Mass. prison head opposes sex-change surgery for inmate

WashingtonPost.com – By Denise Lavoie – The Associated Press

Boston – Allowing a convicted killer to get a sex-change operation would pose insurmountable safety and security problems for the state prison system, the Massachusetts corrections chief said.

Harold Clarke, who took over the department in November, said allowing the surgery for Michelle Kosilek could make her a target for assault by other inmates. He said prison officials also have concerns that Kosilek _ who is serving a life sentence without parole could try to escape if she is taken out of state for the surgery.