News

September 3, 2008

Transgender inmate sues jail staff, wardens

Also filing on behalf of a second inmate, Quinnones alleges physical abuse, sexually explicit taunting.

By Terrie Morgan-Besecker tmorgan@timesleader.com
Law & Order Reporter
Terrie Morgan-Besecker on Facebook   |   @TLTerrieMorgan on Twitter

WILKES-BARRE – A transgender inmate at the Luzerne County Correctional Facility has filed two federal lawsuits against numerous guards and prison officials, alleging he was subjected to physical abuse and sexually explicit taunting.

Shawn Shannon Quinnones filed the suits on behalf of himself and another inmate, Anthony Lee Gray, who also claims to have been physically abused.

Quinnones, who wrote and filed the suits himself, claims he and Gray were placed on suicide watch in the prison’s restricted housing unit for no reason. While there, they were subjected to numerous indignities.

In the first suit filed Aug. 7 in federal court in Scranton, Quinnones says he is a “partial post operational transgender” with “breast and other strikingly feminine features.” He claims he and Gray were written up for numerous misconducts at the prison for actions they did not commit.

The second suit filed Aug. 24 makes numerous allegations of misconduct again prison personnel.

Among the claims are that prison guards tied Quinnones to a bed, naked, in a “crucifixion position,” then allowed psychiatric aides assigned to the floor to taunt him and make sexually degrading comments.

Quinnones, who refers to himself as “she” in the suit, also claims prison guards forcibly dragged him through urine and feces, which he admits he threw on the floor of his cell. Quinnones said he threw the feces in frustration because prison officials would not provide him with running water so that he could flush the toilet.

Both suits claim Gray and Quinnones, who did not resist, were subjected to several forced extractions from their cells which caused them to suffer injuries. Prison officials refused their request to take photographs of them and to provide them medical assistance, the suits say.

Warden Gene Fischi on Tuesday said he had not seen the suits and could not comment on specific allegations. Speaking generally, he said inmates will sometimes be restrained to a bed if they are deemed a danger to themselves but would never be restrained naked.

Fischi said Quinnones has had numerous disciplinary issues since arriving at the prison in August 2007. Fischi said Quinnones has been written up for nine misconducts, including throwing urine and feces at staff.

“He has high-risk, assaultive behavior. He’s been a problem since he got here,” Fischi said.

The suits name as defendants Fischi, Deputy Warden Sam Hyder and more than a dozen guards and other prison employees. They seek a combined total of more than $1 million in compensatory and punitive damages.

Terrie Morgan-Besecker, a Times Leader staff writer, may be reached at 570-829-7179.

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