To the General Public and Taxpayers of North Carolina,
I am an inmate at Nash Correctional Institute. I am writing this on behalf of Miss Ashlee Inscoe. I have known Miss Inscoe for several years now. I have laughed with her and I have cried with her. I know her history, I know her problems and I know her fears.
I have witnessed Miss Inscoe personally go out of her way to help other inmates and staff. I have seen her work herself ragged 10-12 hr/day at .40 cents/per day to help this unit pass an inspection by the ACA to get accredited. I have also watched her physical and mental health decline, because the great state of North Carolina won't do the right thing. The court keeps ordering the N.C. Dept. of Adult Corrections to move her to a female unit, but they keep defying the judge’s ruling.
This state took 57 years of my life in a court trial that lasted 3 ½ days, with only 1/10 of the guidance against me that Miss Inscoe has against the state in this case. Yet they keep dragging this out (years now) at who knows how much cost to the taxpayers. The court has ruled in her favor 4 times in the past year, yet she still sits here at Nash. The only female among 900 male inmates.
Imagine being the only female among 900 males. You don’t have anyone to talk “girl talk” with. You have no one to confide in. You have no one to bond with and discuss female issues. She is constantly being misgendered in any activity she tries to participate in. (In the following statements; I mean no harm or anything derogatory toward the gay community. I’m just trying to paint a picture of what Miss Inscoe has to deal with.)
She tries to go to church –she is called “mr” “sir” “brother” not miss or sister. She is told how homosexuality is a sin and “god” can help “him” with this.
A: Ashlee is a her not a him
B: To my knowledge Ashlee is not homosexual. Not that it matters. It’s the point of the matter.
C: Ashlee has a medical condition (from birth) no choice of her own. Do the research on “intersex” she can’t play sports for being afraid of being groped or pawed at.
I have seen her have panic attacks because there are too many people on the yard talking about getting high or their “sexual exploits” no matter what their crime, no one should have to endure this kind of treatment on a daily basis.
As I stated, Miss Inscoe is a very good friend of mine, and it tears the heart right out of me to see her crying because once again after having faith that our justice system works, once again after jumping through all the hoops, ringing all the bells, once again doing her part to play by the rules, the great state of N.C. decides it is above the law (which states: female inmate will be housed separately from male inmates. Miss Inscoe is legally female in any sense of the word) and snatches the rug out from under her feet. It kills me to watch this system continually beat her down, over and over and over. I beg you, if you have loved ones in this place, think about how they are being mistreated, if you are a taxpayer think about how your tax dollars are being wasted by this state. Wake up John Q public. Do the research on this case and see how corrupt this system is. Remember 1 mistake or 1 moment of bad judgment and you could easily find yourself in here also. With very little hope of getting out!
-Name withheld due to fear of retaliation