Savannah Chrisley continues to advocate for her imprisoned parents, Todd and Julie Chrisley, regarding the alleged “beyond inhumane” conditions they have been forced to endure while behind bars.
The former Chrisley Knows Best stars are currently serving prison time for tax evasion and fraud crimes– six years for Julie and 10 years for Todd, following the couple’s sentences being reduced in September. The pair are in the process of appealing their criminal convictions; last month, Julie’s prison sentence– NOT her conviction– was overturned by the appeals court and a judge has ordered that she be resentenced in District Court.
On this week’s episode of her Unlocked podcast, Savannah spoke about the latest visit she had with her mom at the Federal Medical Center (FMC) Lexington in Kentucky, and how the extreme heat at the facility has taken a toll on Julie.
“ … In the visitation room, thank goodness there’s air conditioning, but outside the visitation room, there is zero air conditioning and the heat index was [between] 105 and 110 [degrees],” Savannah claimed. “And that’s what mom’s living in, in conditions like that with absolutely no air and it can be 100 degrees inside the building.
“She literally said that she got physically sick because she got so hot,” she continued. “So you have these women who are suffering from heat exhaustion and they’re passing out, but yet, you know, there are service dogs [at the same facility] that have air conditioning … none of it makes sense to me. It is so beyond inhumane … .”
Savannah said her mom’s excitement over something as simple as sitting in an air-conditioned room makes her realize how much people take for granted something so “normal.”
“Unfortunately for these men and women it’s just not [normal] and that’s really tough to hear those struggles,” she said. “The whole prison system as a whole is so broken, not only at dad’s place, but at mom’s as well.”
Savannah went on to read a letter that she allegedly received from a Marine Veteran and current inmate at FPC Pensacola– the minimum-security facility in Florida where Todd is also serving his prison sentence– detailing similar treatment regarding the conditions inmates are forced to live and work in while serving time.
“ … This is what your taxpayer dollars are going to pay for,” she said after reading the letter. “It’s going to pay for abuse instead of rehabilitation. It’s going to pay for abuse instead of offering love to these individuals … .”
Savannah– who was made the primary guardian of her younger siblings while their parents are behind bars– said she has received many other letters from inmates sharing their personal stories, which she claims she has “turned over to the proper people” in order to do what she can “to protect these men and women.”
Savannah is certainly not the first person to speak out about how the relentless heat of prison facilities without air conditioning can be potentially life-threatening to prisoners. Over the last year or so, numerous news stations and media outlets have put a spotlight on the dangerous conditions of prisons without air conditioning, particularly in states like Texas and Arizona. (You can watch a report below to get an idea of what living inside one of these facilities is like in the summer.)
She also addressed the criticism she’s received from people who claim she only started to care about these type of issues after her own parents were imprisoned, insisting “that is not true at all.” She proceeded to explain how a personal experience of one of her lawyers, Brett Tolman, inspired him to pursue a career in the criminal justice system.
“I think I say that in hopes that you guys maybe give a little grace to me, to other people, who maybe get involved in things later on in life because something that triggered that feeling in them that they have to do more now that they know better,” she said. “When you know better, you do better.
“I hope you guys continue to follow along on this journey, because there are so many things that I look forward to doing and accomplishing now and when my parents get out of prison,” she added.
Watch Savannah’s latest podcast episode below.
(Photos: USA Network; Instagram; YouTube)
30 Responses
Chase is living his life and you don’t hear him saying a word about his parents. Savannah is only hurting her parents by the stuff she is saying.
Well hun, the dogs didn’t commit crimes. That’s the difference.
I mean the officers and staff have to be in these conditions too. I don’t think people should be exposed to constant 100 degree weather with no air. Not saying they need to have it all nice and cool and comfy in there but at least have some fans or air. Some prisoners don’t deserve to be where they are, maybe they have mental illness or made a bad decision years ago.
wah wah wah—do the crime do the time–she and her husband are where they allowed themselves to be due to their own greed! jail is not supposed to be a nice place to be–how about a little remorse and self reflection?!?!?
ummmm sorry you’re not having a better time in Prison … question mark … it’s Freakin PRISON! … what do you expect? … Good Lord 🙄
I should clarify … I do believe every prisoner is a human being and deserves their basic needs met and to be in liveable conditions … my issue (and sarcasm) comes from the constant complaints from this family, their lack of accountability and their major sense of entitlement 🙄
Don’t do the crime if you can’t do the time. It’s not the effin Ritz. So sorry your privileged ass doesn’t approve. You are only where you are today because your dad was a thief. No one wants to hear your whining self. Take a big dose of STFU and go take care of the mess they left you with.
No it’s not the Ritz but it’s not supposed to be deplorable neither
Hmm, maybe she shouldn’t have committed crimes, then she wouldn’t have to worry about it.
Don’t break the law and then cry and whine about being in jail.
Easy peasy
This girl needs to stfu.
Not only is not having AC in Florida prisons not ok but it is a FACT that heat makes people angry. How stupid. BTW, the nurses and staff have air conditioned offices.
Why did she bring the service dogs into it? They didnt evade taxes, Savannah.
I am sorry they don’t even do this to politicians who have done worse. It’s a tax situation why is she being subjected to that is ridiculous
Prison is meant to be a deterrent to others from doing the crime. They need to (and should) provide basic conditions for living: food, water, shelter. It shouldn’t be a place where people are treated as subhuman, but it also isn’t intended to be comfortable. There are people living homeless on the street with less resources and they’re a lot more uncomfortable than these 2. I’m so tired of hearing about them.
I wonder if it is subhuman in her pampered opinion. I’m tired of hearing about these two also. Next time, don’t commit a crime.
Prisoners aren’t the only people in prisons
Did you stop and think about the officers and nurses that have to work in these conditions too? 100 degree temperature? What did they do to deserve to be this “uncomfortable”
it was posted that they have air in their offices–sorry but obey the law and you can stay in your own home!!!
I don’t know much about these people but tax evasion is not more worse than other crimes such as murder or rape, etc. Which people get the same amount or less for. I wish these people and others the best
You do realize tax evasion and other white collar crimes hurt more people than the violent crimes you mentioned. And that get the most press. That’s why we’ve been programed to say oh gee shucks let’s give that rich guy a break. Maybe you need to look into that a little farther. Maybe our deficit wouldn’t be so high if the rich didn’t do everything to get out of paying what us little people pay every year, otherwise we wouldn’t be given such leeway. My husband and I paid in our over 15 grand in Federal taxes alone. Then you’re like aww, wish them the best screwing over the irs. That pays for programs, and roads, and headstart, national security. Delusional.
No they don’t I grew up in the Bronx and you have no clue how much worse violent crime hurts more than tax evasion. That didn’t do crap to my neighbor but guys with guns did.
yes it is horrible there, but the statement was that it hurts ‘more’ people — it branches out to many many people
You clearly are privileged go to Compton and come back and say white collar is worse.
Dani is beyond privileged with that opinion. She should come on over to Memphis where the last murder of 2023 was a 3-year-old asleep in his bed who was struck by a gangbangers stray bullet.
Yes T a crime is a crime BUT murder and rape are FAR WOESE than tax evasion
Hilarious, she was at a club fed. Stick her in a state prison in the south then get back to me. Not to mention, those leopards must have been hungry today. What party do they support? Oh wait they only like when DOC is hurting the right people.
Incorrect that is not club fed not all federal prisons are that. She is actually in one that isn’t.
You clearly never went to a fed prison. 🤦♀️
You clearly have never been in the state DOC. I worked for DOC and know the differences well.