Court tosses out inmate’s rape lawsuit

SAN FRANCISCO – A transgender prison inmate who said she was raped by her cellmate has lost her lawsuit against prison officials.

A Superior Court jury on Thursday ruled in favor of six Folsom State Prison workers whom Alexis Giraldo accused of failing to protect her from being raped. The jury deadlocked on a seventh prison worker.

Giraldo, 30, was born a man but takes hormones to feminize her appearance.

She had asked the court to order prison officials to create a policy to protect transgender inmates, who are currently housed with the general population. But the court dismissed the claim, saying Giraldo could not speak for other inmates and was in no danger herself because she had recently been paroled.

Giraldo said prison guards ignored her complaints and returned her to the cell to be attacked. Officials said Giraldo was in a consensual sexual relationship.

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