Transgender inmate loses lawsuit

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 was sent to Folsom for shoplifting and a parole violation in January 2006. She said prison guards ignored her complaints and returned her to the cell to be attacked again. State officials said Giraldo was in a consensual sexual relationship with the cellmate and her lawsuit was motivated by greed.

The Associated Press has a policy of not naming people alleging sexual assault. However, Giraldo has spoken out publicly and has been identified by a transgender rights organization that is advocating for her.