California Coalition for Women Prisoners filed a federal lawsuit Feb. 2 alleging sexual abuse at Chino’s California Institution for Women.
The complaint alleges sexually abusive examinations by former prison gynecologist Scott Lee.
Follow Our Courts left a voicemail on the answering machine of California Institution for Women (CIW) spokesperson William Newborg for comment. A formal response has not yet been filed.
Allegations
“Dr. (Scott) Lee (of CIW) routinely conducted prolonged breast exams that included stimulating or squeezing the patient’s nipples or cupping the breasts, for which there was no medical justification,” the complaint says.
Lee, the complaint claims, would comment on the inmates’ sexual history, beauty and vaginal tightness, conduct unnecessary anal examinations, conduct examinations without a mandated chaperone, and deeply insert his fingers during pelvic exams.
Named
The complaint names 15 defendants, not including the prison or the state. In addition to Lee, the suit names CIW Chief Executive Officer for California Correctional Health Care Services James Elliot, CIW Chief Medical Executive Kenneth Maxwell and medical assistant Mesveen Kumar, former CIW Wardens Jennifer Core, Mona Houston, Richard Montes and Molly Hill, and Associate Wardens Rob Kettle and Anthony Kevin.
Clark Kelso, appointed to fix the state prisons’ medical services in 2008, is also named.
Claims
The suit claims three violations of their Eighth Amendment right to be free from cruel and unusual punishment, violation of their right for equal protection before the law, violation of their Fourth Amendment right to be free from unreasonable search and seizure, two violations of their right to privacy, two causes of gender violence, violation of California’s Bane Civil Rights Act, civil battery, negligence and both intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress.
The Coalition brings the case with six unnamed prisoners.
Case information
Dan Stormer and Morgan Rickets of Pasadena’s Hadsell Stormer Renick & Dai LLP, and Barrett Litt and Lindsay Battles of Pasadena’s McLane, Bednarski & Litt, LLP., represented the inmates.
Defendant’s counsel has not yet been announced.
Case No. 5:25-cv-00283
Read the complaint here.
