State reaches settlement with transgender inmate who alleged poor treatment while incarcerated

COLORADO, USA — The State of Colorado reached a settlement with a transgender woman who filed various claims against the Colorado Department of Corrections (CDOC) and other parties, alleging the defendants were not providing adequate housing, services and treatment for transgender inmates, according to a release from the Colorado Attorney General’s Office

Lindsay Saunders-Velez filed the lawsuit in July 2017, without any legal help, after alleged assaults at a men's prison.

That lawsuit said the state corrections system is "discriminatory and dangerous" for transgender inmates.

Paula Greisen with the King & Greisen law firm in Denver picked up Saunders-Velez's case in April 2018 on the request of the Transgender Law Center in California.

According to Greison, Saunders-Velez said she was raped twice at the men's prison in Canon City, and that one of the attacks happened hours after a judge denied Greisen's request to keep her in a safer area. 

RELATED: Transgender inmate says she was raped twice in Canon City men's prison

“The settlement with Lindsay Saunders-Velez specifically addresses claims she has brought against the state," Lawrence Pacheco, director of communications for the Colorado Attorney General’s Office said in the release. "Colorado is on the forefront of this issue and has already implemented progressive policies aimed at the fair and dignified treatment of all transgender offenders. This settlement reflects Colorado’s commitment to these values and continuous improvement."

The release says the CDOC has implemented an intake process for transgender offenders that addresses housing and placement options on a case-by-case basis, as well as a policy that allows transgender offenders housed in a male facility to access female hygiene and commissary items and training regarding the use of pronouns and respectful interactions with transgender offenders.

The State Claims Board has approved the settlement agreement, which is effective 30 days after the State Controller signs it. Funds will be held until Saunders-Velez is released, and the settlement will become void if she files a new claim against the state between now and her release date, the release states. 

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