EAST ST. LOUIS — A federal judge has ruled that the Illinois Department of Corrections must look at all evidence for a transgender inmates request to be moved.
The Chicago Sun-Times reported that U.S. District Court Judge Nancy Rosenstengel said the Illinois Department of Corrections’ Transgender Care Review Committee must consider all evidence for and against transferring 27-year-old Strawberry Hampton to a women’s facility. Hampton has been requesting a move for months.
From the Sun-Times:
Rosenstengel also gave the department 14 days to tell the court how it plans to train all correctional staff on transgender issues.
And the judge allowed Hampton to attend a transgender support group while in segregation.
One of Hampton’s lawyers, Alan Mills, says Rosenstengel’s order is “in and of itself a victory” because Hampton was allowed to testify on her own behalf.
“The hope is that the department will take the judge’s order seriously and anyone who sees the evidence will move to transfer,” Mills said. “We view this as only the beginning not the end.”
The Department of Corrections had not responded to requests for comment from the newspaper.