Todd and Julie Chrisley were found guilty of bank fraud and more offenses in 2022 and, after that ruling came down, they were adamant about their displeasure with the decision. The former Chrisley Knows Best stars have been in prison since this past January and, though they’re unable to speak out, their lawyers have opened up about their plans to appeal. Unfortunately for them, they’ve seen their share of setbacks while trying to pursue such legal action. Now, an insider is saying that because of those losses, the former reality TV stars aren’t feeling so optimistic at this point.
The couple’s new lawyer, Jay Surgent, recently revealed they’re planning to take their case to the highest legal institution in the land – the Supreme Court, if their current appeal doesn’t prove success. As of right now, the two are waiting for a decision from the 11th Circuit Court. Surgent and his team may be exploring all possible options, but that’s allegedly not providing the Chrisleys with any sense of comfort. An OK Magazine source that’s purportedly close to the family says Todd and Julie are “feeling completely hopeless about their situation.” The individual adds that their latest court loss will “mean at least another year of living in their hell hole jails.”
That legal setback being referred to is the couple’s petition to be granted home confinement for the remainder of their sentences. And not only was Todd Chrisley’s appeal denied, it also sparked an investigation. His lawyer says the situation happened because an official opted not to process the claim after submission. All in all, the attorney believes his client “wasn't given due consideration.”
Believe it or not, this isn’t the first time a source has made claims about Todd and Julie Chrisley feeling down about their circumstances. Reports surfaced this past May that Todd was feeling “hopeless” while in prison. It was also claimed that he’d had the epiphany that he’s “aware that his greed caused all of this.” Meanwhile, another insider said Julie had “broken down” in prison and was unable to fathom just how much time she has in prison. She’s currently serving a seven-year sentence at Federal Medical Center Lexington in Kentucky, while Todd is set to spend 12 years at Pensacola’s Federal Prison Camp. And afterwards, they’ll have 16 months of probation each.
When considering the sentiments OK’s insider shared about the two dreading continued prison time, one can’t help but consider what’s been said about the facilities during the past several months. The incarcerated pair’s daughter, Savannah Chrisley, claimed Julie was facing poor conditions and lacks air conditioning. Just a few weeks ago, Savannah further alleged that her mom was facing down snakes in her living space. Jay Surgent later slammed both prisons, reasoning that the locations “aren't handling things properly because of their celebrity status.” After Savannah made her first round of accusations, the Federal Prison Bureau shot down the allegations and stated that the living conditions were appropriate.
The commentary on the prisons can’t be truly confirmed, but what we do know for certain is that Jay Surgent and co. are still working to earn a successful appeal for the USA Network alums. Earlier in August, he declared that the matter lies in the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals’ hands and that his team argued that the “constitutional rights” of his clients were violated. The family’s other attorney, Alex Little, argued last fall that the case “marred by serious and repeated errors” and that a government agent lied to get his clients convicted. That reasoning made him optimistic about the couple’s chances of getting a retrial.
Until their efforts are successful, Todd and Julie Chrisley will remain in prison and serve out their sentences as required, barring any surprises. At the same time, inquiring minds will have to rely on updates from their kids (and possibly insiders) to get insight into their mindsets amid the legal entanglements.
