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Indiana taxpayers are set to fund gender transition surgery for an inmate, born Jonathan Richardson and now identifying as Autumn Cordellione, a transgender woman convicted of fatally strangling her 11-month-old daughter. Cordellione, incarcerated for the 2001 infanticide, had her request for gender transition surgery initially denied by the state, leading to an ACLU lawsuit and a federal judge’s order to provide the procedures.
Inmate to Receive State-Funded Gender Surgery
Autumn Cordellione, legally Jonathan Richardson, is serving a 55-year sentence in Indiana for the death of her stepchild in 2001. Following a denied request for gender transition surgery in 2023, Cordellione, through the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), initiated legal action.
Legal Injunction Mandates Surgery
A federal judge issued an injunction, a court order compelling a specific action, stipulating that the state must provide Cordellione with gender-affirming surgeries. This includes an orchiectomy (testicle removal) and a vaginoplasty (creation of a vagina from penile tissue), procedures typically estimated to cost around $27,000 in total.
Psychologist’s Opinion Contradicts Surgery Necessity
Despite a psychologist’s assessment that Cordellione does not suffer from gender dysphoria and is seeking attention rather than necessary medical care, the surgeries are proceeding. The psychologist’s professional opinion suggested the procedures were not medically required.
ACLU Argues Eighth Amendment Violation
The ACLU contended that denying the surgeries constitutes a violation of the Eighth Amendment, which prohibits cruel and unusual punishment, asserting that withholding necessary medical treatment is excessive punishment.
State Law and Funding Dispute
The Indiana Department of Corrections (IDOC) initially refused to authorize the surgeries, citing a state law that prevents the use of taxpayer money for gender transition procedures for individuals in custody. However, the court order has superseded this law, mandating the IDOC to arrange and fund the surgeries.
Surgical Challenges and Surgeon Rejection
Complicating matters, Cordellione was reportedly refused service by Indiana’s sole gender transition clinic, which cited a policy against operating on inmates. The IDOC is now compelled to find an alternative surgeon to perform the procedures.
Court Documents Detail Inmate’s Distress
While Cordellione has not publicly confirmed preferred pronouns or a legal name change, court documents associated with the ACLU lawsuit consistently use she/her/hers pronouns and refer to the inmate as Autumn Cordellione.
ACLU Claims “Medical Necessity”
In legal filings from 2023, the ACLU characterized Cordellione as an “adult transgender female confined in a male institution.” The organization argued that the surgeries are a “medical necessity,” asserting that Cordellione’s genitalia are a source of “extreme and continuing distress.” Court documents further stated this distress allegedly caused the inmate to avoid using toilets due to the psychological impact of seeing her genitals, leading to unsanitary conditions.
Judge Cites “Irreparable Harm”
Judge Richard Young initially issued the injunction in September 2024, which was recently renewed after a challenge by the IDOC. The judge affirmed that the department’s refusal to fund the surgeries was causing “irreparable harm” to Cordellione.
IDOC Challenges and Psychological Evaluation
Following the initial injunction, the IDOC challenged the order after the state’s only known gender transition surgeon declined to operate on Cordellione. The department also presented a psychological evaluation from Dr. Kelsey Beers, the lead psychologist at New Castle Correctional Facility.
Psychologist Suggests Attention-Seeking Behavior
Dr. Beers’ evaluation, according to court documents, concluded that Cordellione “was not a proper candidate for surgery” because she does not exhibit gender dysphoria. Dr. Beers posited that Cordellione’s reported distress stemmed from an “established pattern of attention-seeking behavior,” rather than genuine gender dysphoria.
Personality Disorders and Dysphoria Claim
Dr. Beers further suggested a possible link between Cordellione’s gender dysphoria claims and suspected antisocial personality disorder and borderline personality disorder.
Judge Dismisses New Evidence, Reaffirms Surgery Order
Despite the new evidence presented by the IDOC, earlier this month, Judge Young dismissed the challenge and renewed his injunction, reiterating the order for the state to schedule Cordellione’s surgeries.
Inmate’s Transition History
The ACLU stated that Cordellione began gender transitioning in 2020, commencing hormone therapy with feminizing hormones and testosterone blockers. The organization emphasized that these prescriptions have been consistently filled without interruption.
Access to Feminine Items
The ACLU also noted that Cordellione currently has access to feminine attire and makeup within the correctional facility.
Details of Inmate’s Conviction
Cordellione was convicted for the 2001 murder of her stepdaughter. An autopsy revealed the 11-month-old victim died from manual strangulation while her mother was at work. Confessions made by Cordellione to detectives included admitting to shaking the child “in a rough manner.” Reports also cite an instance where Cordellione allegedly told corrections officers, “Well, all I know is I killed the little f***ing bitch,” as reported by The Daily Wire.
Transgender Inmate Statistics and Surgery Costs
Estimates suggest there are over 5,000 transgender inmates within US prisons; however, the total expenditure on gender transition surgeries remains unclear.
California Spending on Inmate Gender Surgeries
In 2023, public records revealed that California, the most populous state in the US, spent $4 million in taxpayer funds on sex reassignment surgeries for 157 inmates between 2017 and 2023. Notably, four of these inmates were on death row.
Breakdown of California Surgery Costs
Of the $4 million spent in California, $2.5 million was allocated to vaginoplasties for 35 transgender women prisoners. An additional $180,000 funded breast implants for 11 transgender women inmates, and $184,000 was spent on facial feminization surgeries.