmate who strangled and killed an 11-month-old,” Rokita wrote, in part.

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