Todd & Julie Chrisley ARE HERE!! | Unlock SPECIAL SECRETS with Savannah Chrisley

“Chrisley Knows Best” Stars Open Up: Prison Trauma, Injustice & Their Fight for Reform

In a raw and emotional episode of the podcast Unlocked, former reality stars and married couple Todd and Julie Chrisley speak out for the first time since their release from federal prison.

They dive deep into their contrasting prison experiences, the trauma of incarceration, and the broken justice system that led them there.

The conversation opens with their reflections on surrendering to prison.
The moment they said goodbye to their family was filled with fear, heartbreak, and uncertainty.

Todd was assigned to a low-security federal camp, which he described as “a busted little summer camp.”
Meanwhile, Julie was sent to an older, high-security facility with no air conditioning, severe heat, and extremely restrictive conditions.

The stark difference in their prison environments highlighted broader gender disparities in the federal prison system.
Julie’s facility was outdated and inhumane, while Todd’s experience, though still difficult, lacked the same physical intensity.

Julie recalls the brutal transport process as one of the most dehumanizing parts of her incarceration.
She was shackled, handcuffed, and transported in mixed-gender groups, spending days in limbo at county jails with no access to hygiene, no answers, and no clear destination.

This chaos caused her to lose earned time credits, extending her sentence unfairly — a practice many women endure in silence.

Throughout their incarceration, both Todd and Julie leaned heavily on their faith.
Prayer, Bible reading, and inner strength became their lifeline.
Todd reflects, “Prison was in me, but I was not in prison.”
That distinction, he says, saved his spirit.

The podcast episode also reveals shocking allegations about their trial and the justice system.

They claim the judge in their case, Eleanor Ross, showed clear bias.
Todd describes how Ross denied virtual court hearings to “save taxpayer money” but lacked a basic understanding of financial matters, leading to a harsher sentence.

They argue that prosecutorial misconduct and IRS negligence played major roles in their conviction.
Key tax evidence showing they had overpaid was ignored.
Julie names the IRS’s Betty Carter as a central figure in suppressing crucial documents.

Another major theme is the broken plea deal system.
The Chrisleys refused to plead guilty despite intense pressure.
They believe the 97% federal conviction rate is inflated by coercion, not actual guilt.

“People are scared,” Todd explains. “They plead guilty to things they didn’t do just to get home sooner.”
He calls for an overhaul of how plea bargains are handled in federal court.

Despite their suffering, the couple sees purpose in their pain.
Julie recounts a dream during her first night in prison where she heard God say, “You’ve been planted.”
She later discovered the prison had closed and federal policy shifted toward home confinement, mirroring the vision she had.

Todd says his mission now is to use their experience to bring visibility to injustices that most Americans never see.
His words—“When I leave, they will rise”—reflect a desire to transform their trauma into a movement.

The episode ends with a call to action.
The Chrisleys urge listeners to look beyond the headlines, challenge assumptions, and support prison reform that reunites families and restores dignity to those incarcerated.