Man Accused Of Castrating Transgender Woman Charged

DENVER (AP) - A Colorado man accused of using an Army surgical kit to castrate a transgender woman at her Denver apartment has been charged.

James Pennington was charged Tuesday with second-degree assault and unauthorized practice of medicine.

According to court documents, the woman's wife was with her during the 90-minute surgery on May 17, and the 57-year-old Pennington told the couple to call 911 if complications developed. The wife told police that after changing the dressing a few hours after the surgery, a large amount of blood poured out of the sutured wound.

Doctors were unable to reattach the testicles because of the length of time between the procedure and the 911 call.

Investigators say Pennington acknowledged removing the testicles. His phone number could not be found Tuesday.

(© Copyright 2017 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)