The Girlfriends S3/E4: The Shawties

Summary

Summary of "The Girlfriends: Jailhouse Lawyer - Season 3, Episode 4: The Shawties"

Host: Anna Sinfield
Release Date: August 4, 2025
Produced by: Novel for iHeart Podcasts

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Introduction: The Thin Line Between Victim and Villain

In this gripping episode of The Girlfriends: Jailhouse Lawyer, host Anna Sinfield explores the harrowing story of Kelly Harnett—a woman whose journey from being a victim of domestic violence to being convicted of murder raises profound questions about justice, victimhood, and systemic failure.

Arrival at Rikers Island: A Harsh Welcome

Timestamp [02:01]
Kelly Harnett arrives at the notorious Rikers Island jail on a blistering July day in 2010. As she enters the "Pretty Uninspiringly New Admissions" unit, the oppressive heat and lack of air conditioning set the stage for her challenging incarceration.

Kelly Harnett [03:51]: "I was barefoot in Rikers Island in Intake, which is the filthiest place that I know of in the world."

Kelly, identifiable by her white hair in a distinctive paper suit, stands out in a predominantly African American inmate population. This racial dynamic adds another layer of tension as she navigates her new environment.

Surviving the System: Forming Sisterhoods

Timestamp [08:54]
Understanding the need for solidarity, Kelly joins forces with other inmates, forming a sisterhood they dub "The Shorties." This group becomes a beacon of hope and support within the grim confines of Rikers.

Angelica [09:34]: "We're going to find lightness in everything. I mean, I think it's part of the human condition. As terrible as an experience is, in order to survive it, you find some beauty somewhere."

Through shared experiences and mutual support, "The Shorties" create a safe space where they can exchange tips, share personal stories, and uplift each other amidst the adversity.

Becoming a Jailhouse Lawyer: Kelly’s Transformation

Timestamp [19:59]
Kelly's determination to prove her innocence leads her to the prison's law library. Encouraged by Ms. Cruz, the woman overseeing the detox program, Kelly embarks on a rigorous self-education journey.

Kelly Harnett [19:59]: "You gotta start fighting your case. So I said to myself, all right, just go to the law library, see what happens."

Under the mentorship of paralegal Fernando Contreras, Kelly immerses herself in legal texts. Her relentless study pays off as she begins to understand and craft legally sound arguments, starting to file motions that challenge her own case and aid her fellow inmates.

Kelly Harnett [24:21]: "It became the love of my life. I started filing dismissals of indictment for people at Rikers Island."

Challenges Within: Conflicts and Confrontations

Timestamp [30:18]
Kelly's rising influence is not without its adversities. Her presence in Rikers stirs jealousy and hostility, particularly from Tommy Donovan's ex-girlfriend, leading to intense physical confrontations.

Kelly Harnett [34:48]: "This is the survival of the fittest...only the strong survive."

These altercations highlight the brutal reality of prison life, where power dynamics are constantly in flux, and survival often necessitates toughness.

Preparing for Trial: An Uphill Battle

Timestamp [37:15]
As Kelly prepares for her trial slated for the following months, she faces mounting pressure. The letter from Tommy Donovan complicates her case further, adding layers of deceit and manipulation that threaten her path to exoneration.

Anna Sinfield [37:48]: "On the next episode of The Girlfriends: Jailhouse Lawyer, Kelly's case goes to trial."

Despite her extensive preparation and the support of her sisterhood, Kelly's battle against a system stacked against her underscores the systemic flaws that often entrap victims of abuse.

Insights and Reflections

Kelly's story is a poignant exploration of how victims can become vilified within the criminal justice system. The episode sheds light on the prevalence of domestic abuse among incarcerated women, revealing that over 70% have suffered such trauma.

Anna Sinfield [14:38]: "One after another, those stories eventually blend in together."

Kelly's unwavering resolve to fight for her freedom and help others exemplifies the resilience required to navigate and challenge institutional injustices.

Notable Quotes:

• Kelly Harnett [03:51]: "I was barefoot in Rikers Island in Intake, which is the filthiest place that I know of in the world."
• Angelica [09:34]: "We're going to find lightness in everything...to survive it, you find some beauty somewhere."
• Kelly Harnett [19:59]: "You gotta start fighting your case. So I said to myself, all right, just go to the law library, see what happens."
• Danielle Fishel [34:48]: "This is the survival of the fittest...only the strong survive."

Conclusion: A Beacon of Hope Amidst Adversity

Kelly Harnett's journey from a victim of domestic violence to a jailhouse lawyer striving to overturn her wrongful conviction is a testament to human resilience. The Girlfriends: Jailhouse Lawyer not only narrates her personal battle but also highlights systemic issues that perpetuate the cycle of abuse and injustice. Kelly's story serves as a call to action, urging listeners to re-evaluate how society perceives and treats victims within the legal system.

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This summary captures the essence of Episode 4, focusing on the pivotal moments of Kelly Harnett's incarceration, her fight for justice, and the broader themes of victimhood and systemic failure. Advertisements, intros, and non-relevant sections have been intentionally omitted to provide a clear and engaging overview.

Transcript

[Danielle Fishel]

This is an iheart Podcast.

[Anna Sinfield]

Hey, it's.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Ryan Reynolds here from Mint Mobile.

[Kelly Harnett]

Now.

[Danielle Fishel]

I was looking for fun ways to.

[Anna Sinfield]

Tell you that Mint's offer of unlimited.

[Danielle Fishel]

Premium Wireless for $15 a month is back. So I thought it would be fun if we made $15 bills, but it.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Turns out that's very illegal.

[Danielle Fishel]

So there goes my big idea for the commercial. Give it a [e-mail] Switch upfront payment.

[Kelly Harnett]

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[Anna Sinfield]

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[Danielle Fishel]

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[Anna Sinfield]

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[Danielle Fishel]

Gatorade 0 is it in you?

[Kelly Harnett]

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[Anna Sinfield]

Learn [e-mail] hey girlfriends, it's me, Anna. I wanted to give you a heads up. This episode takes place within Rikers Island Jail, so we'll obviously be speaking a lot about the prison system. Plus, there's going to be talk about addiction and there's lots of references to violence, including domestic abuse. But I'll also get to introduce you to some incredible women who formed a sisterhood while locked up and who helped Kelly become the woman she is Today, if you're affected by any of the themes around domestic and gendered violence in this show, reach out to our charity partner no More. They're a domestic violence charity with a lot of great resources to help you or your loved ones. You can search nomore.org and we've put a link to their website. In the episode description, there's also going to be some bad language. So let's go. It's a swelteringly hot day in early July 2010. Kelly Harnett has just arrived at the infamous Rikers island jail. She's been taken into a unit called Pretty Uninspiringly New Admissions. This is where you wait around while you and a busload of other detainees are processed. It's not a comfortable place to be, even at the best of times. And this month, temperatures are reaching as high as 100 degrees Fahrenheit. For the non Americans in the room, that's nearly 40 degrees Celsius at the time. Rikers also doesn't have any air conditioning, so you're just cattle in a hot tin can.

[Danielle Fishel]

I couldn't take it. And this one piece paper suit covered my footing and I had no shoes on.

[Anna Sinfield]

Remember that bloodstained suit Kelly was wearing? She still got that on.

[Danielle Fishel]

It was so hot. I ripped the shoe part and rolled it up. Now I'm barefoot in Rikers island in Intake, which is the filthiest place that I know of in the world.

[Anna Sinfield]

From Intake, where all new arrivals go, Kelly is taken through a series of invasive medical tests. Blood tests, mental health assessments, drug checks. Then she's issued with a kind of jail starter pack. Some clothes, two towels, two sheets, toothpaste, and a toothbrush. A single green cup, plus something called state soap, whatever the fuck that means. After getting her supplies, Kelly spat out into the general population a 60 person unit. As she walks through a communal area lined by cells, she can tell that everyone's looking her up and down.

[Danielle Fishel]

All eyes stayed on me for two reasons. I was white and the paper suit. Now I know that African Americans are treated very unfairly in the justice system. So it made sense when I went in there, and there are 60 cells and 59 of them are African American. And then there was me. So people started talking to me like, yo, blondie. Yo, white girl. And I said, no, no, we're not doing that. I have a name. I'm not a punk. You're not gonna push me around in here.

[Anna Sinfield]

Other than rejecting some new, unwanted nicknames, Kelly keeps her head down for the first couple of Weeks. She's got a plan.

[Danielle Fishel]

Just watch and watch and watch. Get a feel for absolutely everybody. But while I was watching, I was deathly sick.

[Anna Sinfield]

Kelly's been an opioid addict for a decade and has been on and off methadone for most of that time. Right now, she's going through something called administrative detox. It's the fastest detox that you can put a person through legally.

[Danielle Fishel]

When they called methadone a few times, I had to crawl on my hands and knees. And one captain, when he saw me, he said, you see? I hope you remember this for the rest of your life. This is what drugs do to you.

[Anna Sinfield]

During this time, Kelly's barely able to speak, throwing up, and worse. Kelly's very religious, a Catholic girl through and through, and a dedicated disciple of Saint Therese whose signature token is a rose. Kelly's been praying to her since she was 4 years old, and I imagine she spent these early weeks of detox doing the same. She's always relied on St Therese to get her through the worst. But right now, there's someone else by her side, too. Kelly's being nursed by a woman, a fellow inmate, someone she's never met before.

[Danielle Fishel]

This lady, she was maybe a couple years older than me, and when I was feeling a little bit better and I could speak, I said, thank you so much.

[Anna Sinfield]

She gives this woman a hug, and.

[Danielle Fishel]

I said, why do you smell like roses? She said, oh, these are my rosary beads. I got these from the Vatican. They're made of rosewood.

[Anna Sinfield]

The woman takes the beads off and places them around Kelly's neck.

[Danielle Fishel]

I said, what is your name? She says, theresa. And I said, really? It's amazing. I feel that that was my guardian angel. I feel that God sent Saint Therese to tell me that everything was going to be okay.

[Anna Sinfield]

It's just as well, because Kelly's going to need all the help she can get, divine or otherwise, if she's going to survive here in Rikers, let alone prove that she's not a murderer. I'm Anna Sinfield, and from the teams at Novel and I Heart Podcasts, this is the girlfriend's jailhouse lawyer. The Shorties. At first, Kelly keeps her distance from the other inmates. But pretty soon, it becomes clear that to get by in here, she's gonna need some friends. Enter Angelica.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Our sisterhood called ourselves the Showties.

[Anna Sinfield]

Angelica isn't actually her real name, but it's what we're gonna call her.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Going to court is the time where men and women are brought back together, right? Because we're very in very separate quarters. And so we don't see each other until it's time to go to court.

[Danielle Fishel]

The way the guys speak to you, they go, yo, Shorty. Yo, Shorty with the blonde hair. Shorty.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Shorty with the gray shirt or Shorty with the black pants.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yo, Shorty, give me your numbers. So we started this joke. We started calling ourselves the Shorties. And this is when I formed a family in Rikers.

[Ryan Reynolds]

We're going to find lightness in everything. I mean, I think it's part of the human condition. As terrible as an experience is, in order to survive it, you find some beauty somewhere. You find something amusing somewhere.

[Anna Sinfield]

Kelly finds her little pocket of joy, the same place she found it before prison, on the dance floor. Drop the beat, Kel.

[Danielle Fishel]

I used for my walking on and dance, like, in the open, in the huge recreational room. I wanted to feel happiness, and that's what made me happy. So I danced. And other people started dancing in. We started what they call a battle. One person will go, and then the next person goes. And then by whatever, you hear the crowd scream like, yo, she got sunned. That's who wins. Then the officers were calling other officers to come watch this. And they said, you gotta see the way this white girl is sunning everybody. So, yeah, I won the battle. They were like, yo, white girl can get down. And they took me in as their.

[Anna Sinfield]

Own, which included sharing their most sacred secret recipes. DIY beauty tips.

[Ryan Reynolds]

How do we straighten hair without a flat iron? Well, we had a nice hot pot, which is kind of like a long teakettle, if you want. And we would unplug it and like, wrap hair around it and brush it. Or in Kelly's case, she liked her hair curly, so she would make rollers out of newspapers or tissue, just kind of like roll her hair, tie a little knot, go to sleep. And there you go, Curly suit. And for lipstick, for example, we had these little packs of almost like Kool Aid. Wet the crystals a little bit, dab your lips. There you go.

[Anna Sinfield]

That's amazing.

[Ryan Reynolds]

No smudge. Lipstick.

[Anna Sinfield]

What about foundation or eyeshadow or mascara? Mascara must be hard.

[Ryan Reynolds]

So mascara was made with toothpaste and the ink from a pen. Now, thinking back at it, it's probably not the best thing for your eyes, but don't get your eyes wet and you're fine, right? And it worked just like mascara. And it got to the point where officers were like, you guys have makeup in your cells? I'm like, no. They're like, oh, here go these Building eight girls. You know, because we were always tip top.

[Anna Sinfield]

As the shorties bond over time, Kelly tells them about her case, and everyone kind of shrugs it off.

[Ryan Reynolds]

All of us were like, why are you here?

[Anna Sinfield]

Kelly's innocent. They can all tell. And it's just a matter of time before a jury will see that too.

[Ryan Reynolds]

We just knew, oh, you're gonna go home. You know, this is just. It's unfortunate it's taking this long.

[Anna Sinfield]

At one point early in Kelly's detention, her brother Ronnie comes to pay her a visit. The visitor's area is one depressing room split into two by a row of booths that go down the middle. Glass separates the prisoners and the visitors over the two way telephones. Kelly and Ronnie are having a heated exchange. Kelly's been offered a plea deal. 10 years in prison. Her co defendant and ex boyfriend, Tommy Donovan, the man Kelly says is solely responsible for Angel Vargas murder, has already taken the deal he was offered.

[Danielle Fishel]

He'll take a plea for manslaughter for 15 years. And the deal was as long as he states that I helped him. Those were the conditions.

[Anna Sinfield]

But Kelly's not budging.

[Danielle Fishel]

I'm not guilty. I'm not taking a plea. I plan on taking this to trial. Don't go to trial. Please don't go to trial, Ronnie. I can't say the words that I did something I didn't do. I was getting so frustrated. Ronnie was so scared to lose me that he was telling me to take the plea. I screamed it out. Do you think that everybody that's here, do you think they all did it? And everybody that was there, they were shaking their heads like, he's right.

[Anna Sinfield]

Kelly's in a unit of 60, but Rikers island houses around 600 women in total. Their charges range from things like simple drug possession all the way up to murder. They come from different places, but there's one thing so many of them seem to have in common.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Very few people wake up one morning and say, I'm gonna hurt somebody today. Right? There's a whole story before you get to that moment.

[Anna Sinfield]

One after another, those stories eventually blend in together.

[Ryan Reynolds]

These are the women who was in here for domestic violence. I have a domestic violence case, domestic violence survivor fighting off their attacker and things like that. He came up behind me and put me in an awful chokehold and tried to kill me the first time. I fought back, where I ended up killing him. Next thing I know, I was being arrested for murder in the first degree.

[Anna Sinfield]

This isn't unique to Rikers. Studies show that more than 70% of incarcerated women say they've been victims of domestic abuse, and obviously this is in addition to the poverty and racial abuse many have experienced. When Kelly looked around the visiting room that day and looked around the jailhouse in the days after, she wouldn't have just seen a room full of potential criminals, but a room full of women like her. All Kelly can hope is that the next chapter of her life includes a not guilty verdict. But it's an uphill battle, and the odds are seriously stacked against her. Because that plea deal that her ex boyfriend Tommy took, the one where he agreed to testify against her? It means that now she's facing even greater charges than him. And if Kelly can't convince a jury that she's a victim too, she could spend the rest of her life in prison.

[Kelly Harnett]

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[Anna Sinfield]

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[Danielle Fishel]

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[Anna Sinfield]

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[Danielle Fishel]

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[Kelly Harnett]

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[Anna Sinfield]

About three weeks after arriving at Rikers, Kelly is still getting her daily dose of methadone. One day she gets talking to the woman in charge of the detox program, Ms. Cruz.

[Danielle Fishel]

She goes, harnett, you need to stop it with this methadone shit. You need to get the hell off of it and you need to get your ass to that law library. And that's what you need to do. You need to get your head in those books. Seriously, Kelly. And when she called me Kelly, it was like humanizing me. She said, you gotta start fighting your case. So I said to myself, all right, just go to the law library, see what happens.

[Anna Sinfield]

The next day at 12:30pm sharp, Kelly's outside the law library. She's waiting at the locked blue door, peering in through the window.

[Danielle Fishel]

The officer opens the door. He checks the list. They're very used to nobody showing up. They're so used to getting those hours free and they could just go and hang out with their friends. So I was cramping their style.

[Anna Sinfield]

The law library is divided into two main sections separated by a big divider with windows. As you walk through, you'll see a load of computers and then row after Row of bookcases. But to get to that part, you first have to pass the officer's desk, which sits directly across from a bunch of old typewriters and some of the dustiest, oldest law books in the library.

[Danielle Fishel]

He was really pissed off, the guard that somebody was coming in. He said to me, anytime you want to leave, you can leave early. And I was like, there's no way I'm leaving early. What am I going back to, really? What am I going back to?

[Anna Sinfield]

There is one person happy to see Kelly in the law library.

[Danielle Fishel]

The paralegal that was there, an older man. His name was Fernando Contreras. What an amazing man. I mean, he was so great with me. He gave me so much hope.

[Anna Sinfield]

Kelly picks up her first book.

[Danielle Fishel]

McKinney's Consolidated Law. That's the binding authority for New York State. I started reading it, and nothing made sense to me. Literally, at first, they look like hieroglyphics. It was like a complete foreign language. And I didn't understand how people could possibly go in there and understand anything. And I said, okay, Kelly, the only way that you could learn to love this is if you're good at it. Everyone loves something that they're good at. So start reading things over and over and over until you practically memorize them. When you practically memorize them, you're going to become good at it. When you're good at it and you master it, you're going to love it. I was studying for 16 hours a day. I was reading Cpl. 7, 10, 27, 37, 40 and so forth. Brady violations, Rosario violations.

[Anna Sinfield]

One day, during one of Kelly's hieroglyphic translations, another inmate comes to join her. Her name is Peaches.

[Danielle Fishel]

Peaches became a really good friend of mine. She had such an amazing personality. She was such a good person. She was just so genuine. And I would help her a little bit with her reading. And then it became like a potential assistance for legal work. Because I'm just getting started. So I didn't know if I would ever have the capabilities to help myself or anyone else.

[Anna Sinfield]

But the more Kelly reads and then rereads, the more things start to fall into place.

[Danielle Fishel]

By the third time I read it, I couldn't believe that I felt like they looked like hieroglyphics. Because I'm totally understanding this now, and I'm picking up the wording. Even if a case is unfavorable, I'm learning how to write the way that they write.

[Anna Sinfield]

She's not just regurgitating a bunch of jargon. Kelly Starts crafting legally sound arguments.

[Danielle Fishel]

It became the love of my life. I started filing dismissals of indictment for people at Rikers Island.

[Anna Sinfield]

Kelly's not only helping individuals with their own cases, she's fighting for all of her Rikers island sisters.

[Danielle Fishel]

We took him to court for taking our flip flops away. We took him to court for searches like they were doing excessive searches on a specific unit because it was so small. And we took them to court for that. They stayed away for about eight months after that.

[Anna Sinfield]

Kelly's reputation eventually starts spreading around the prison. It even reaches a recently arrived inmate who we'll call Tasha. She's been jailed in Rikers following a lifetime of abuse after witnessing her boyfriend murder someone. Everyone who meets Tasha tells her the same thing.

[Ryan Reynolds]

You need to go talk to Kelly. Something like, well, who's Kelly? She works in a law library.

[Anna Sinfield]

By this point, Kelly's in high demand. There's a long line of women who want her services. Tasha comes back again and again.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Eventually, I asked her one day, I said, excuse me, is your name Kelly? She looked at me, she smiled the most beautiful smile I've ever gotten. And she said, yes. I said, can you please help me? And I just started crying. She sat down and she was like, well, tell me what's going on? So I told her a little bit about the case, and she went and she found this paperwork and that permit. She printed it out. She gave it to me. She was like, I want you to read this and write down whatever you feel fits in your crime. Eventually, you know, I would continue to go back.

[Danielle Fishel]

I was giving a lot of people hope. And they were telling me that, like, thank you so much. You've given us so much hope. All of a sudden, the law library started getting packed. And, like, Mr. Brown wasn't happy about that. Mr. Brown was the officer. He goes, oh, God. Harnett Jailhouse lawyer Of course, life isn't.

[Anna Sinfield]

All roses for Kelly inside. Even with St Therese watching over her, Kelly spent the last few months fighting for her fellow inmates. But her trial is coming up. She needs to go back to fighting her own corner. Unfortunately for Kelly, though, that's not the only fight she needs to be prepared for. Because while the shorties have her back, Kelly's also made some dangerous enemies.

[Kelly Harnett]

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[Anna Sinfield]

Gatorade Zero the number one proven electrolyte.

[Danielle Fishel]

Blend made with zero sugar, designed to hydrate better than water so you can.

[Anna Sinfield]

Lose more sweat and push more limits.

[Danielle Fishel]

Gatorade 0 is it in you?

[Kelly Harnett]

True crime just got a room with an ocean view this October. Set sail on the first ever true crime voyage from award winning exclusively adult Virgin Voyages. Featuring the hosts behind iHeart's most popular True crime podcasts like Buried Bones, Betrayal and stuff they don't want you to know. This five night Caribbean cruise blends live podcast recordings, meet and greets and and Halloween themed events with all the luxury of Virgin Voyages book [e-mail] truecrime.

[Unknown]

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[Anna Sinfield]

It's always an uncomfortable experience running into your ex's ex. Now imagine running into them in jail where neither of you can get away. Which is exactly what happens to Kelly. She's trapped in Rikers with Tommy Donovan's ex girlfriend, who Kelly says is inside for selling drugs. And the worst part of all of this is that Tommy's ex, she has serious beef with Kelly.

[Danielle Fishel]

I asked her why. Like, she's like, you stole my man. I had a fist fight with her literally every single solitary day, every day, to the point where one day I said, I want to have a peaceful day today. So it was 5:30, it was breakfast time. I pounded on her door, and she's like, what? Who's there? And I was like, it's Kelly. Get up. Let's go now. So we get it out of the way so she comes out like hair all crazy. I said, come on. She said, where are we going? I said, to the staircase where there's no cameras. And listen, my brother taught me to fight. And, you know, for a white blonde girl, like, people get shocked at my strength. It's not something I'm proud of. I'm a lady. However, if you're going to touch me, you are going to get a receipt. So, yeah, I kind of beat the hell out of her on the staircase. But I didn't start the fight. She kept hitting me first every day. This went on for 45 to 60 days. So I was like, okay, so it's a once a day thing, so I'm just gonna get her first. But I would never be, like, a dirty person and, like, hit her when she's not looking, like she would to me.

[Anna Sinfield]

This isn't the only fight Kelly was getting in.

[Danielle Fishel]

They have these girls that we call bubblettes. Now, bubblettes are the girls that hang around the officer's bubble and flirt with them all day long. And you get really pissed off because you're like, you can't get your door open. You can't do this, you can't do that. You need toilet paper. And they're just flirting and flirting and flirting. I want to just say, listen, just put the flirting on hold. Can you just give me some toilet paper, please? I have to use the bathroom, and you have to wait. Flirting, flirting, flirting.

[Anna Sinfield]

Kelly asks if she can get past to use the shower because one of the bubblettes is standing in her way.

[Danielle Fishel]

She told me I couldn't use the shower. And I said, excuse me. The last time I checked, you're an inmate here just like me. And she said, you can't use it. And I said, I'm using it.

[Anna Sinfield]

Kelly breezes past and steps into the shower.

[Danielle Fishel]

Bad move. I feel someone grabbed me and yank me like instant whiplash. Right now I see people running in. One held one arm in back of me. When I went to hit her, the girl caught my hand and held it back. They call it like a crucifixion because it's like one arm here, one arm here. You can't use it. And then the girl who was flirting, she just starts punching me in the face. Punch, punch, punch, punch, punch. Now I'm trying to kick her. Somebody else grabs my leg. Now each person has a limb. I'm up in the air with the girl punching me over and over and over repeatedly, right? The girl who was holding my right arm, she said, stop, you're gonna kill her. That's when I got scared. If her co conspirator is telling her to stop, this must look really bad. And then Peaches comes running in.

[Anna Sinfield]

In addition to being Kelly's unofficial law library assistant, Peaches is a big, friendly giant of a woman. She's also not someone you fuck with.

[Danielle Fishel]

She said, you effing bitches put her the eff down before I effing kill all of you. And she put me down, all right. She actually threw me down into another shower. Peaches goes, yo, cows, get up now. Get a few shots in. And I did. I just started wailing.

[Anna Sinfield]

Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom.

[Danielle Fishel]

This is not something I'm proud of. I just want to put on the record. However, this was the survival of the fittest. And, like, only the strong survive. So if it got out there that I took this, it would never stop. So I knew I had to do some type of damage to make it visible to other people. I did a lot more than I intended on doing. I put her in a wheelchair. So permanently. No, no, no, no. I think she was really trying to milk it, honestly. She told everyone, yo, that white bitch is crazy. Stay the fuck away from her.

[Anna Sinfield]

Like the other times, Kelly's told me she's gotten into scraps. Kelly was quick to add that she's not proud of how this bust up went down. But she's also kind of laughing it off. And while she might not have started this fight, she sure finished it. I know my discomfort is showing me up as a real soft handed, lily livered journalist and believe me, I am trying my best not to be. But here's the thing. Firstly, I'm still shaking off my preconceived notions of how I would expect a victim like Kelly to behave. And also because I reckon if I was facing an accusation of murder, I wouldn't be so open about sharing a story where I kicked the shit out of someone to the point of them needing a wheelchair temporarily or not. I care about Kelly and I kind of want to tell her to edit herself in these moments because it doesn't look good. But I actually think in a weird way, Kelly telling me this shows that she's not holding back or shying away from some of the less sympathetic parts of her story. The bottom line is jail is a rough place and like Kelly says, only the strong survivor. Whenever she's not fighting her ex's ex in the stairwell or a few pissed off bubblettes in the shower, Kelly's in the law library fighting her case. Maybe a few dance battles in between. Her life goes on like this for some time, which won't be a surprise to anyone who has experience of the justice system. It moves very slowly.

[Danielle Fishel]

ADAM I.

[Anna Sinfield]

It's May 2013. Kelly's trial date, after years of delays, is set to begin in the next few months. Kelly's been poring over all the documents from her case, arming herself as best she can for the fight ahead. When she gets some news, her lawyer has received a letter. A letter that could change everything. A letter from her ex boyfriend, Tommy Donovan.

[Danielle Fishel]

Dear Mr. Epstein, as you already acquainted with me, I will get to the point. My memory is clear and my intentions now true.

[Anna Sinfield]

On the next episode of the Girlfriend, Jailhouse Lawyer, Kelly's case goes to trial.

[Danielle Fishel]

The trial was awful. They called Judge Lasak, Mr. Murder.

[Anna Sinfield]

They got into an altercation with Mr. Vargas.

[Danielle Fishel]

Hi, I'm the killer.

[Anna Sinfield]

That's the likely motive for what happened. Did I pull that out of the air?

[Kelly Harnett]

No, I pulled that out of the evidence.

[Danielle Fishel]

They came back with a unanimous verdict. I couldn't believe it.

[Anna Sinfield]

The Girlfriend's Jailhouse Lawyer is produced by Novel for Iheart Podcasts. For more from Novel, visit Novel Audio. The show is hosted by me, Anna Sinfield, and is written and produced by me and Lee Meyer, with additional production from Jake Otajevic and Michael Jino. Our assistant producer is Madeline Parr. The editors are Georgia Moody and me, Anna Sinfield. Production management from Cherie Houston, Jo Savage and Charlotte Wolf. Our fact checker is Dania Suleiman. Sound design, mixing and scoring by Daniel Kempson and Nicholas Alexander Music supervision by me, Alice Enfield, Lee Meyer and Nicholas Alexander Original music composed by Nicholas Alexander, Daniel Kempson and Louisa Gerstein Story development by Nell Gray Andrews and Willard Foxton, Creative Director of Novel. Max o' Brien and Craig Strachan are our executive producers for Novel and Katrina Norvell and Nikki Itor are the executive producers for iHeart podcasts and the marketing lead is Alison Cantor. Thanks also to Carrie Lieberman and the whole team at wme.

[Kelly Harnett]

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[Unknown]

And the best part?

[Kelly Harnett]

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[Anna Sinfield]

Gatorade Zero, the one proven electrolyte blend.

[Danielle Fishel]

Made with zero sugar, designed to hydrate.

[Kelly Harnett]

Better than water so you can lose.

[Anna Sinfield]

More sweat and push more limits.

[Danielle Fishel]

Gatorade 0 is it in you? This is an iHeart podcast.