XPost: oc.general, ba.politics, alt.politics.radical-left   
   XPost: sbay.education   
   From: tomiii@yahoo.com   
      
   A gay transgender inmate transitioning into a woman was   
   repeatedly raped by a Rikers Island correction officer and jail   
   officials did nothing to stop it, a new suit charges.   
      
   The inmate, identified in court papers only as M.T., was   
   assaulted on Dec. 2, 2012 by Correction Officer L. Galan after   
   months of harassment, a new Manhattan Federal Court suit charges.   
      
   “Galan stated that Plaintiff ‘could do this the easy way or the   
   hard way,’ ” papers charge. “Plaintiff did not feel that (she)   
   could walk away or call out for help.”   
      
   Galan gave M.T. gifts like an iPod Touch, headphones, a charger,   
   a case and $20 in cash to not report the abuse, which occurred   
   at the Robert N. Davoren Complex, according to documents.   
      
   M.T., who was being held on a burglary charge, says she told   
   Rikers officials about the alleged abuse after the iPod was   
   discovered.   
      
   But Galan was not prosecuted or disciplined as a result of the   
   inmate’s allegation, papers claim.   
      
   The suit charges that other correction officers and health   
   workers are aware of Galan's "open and notorious" conduct.   
      
   M.T., who is in prison, seeks damages to be determined at trial.   
      
   "Abuses such as this occur all too often in our jail system.   
   Unfortunately, female, gay and transgender inmates are more   
   vulnerable to sexual assault by inmates and guards," M.T.’s   
   attorney, Philip Hines said.   
      
   A Department of Correction spokeswoman would not say if Galan   
   remains on duty at the jail because M.T.’s allegations are still   
   under investigation.   
      
   “Commissioner (Joseph) Ponte has zero tolerance for any sexual   
   harassment or violence against inmates,” the spokeswoman said.   
      
   She noted that the jail is working to bring it into compliance   
   with the Prison Rape Elimination Act, which was signed into law   
   in 2003. The act is intended to curb rape behind bars through a   
   zero tolerance policy, research and analyses of alleged cases of   
   sexual assault.   
      
   The DOC received a $1.2 million federal grant in 2012 aimed at   
   refining jail practices to prevent rape and employs a   
   coordinator dedicated to bringing the jail into compliance with   
   the act.   
      
   In November the jail opened up a 30-bed transgender housing unit.   
      
   A city Law Department spokesman said the suit would be reviewed.   
      
   In May, the Legal Aid Society filed a separate lawsuit that   
   alleged repeated sexual assaults of two inmates at the Rose M.   
   Singer Center at the hands of correction officer Benny Santiago.   
      
   http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/nyc-crime/gay-transgender-   
   rikers-inmate-raped-guard-suit-article-1.2338788   
       
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)