Lawsuit alleges abuse at youth correctional facility

[kweerwolf]

A federal lawsuit filed yesterday against officials who run the Hawai'i Youth Correctional Facility alleges that three wards there have been physically and emotionally abused because they are gay or perceived to be gay.

The complaint was filed yesterday afternoon in U.S. District Court by the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of the three wards. One of the plaintiffs is characterized as a gay female, a second is a male-to-female transgender person, and the third is a male who is perceived to be gay by the HYCF staff, according to the lawsuit.

Named as defendants are Lillian Koller, director of the Department of Human Services; Sharon Agnew, director of the Office of Youth Services; Kaleve Tufono-Iosefa, HYCF administrator; Henry Haina, HYCF investigator; and youth corrections officers Cynthia Hubbell, Phyllis Rosete, Earlene Josiah, Leila Holloway, Mitch Simao, Lawrence Alvaro and Michael Kim.

The plaintiffs say their constitutional rights were violated because of their sexual orientation, and they are seeking an undetermined amount in damages.

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