Associated Press
ATLANTA — Georgia’s parole board has released a transgender inmate who had sued alleging mistreatment.
Records show Ashley Diamond was released Monday after serving about a third of her 12-year sentence for burglary and other convictions.
The Southern Poverty Law Center sued in February, saying prison officials failed to provide adequate treatment for Diamond’s gender dysphoria, a condition causing a person to experience extreme distress because of a disconnect between their birth sex and gender identity.
In April, the Justice Department weighed in, saying officials must treat a gender identity condition just as they would any other condition.
The 37-year-old Diamond was eligible for parole in November, but a parole board statement says the board can grant parole earlier if the release is “compatible with the welfare of society and public safety.”