Amanda Booker - GA Voice US - A Georgia lesbian is suing police who she says took her to gay conversion therapy instead of a psychiatric hospital for court ordered drug abuse treatment. Amanda Booker alleges that officials of the Bartow County Sheriff's Department violated her constitutional rights when she was taken to a private residence for ex-gay conversion therapy. She claims a sheriff's official paid three individuals using county funds to watch the 25-year-old and "convert her from being a lesbian". Chris and Donna McDowell described as evangelists were allegedly paid US$600 to "covert" Booker. Booker says that instead of transporting her to Northwest Georgia Regional Hospital, sheriff's department officials harassed her over her sexual preference and took her to the individuals' homes. "At all times relevant to action, it was normal procedure, practice and custom of defendants Bartow County, Brown, and Milsap to punish homosexuals and persons holding different religious beliefs," alleges the lawsuit. Booker, who is serving a ten year sentence for theft, is yet to receive treatment for her drug addiction.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Monday, 30th May 2011 - 12:36pm