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$58,333 Settlement for Transgendered Woman’s Sacramento Jail Assault and Sexual Harassment

California’s County of Sacramento has paid $58,333.33 to settle the lawsuit of Richardo Medina-Tejada, who claimed that as a post-operative transgender male-to-female pretrial detainee at the Sacramento County Jail, she was placed in housing with male prisoners who sexually assaulted her. She also claimed guards physically assaulted her and refused her medical care.

Guards refused to issue Medina-Tejada a bra despite the fact she had “sizable female breasts” that required support. During laundry call, she was forced to walk the gauntlet of male prisoners and guards with only a sheet wrapped around her while “catcalls” and other sexual and discriminatory remarks were made.

The complaint further alleges guards violated her by refusing the Spanish-only speaking Medina-Tejada an interpreter, assaulted her by breaking her wrist, pulled her hair from her head and damaged her breasts.

While Medina-Tejada had committed no crime, she remained in the jail for four months prior to release on September 26, 2003. The matter was settled on May 6, 2006. Medina-Tejada was represented by Sacramento attorneys Dean R. Johansson, Dani Williams, Robert Masuda and Kelly T. Smith. See: Medina-Tejada v. Sacramento County, USDC, E.D. Cal., Case No. Civ-5-04-138.

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Related legal case

Medina-Tejada v. Sacramento County

Please see the brief bank for documents related to this case.