Ashley Diamond, 37, a black transgender woman who was repeatedly assaulted while in prison and was denied of hormones has reached a settlement in the complaint she filed against the Georgia Department of Corrections. The lawsuit also indicates that Georgia failed to give her necessary medical care.
The Savannah Morning News reported that Ashley Diamond voluntarily withdrew her complaint last week after the state has agreed to pay $250,000 to settle the lawsuit. Although Diamond is going to receive such settlement, Attorney Chinyere Ezie, said that the amount of the settlement is not yet final and that she will still receive more. Reports say that the remaining amount is confidential and so it will not be announced to the public. However, the Southern Poverty Law Center, which represents Ashley Diamond said that the settlement, in favor of Diamond, will go down in history.
According to The Inquisitr, attorney Ezie said that Diamond was happy with where the lawsuit is going, which helped bring international awareness to the issues that transgender inmates face in prison. "We're pleased that we were able to favorably resolve this case on behalf of Ashley Diamond," said Chinyere Ezie. Diamond's lawyer also underlined that the lawsuit will bring about important changes in the state and will surely affect the whole country, reminding everyone about the constitutional rights of transgender individuals, as reported by the Advocate.
Last year, correction departments all over the nation were placed on alert as US Department of Justice issued a statement which requires prisoner with gender dysphoria to receive medical treatment as any other condition, as mandated by the US constitution. After such declaration, the Georgia Department of Corrections then rescinded its freeze frame policy that prohibits transgender inmates from receiving necessary medical treatment.
On August 31, Ashley Diamond was released from prison on parole after serving about four years of her 12-year sentence for burglary. Meanwhile, the Department of Corrections said that it has already updated its policies.
