Male inmate convicted in 2014 for killing girlfriend transferred to Oregon women's prison, awarded $295K in civil rights case settlement

A biological male who identifies as a female serving a 35-year sentence for violent offenses, including the 2014 killing of a girlfriend, has been transferred to a women’s correctional facility in Oregon and awarded a financial settlement totaling $295,000 following a federal civil rights lawsuit.

According to Reduxx, Zera Lola Zombie, who was born Daniel Lee Smith, received $95,000 in damages along with $200,000 for legal fees after alleging that the Oregon Department of Corrections (ODOC) violated his civil rights by previously housing him in the men’s facilities.

In court filings, Zombie was classified as a “vulnerable” adult in custody (AIC) in 2023 after first filing a legal complaint in 2021. Under Oregon law, that designation provides additional protections, including specialized housing considerations and safeguards from other inmates and staff.

Attorneys for Zombie argued that ODOC discriminated on the basis of gender identity by placing the inmate in male facilities and failing to assign the vulnerable classification earlier. The lawsuit further alleged ongoing harassment and abuse, including claims of sexual assault by another inmate during incarceration at Oregon State Penitentiary.

Court documents state that Zombie reported being housed with a prisoner serving a lengthy sentence for violent crimes against women and claimed repeated complaints to prison officials about harassment and assault were not adequately addressed. Following disciplinary action against the accused inmate, Zombie reported facing retaliation from others for reporting the incidents.

In a September 2023 ruling, US District Judge Ann Aiken wrote that it was “more likely than not” that Zombie had been subjected to repeated abuse, including sexual assault, while housed in male facilities. The court also found that prison officials had been made aware of the risks through multiple complaints.

Additional claims in amended filings described disputes over strip-search procedures, including requests for female staff to conduct searches. The filings detail incidents in which Zombie reported distress and humiliation during such procedures.

Zombie is currently serving a 35-year sentence stemming from the 2014 death of Samantha Brown. Brown was found deceased in a trailer where the two had been living, having been beaten to death. Zombie later pleaded guilty to manslaughter and assault charges, avoiding a potential life sentence tied to more severe charges. Brown was survived by four children.

While in custody, Zombie was also convicted of an additional violent assault involving another inmate. 

Zombie began identifying as transgender in 2020 and subsequently underwent hormone treatment, later changing his legal name. Records from ODOC indicate that Zombie has been transferred between facilities multiple times. As of the most recent listing, the inmate is housed at Coffee Creek Correctional Facility, Oregon’s only women’s prison, and is classified as female within the system.