Transgender inmate sues Oregon DOC over denial of medical care

PORTLAND – The Oregon Department of Corrections has been hit with a lawsuit on behalf of a transgender inmate alleging she was denied medical care.

The Oregonian/OregonLive reports the American Civil Liberties Union of Oregon Foundation filed the suit Monday. It says Michale James Wright, an inmate at the Two Rivers Correctional Facility, has been subjected to cruel and unusual punishment by the state denying her multiple requests for hormone treatment and counseling.

The suit says Wright was diagnosed with gender dysphoria and has attempted suicide several times while in custody.

Wright was convicted of attempted armed robbery in 2013. Her earliest release date is November 2018.

DOC spokeswoman Elizabeth Craig says the department can’t comment on pending litigation, but she noted that the DOC has been working to address the needs of transgender inmates.