An “transgender” inmate in Indiana who claims he identifies as a “Muslim woman” is suing his prison’s Chaplain after he was denied a hijab.
The inmate, Autumn Cordellioné, previously known as Jonathan C. Richardson, is seeking $150,000 in damages, according to Reduxx. Cordellioné was reportedly first arrested in 2001 after his 11-month-old stepdaughter died in his care while her mom was at work.
An autopsy report found that the little girl died from asphyxiation by manual strangulation. Reportedly, Cordellioné told a prison official, “all I know is I killed the little f—ing bitch.”
Cordellioné was found guilty and sentenced to 55 years in prison. He is currently carrying out his sentence at the Branchville Correctional Facility, an institution for male offenders (via Reduxx):
Last August, Cordellioné joined forces with the American Civil Liberties Union to sue the Indiana Department of Corrections, citing “discrimination” on the basis of his gender identity. That case is currently in progress.
But Reduxx has now learned that that Cordellioné has also launched a separate suit against the prison’s Chaplain, Tony Gray. Gray has been a Chaplain at the facility since 2014, and volunteered at the institution prior to being offered an official role.
A transgender inmate in Indiana is suing his prison's chaplain for discrimination after he was reportedly denied a hijab despite identifying as a Muslim woman.
— REDUXX (@ReduxxMag) February 14, 2024
Autumn Cordellioné is serving a 55-year sentence for the brutal murder of an 11-month-old baby.https://t.co/ftURsmMrQ2
Reportedly, the incident of the complaint occurred in May 2023 when Gray told Cordellioné that he could not wear a hijab outside his cell. Cordellioné reportedly said: “I wear the hijab in order to cover my head and ears for modesty purposes, as I am an Islamic practicing transwoman.”
At the time, Cordellioné’s registered religion was Wiccan.
“Islamic faith mandates the wearing of a kufi for males … Islamic faith also mandates females of the faith wear hijabs when outside the home and when not amongst men of their family. Tony Gray allows male Muslims to wear their sufis, but denies me, a transwoman, the same privilege,” Cordellioné reportedly argued.
“[Gray] should be aware, as Chaplain, the stigma and shame that is attributed to Islamic women when they go uncovered and without a hijab,” Cordellioné writes in his complaint. “Women are viewed as whores, tempters of men, and adulterators; by Islamic society both in and out of prison. I have been shunned, made a social pariah, and amongst my own religious community.”