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SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — The state has agreed to pay $60,000 to settle a lawsuit brought by a former inmate who claims prison officials violated his rights to equal protection by discharging him from sex offender therapy because of his disability.
The Deseret News reports (http://bit.ly/1TMR5zJ ) Richard Ramirez was sentenced to five years to life in 1996 for the sexual assault of a 15-year-old boy. He was eligible for parole upon completion of a sex offender treatment program.
Ramirez's lawsuit alleges he was removed from the program because he was unable to understand the required readings and written assignments. Court documents say he has an IQ of 68.
Ramirez was released in 2014 after completing an individualized treatment program.
The Department of Corrections says it will continue working to meet the needs of inmates with disabilities.
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Information from: Deseret News, http://www.deseretnews.com
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