EAST ST. LOUIS — A transgender inmate at the Greenville prison is suing several prison personnel for alleged discrimination and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
Anthony Johnson filed a complaint on Feb. 13 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois against Dr. Douglas Kruse, counselor Zelda Bell and seven others, including wardens and officers, alleging they failed to provide the plaintiff with a safe condition of confinement in prison.
According to the complaint, Johnson alleges that since imprisonment in July 2012, she was subjected to numerous verbal threats, humiliation and physical assault from fellow inmates. Plaintiff routinely informed the defendants of the threats, but the harassment and intimidation continued because of her transgender status, the suit claims.
As a result, Johnson claims she suffered physical injuries, distress and pain.
The plaintiff alleges the prison staff failed to treat the plaintiff the same as other inmates, disclosed the plaintiff's HIV-positive status to other inmates, failed to provide safe housing for transgender inmates and failed to adequately train employees about transgender inmates.
The plaintiff requests a trial by jury and seeks award for monetary damages, costs, reasonable attorneys' fees and such further relief as the court deems appropriate.
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois case number 3.17-cv-00237