Sunday, May 21, 2017

James Pennington: Second advisement scheduled for June 6 at 1:30 p.m. at the Denver County courthouse.

Probable cause statement: https://localtvkdvr.files.wordpress.com





An airline captain based at O'Hare is free on bond, the I-Team has learned, in the bizarre case of a home castration that authorities say he performed to remove the testicles of a transgender woman.

James Pennington, 57, allegedly used a combat surgical kit to conduct the illicit operation in a Denver, Colorado apartment, investigators say.

Pennington is not a licensed doctor according to police. Detectives have not said if he had medical training or surgical experience but according to a police affidavit "the suspect had previously agreed to conduct" a castration operation on the transgender woman.

Authorities say the woman's wife observed the 90-minute surgery that took place last Wednesday. Investigators say the woman called 911 about three hours later requesting an ambulance when "a large amount of blood" began gushing from the sutured incision.

Pennington flies United Express jets out of Chicago O'Hare, aviation sources have told the I-Team. He is employed at United regional partner ExpressJet Airlines where records show he has worked for nearly 12 years.

He has now been placed on administrative leave says Bobbie Battista, ExpressJet spokesperson. Battista told ABC7 she would not comment further "as it is now a legal matter."

Records show Pennington lives in Denver but I-Team sources say he commutes to O'Hare several times a month where he is based.

Police say Pennington used a scalpel to surgically disconnect and remove the victim's two testicles and then stitched up the incision. He allegedly used an Army field surgical kit that typically contains scalpel, scissors, anesthetics such as lidocaine, wound dressings, bandages, sutures and other basic medical instruments needed for emergency treatment of some battlefield wounds.

How the impromptu surgical procedure came to pass, and under what terms, has not been disclosed by authorities. However, a Denver TV station reports that the home-surgery patient contacted Pennington "because he offered to do me a favor and help me get an operation which I so badly needed for my mental and physical health."
That claim is included in a "Jane Doe" letter cited by KUSA. In the letter the unidentified woman writes that she doesn't blame Pennington for the apparently botched surgery and does not intend to press charges.

"I am a victim of a society and healthcare system that focuses on trying to demonize transgender people and prevent us from getting the medical transition we need instead of trying to do what is best for us. Arranging a back-alley surgery was out of pure desperation due to a system that failed me."

Authorities said she was taken to Medical Center of Aurora outside Denver but that the testicles could not be reattached because of the several hours between the procedure and the 911 call. In the letter the woman claims that she is happy with that outcome. "Obviously, I wanted them gone and would have been traumatized had they been restored" the letter states.

After being held in jail during the first degree assault investigation and then appearing in court, Pennington posted $50,000 bond and was released.

ABC-TV affiliate KMGH went to Pennington's home where a notice taped to the front door referred reporters to Denver attorney Doug Richards. When reached by the I-Team Richards said neither he nor Pennington would have any comment about the case.

There is a court hearing scheduled for June 6 in Denver but it is not certain that Pennington will actually end up facing criminal prosecution. "Charges have not been filed yet" Ken Lane, communications director for the Denver District Attorney's office told the I-Team on Monday. Lane says under criminal procedures in Denver, police refer cases to the DA's office for consideration of charges. "The DA may decide after an arrest is made against filing charges at all," he said. "The case can be refused by the DA, e.g. insufficient evidence, statute of limitations has actually run, etc, and no charges filed."

Original article can be found here:  http://abc7chicago.com

James Pennington mug shot

KUSA - The man accused of performing an illegal amateur medical procedure to remove a transgender woman's testicles could spend years in prison.

However the victim says she doesn't want the district attorney to press charges.

9NEWS spoke to the woman's attorney Wednesday. He says the woman feels it was an act of compassion.

"She believes that he should not be charged because he was performing the procedure because she asked him to. She begged him to. She was desperate and she sees him as being very compassionate," David Beller said.

57-year-old pilot James Pennington is charged with second degree assault and unauthorized practice of medicine.

The victim's attorney said it's the DA's decision to press charges even if the victim doesn't agree.

The procedure is legal in Colorado when done by a licensed physician.

The victim's attorney says many transgender people do not pursue that option because of the high cost and lack of insurance coverage.

He says his client sees the procedure as mentally beneficial and she is physically recovering.

She recently sent 9NEWS a letter explaining her position on the issue.

Story and video:   http://www.9news.com


I-Team photo of James Pennington from his ExpressJet employee profile.


A man charged with using an Army surgical kit to remove the testicles of a transgender woman is an airline captain based at Chicago O'Hare, the I-Team has learned.

James Pennington, 57, was arrested on Thursday by police in Denver, Colorado and charged with suspicion of first degree assault when he allegedly castrated a transgender woman during a makeshift operation in the woman's apartment.

Pennington is not a licensed doctor according to police. Detectives have not said if he had medical training or surgical experience.

Police say the woman's wife observed the 90 minute illicit surgery that took place on Wednesday. Investigators say the woman called an ambulance about three hours later when "a large amount of blood" began gushing from the sutured incision on her unidentified wife.

Pennington flies United Express jets, aviation sources have told the I-Team. He is employed at United subcontractor ExpressJet Airlines where records show he has worked for nearly 12 years.

He has now been placed on administrative leave according to Bobbie Battista, corporate communications director at ExpressJet, who told ABC7 she would not comment further "as it is now a legal matter."

Pennington apparently lives in Denver but commutes to O'Hare several times a month where he is based as an airline pilot, I-Team sources say.

A military field surgical kit usually contains a scalpel, anesthetics such as lidocaine, wound dressings, bandages, sutures and other basic medical instruments.

A police affidavit states that Pennington used a scalpel to surgically disconnect and remove the victim's two testicles and then stitched up the incision.

Who made arrangements for the surgical procedure and under what terms has not been disclosed by authorities. According to the court affidavit filed by police "the suspect had previously agreed to conduct" a castration operation on the transgender woman.

Authorities she was taken to Medical Center of Aurora outside Denver but that the testicles could not be reattached because of the several hours between the procedure and the 911 call.

Pennington is being held without bond.

Original article can be found here:  http://abc7chicago.com

DENVER - Police say a man faces felony assault charges after he used an Army surgical kit to remove the testicles of a transgender woman.

According to court paperwork, James Pennington, 57, confessed to removing those testicles. Police called Pennington after the victim was taken to an area hospital. Pennington willingly agreed to a police interview on May 17, at the District 3 headquarters.

He has since been arrested and is being held without bond.

Records say during that interview, Pennington told investigators he agreed to perform the medical procedure at the victim’s apartment in Denver. 

Detectives say the surgical kit contained a scalpel, lidocaine, medical dressings, and other medical equipment.

Records state Pennington “used the scalpel and surgically disconnected and removed the victim’s 2 testicles and then sutured the opening back up.”

The victim’s wife was with her during what was described in court paperwork as a 90-minute-long procedure. Pennington then told the couple to call 911 if complications developed.

The victim’s wife told police after changing her dressing, a large amount of blood poured out of the wound so she called 911. Responding paramedics called police.

The probable cause statement says, “the testicles could not be re-attached due to time delay of a procedure to 911 call.”

The victim was taken to Medical Center of Aurora, where they told detectives she suffered from injuries that had the risk of “permanent disfigurement.”

The victim’s name, along with the victim’s wife were redacted from the report.

Police say Pennington is not a licensed medical professional in Colorado. He is a licensed pilot.

Original article can be found here: http://www.9news.com

15 comments:

  1. My, my my! Now you have my attention.

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  2. I almost passed out while reading this story.

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  3. If a person has testicles, HE is not a woman! And if a woman has a vagina SHE is not a man. I get sick of these wackos wanting to be referred and pandered by the sex they are biologically not.

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  4. That should have been a "Touch and Go" not a wheels up landing !

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  5. Find a job you'd do for free.... then let them pay you ;)

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  6. Not sure if this qualifies as an aviation oriented issue

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  7. Cut the guy some sack. He did what he was asked to do.

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  8. To the person saying not sure if this qualifies as an aviation issue, I would say he was flying low.

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  9. Pilot, doctor, same thing, right! LOL- some of the airline pilots I have flown with over the years usually wish they were employed as something else. Flying airplanes does get boring, doesn’t it? This gut takes the cake! Good lord!!

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  10. He (She?) should have used a checklist.

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  11. I think that procedure exceeds the scope of preventative maintenence and should have been performed by an A&P.

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  12. Perhaps when he went to flight school, he was also training to be a mohel.

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  13. If you need your testicles removed, don't ask a pilot to do it....

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  14. Wow.....this really took balls!

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  15. "I am a victim...system that focuses on trying to demonize transgender people and prevent us .....do what's best for us.... ... due to a system that failed me."

    Oh puleeeeeeeeeeeaze...he needs a brain transplant, not a sex change...

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