PHILADELPHIA — A transgender inmate is suing a correctional facility and its officers, citing alleged failure to protect.
Tommie Hensley filed a complaint on Sept. 27 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania against Delaware County, Geo Corrections and others for alleged violation of the Prison Rape Elimination Act.
According to the complaint, on Oct. 1, 2016, Tommie Hensley, a transgender male to female, was incarcerated at defendants' facility when she was sexually assaulted by a cellmate who was a convicted sex offender.
Plaintiff claims she told several guards about the assault but was left in the cell and continued to be assaulted until the inmate was transferred to a state correctional institution in March 2017.
The plaintiff holds the defendants responsible because the defendants allegedly refused and/or failed to take immediate action after plaintiff's allegations and failed to have a written zero tolerance policy against sexual abuse and sexual harassment.
The plaintiff requests a trial by jury and seeks judgment for compensatory and punitive damages, plus interest, costs, attorney's fees, and all other appropriate relief. She is represented by Thomas Bruno of Abramson & Denenberg, PC in Philadelphia.
The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania Case No. is 2:18-cv-04172-JCJ.