A California serial killer, Skylar DeLeon, who was sentenced to death in 2009 for the 2004 murders of yacht owners Thomas and Jackie Hawks, recently underwent gender affirming surgery and breast augmentation while on death row. DeLeon, formerly known as John Jacobson Jr., had planned to fund a sex-change operation using the victims' money. The killer, along with accomplices, attacked the couple during a test drive of their yacht, forced them to sign over power of attorney, and ultimately drowned them in the Pacific Ocean by tying them to an anchor.
DeLeon's surgery was made possible due to left-wing policies pushed under former state Attorney General Kamala Harris, who initially opposed taxpayer-funded transition surgery but later saw precedents set by state and federal courts. California corrections officials established guidelines for prisoners seeking such procedures, leading to DeLeon's surgery.
The lenient treatment of trans inmates in California has sparked controversy, with cases like Tremaine Deon Carroll being transferred out of a women's prison after facing rape charges. The state's policies have also raised concerns about the security of female prisons, especially with inmates transitioning from male to female.
Amidst these developments, the issue of taxpayer money being used for prisoners and detained illegal immigrants seeking trans treatments has come under scrutiny. While Vice President Harris stated she would follow the law regarding this matter, her past actions as attorney general included advocating for access to sex-change drugs and operations for California inmates.
The case of Skylar DeLeon sheds light on the complexities surrounding transgender inmates in the prison system and the implications of policies governing their medical care and treatment.
