:quality(70)/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-cmg.s3.amazonaws.com/public/2ZEMYB2WEJVBJNEBZWN6BQFNRA.jpg)
BOSTON (AP) - Massachusetts has filed an appeal of a judge's decision to grant a convicted murderer's request for a taxpayer-funded sex reassignment surgery.
The Boston Globe reports that in papers filed Tuesday, lawyers for the state Department of Correction's commissioner asked for a stay of the order granting a sex change for Michelle Kosilek, until a federal appeals court can rule.
The state says it believes the medical care the 63-year-old Kosilek is receiving is adequate and that the court didn't address what it says are legitimate safety concerns of protecting her in prison.
U.S. District Judge Mark Wolf ruled last month that the surgery is the only adequate treatment for Kosilek's gender-identity disorder.
Kosilek was named Robert when convicted of killing his wife, Cheryl, in 1990.
RELATED STORIES:
Transgender man speaks out against inmate's sex change ruling
Gov.: 'Strong argument' vs. inmate's sex change
State to appeal controversial state-funded inmate sex change ruling
Cox Media Group
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/7QOJU3BNCJERBNKJC5LWTBYFLU.png)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/NC6MQJC7CFGHJFVZVZRK223T54.png)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/A6ITVQI6VZF5TIX3ERJ63S3JBY.jpg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/VWEMERYH7ZH67AWE4AS2DYFB4M.jpg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/6BFNXPBK7YHSG4CRG4K3OSY7JY.jpg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/CHOCE4AIWJHN3DBFYSXW56R7QY.png)