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Gov. says Mass. reviewing sex-change ruling

BOSTON (AP) - Gov. Deval Patrick says his administration is reviewing a federal judge's ruling ordering Massachusetts prison officials to pay for sex-reassignment surgery for a transgender inmate.

Patrick said Monday that no decision has been made on whether to appeal last week's decision by U.S. District Court Judge Mark Wolf, who ruled that the surgery was medically necessary to treat Michelle Kosilek's "serious medical need."

Kosilek is serving life in prison for murder. He was named Robert when he was convicted of killing his wife, Cheryl Kosilek, in 1990.

Patrick noted that the ruling went against the state, which had opposed the surgery. But he also called Wolf a "thoughtful and scholarly judge," and said the state wanted to fully evaluate the lengthy opinion before deciding what if any legal steps should be taken.