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NC transgender inmate to transfer to women’s prison

The inmate is believed to be the state’s only post-operative transgender prisoner

Inmate Kanautica Zayre-Brown.jpg

Kanautica Zayre-Brown

North Carolina DOC

Associated Press

RALEIGH, N.C. — Prison officials in North Carolina are honoring the wishes of a transgender inmate and transferring her to a women’s prison.

The state’s Department of Public Safety on Friday told lawyers for the ACLU of North Carolina that they plan to transfer Kanautica Zayre-Brown to a women’s facility by August 22.

Zayre-Brown is believed to be the state’s only post-operative transgender prisoner. But the state had classified her as a man and incarcerated her at a men’s prison. She said she constantly fears assault.

The state said it’s basing its decision on the “unique characteristics, circumstances and personal history” of Zayre-Brown.

She has been serving a sentence of up to nearly 10 years since 2017 after being convicted as a habitual offender on insurance-fraud charges.

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