Janiah Monroe/Photo courtesy of WJBC.com
By Neil Doyle
LINCOLN – A transgender female inmate has been transferred to a women’s facility after claiming she was sexually assaulted while in a Pontiac men’s prison.
Janiah Monroe, 29, also known as Andre Patterson, was moved by the Illinois Department of Corrections to the Logan County Correctional Center on Monday.
In February, Monroe filed a lawsuit to be transferred based on her sexual identity. The MacArthur Justice Center and the Uptown People’s Law Center filed the lawsuit and alleged Monroe suffered sexual and physical abuse while in Pontiac.
Monroe also claimed she tried to kill herself several times.
“For well over a year, Janiah waited to see if IDOC would follow the law, protect her from sexual abuse and harassment, and house her in the women’s division,” said Vanessa del Valle of the MacArthur Justice Center.
Monroe is the second transgender female inmate to be transferred in recent months after filing a lawsuit. In December 2018, Strawberry Hampton, also represented by the same counsel, was moved from an all-male prison to the Logan County Correctional Center.
“We are glad that Janiah has been moved to a prison where she has a chance to be safe. We look forward to the day when every prisoner can feel safe in all of Illinois’ prisons. The Uptown People’s Law Center is committed to continuing to work to ensure that Janiah, other trans women, and all Illinois’ prisoners are protected and receive the medical and mental health care they need,” said Alan Mills, executive director of Uptown People’s Law Center.
The corrections department website said Monroe is in prison for a long list of crimes, including second-degree murder, attempted murder, aggravated battery, and attempted aggravated arson.
Her projected release date isn’t for another 35 years in 2054.
Neil Doyle can be reached at neil.doyle@cumulus.com
