Sen. Brown criticizes ruling on inmate's sex change

BOSTON (AP) - U.S. Sen. Scott Brown says a judge's decision to order Massachusetts prison officials to provide sex-change surgery for a convicted murderer is "an outrageous abuse of taxpayer dollars."

U.S. District Judge Mark Wolf on Tuesday found that prison officials had violated Michelle Kosilek's Eighth Amendment right against cruel and unusual punishment. Wolf found that Kosilek, who was born a man but has been living as a woman, has severe gender-identity disorder and surgery is the only adequate medical remedy.

When Brown was a state senator, he was among critics who urged the Department of Correction to refuse to provide the surgery.

In a statement issued Tuesday after the judge ruled, Brown encouraged the state to appeal the decision.

FOX 25's Sharman Sacchetti reached out to Senate-hopeful Elizabeth Warren for comment. Her camp did not respond as of Tuesday evening.

Kosilek, then known as Robert, was convicted of killing his wife in 1990.

Cox Media Group