2 Years After Lawsuit, California Parolee Set For Sex Change Surgery

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - A parolee is set for sex reassignment surgery nearly two years after her lawsuit spurred California to become the first state to offer the operation to inmates.

A federal judge in April 2015 ordered California to provide the surgery to Michelle-Lael Norsworthy, a transgender inmate who was serving a sentence for second-degree murder.

But she was paroled in August 2015, one day before a federal appeals court was to hear the state's appeal.

Norsworthy said in a statement Tuesday that she is set for the surgery on Friday, paid for by Medicare.

California agreed to provide the surgery for another inmate, Shiloh Quine, who in December became the first inmate in the nation to have the state-paid surgery.

California also changed its policy to consider the surgery for other inmates.