Transgender Watertown Woman Wins Two Landmark Settlements With Police and Sheriff Over Abuse 

Following a NYCLU lawsuit, Watertown and Jefferson County will implement wide-sweeping policies that affirm the rights of trans people in custody 

NEW YORK – DeAnna LeTray, a transgender woman, has reached landmark settlements with the Watertown Police Department and the Jefferson County Sheriff’s office after she was discriminated against and abused while in their custody because she is transgender. Following a 2021 lawsuit by the New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU) and Legal Services of Central New York (LSCNY), the City of Watertown and Jefferson County have agreed to wide-sweeping policies that protect transgender people in interactions with law enforcement and in custody from harassment and discrimination.  

“I was abused because of who I am by those who were supposed to protect me, and I don’t wish that on anyone,” said DeAnna LeTray. “These settlements make me feel heard and will allow me to move forward with my life, despite the trauma I endured. Most importantly, they will put other counties and police departments on notice so that the abuse I endured never happens to anyone again.”  

Under the settlements, the City of Watertown and Jefferson County commit themselves to preventing discrimination and violence against transgender, gender non-conforming, non-binary, and/or intersex (TGNCNBI) people:  

In particular, the Watertown Police Department will: 

• Adopt clear guidelines to ensure the proper treatment of TGNCNBI people, including the appropriate use of their names, titles and pronouns. 

• Ensure that transportation, searches, and booking procedures are done in a way that respects a person’s gender identity.   

• Mandate that disciplinary action be taken against officers in the case of sustained complaints of gender-based discriminatory profiling.    

In addition, the Jefferson County Correctional Facility will: 

• House TGNCNBI people consistent with their gender identity, with limited exceptions.  

• Conduct searches consistent with their gender identity, with limited exceptions, and ensure that jail staff respect a person’s gender identity in other contexts, including name and pronoun use.   

• Ensure access to medical and mental healthcare free from discrimination on the basis of sex, gender identity, gender expression, or sexual orientation, including access to medical care for treatment of gender dysphoria and gender-affirming items.   

“Today’s settlements, like others we have achieved in recent years, make it abundantly clear that New York jails and police departments have an obligation to treat transgender people in their custody with dignity,” said JP Perry, senior staff attorney at the New York Civil Liberties Union. “No one should ever experience what Ms. LeTray went through. Yet, her story is tragically emblematic of the ordeal faced by many trans people throughout our state. As attacks against LGBTQ people are on the rise nationwide, we urge all counties and cities across New York to follow suit, adopt similar policies, and protect trans people in their care.”  

“Nobody should be subjected to the abuse and discrimination Ms. LeTray suffered at the hands of law enforcement. We are pleased Jefferson County and the City of Watertown have now adopted policies to protect trans people in their custody,” said Josh Cotter, staff attorney at Legal Services of Central New York. “These policy changes were only made possible due to the incredible courage and persistence of Ms. LeTray. We encourage all law enforcement throughout the state to adopt similar policies.” 

The NYCLU has played a major role in protecting the rights of TGNCNBI people in jails and prisons across the state. In August 2023, the NYCLU and the Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund (TLDEF) reached a landmark settlement with Broome County on behalf of Makyyla Holland, a transgender woman who was mistreated while in custody at the Broome County Jail. Ms. Holland’s settlement built on the 2020 policy adopted by Steuben County following the NYCLU and TLDEF’s lawsuit on behalf of Jena Faith. In October 2023, the NYCLU and TLDEF sent a letter to all New York Sheriffs urging them to adopt jail policies consistent with the Holland settlement. To date, 15 counties have adopted new policies as a result of this advocacy. The NYCLU also developed a toolkit to help address the widespread mistreatment trans people face in jails and prisons in our state and in interactions with police. 

New Yorkers like Ms. LeTray will continue to suffer discrimination and abuse in custody across the state until there is broad action from lawmakers. The Gender Identity Respect, Dignity, and Safety Act would increase safety for TGNCNBI people by requiring that prisons and jails provide housing placements consistent with one’s gender identity, unless they request otherwise. The bill would hold jail and prison staff accountable for respecting a person’s gender identity in all contexts, including name and pronoun use and require access to health care, clothing, grooming and toiletry items.  

Counsel on the case include NYCLU attorneys JP Perry, Bobby Hodgson, Veronica Salama, Molly Biklen, and paralegal Lourdes Chavez, and LSCNY attorneys Josh Cotter and Samuel Young.  

You can find case materials and the settlement here: https://www.nyclu.org/court-cases/deanna-letray-v-jefferson-county-et-al