Rhonda Averhart, an attorney representing incarcerated people in Alabama, says her incarcerated husband has faced retaliation from Alabama Department of Corrections (ADOC) officials for her activism.

Rhonda advocates for families and incarcerated loved ones by exposing corruption within ADOC. For those familiar with Alabama's prison advocacy community, Rhonda is a well-known figure. However, this means that she is also disliked by ADOC prison officers, who often expose her for harming people incarcerated or hold her accountable. This is the person you are trying to track down.

Derrick Averhart, Rhonda's husband, was suddenly transferred from Elmore Correctional Facility to Kilby Correctional Facility in isolation for no apparent reason on February 2, Rhonda said. Rhonda said she was informed that Derrick's only violation two months ago was related to his cell phone, but when she asked if that was why Derrick was being transferred, she received no clear answers. was not obtained. It would be unusual for an individual to be quarantined for a cell phone violation that occurred more than two months ago.

According to Rhonda, a corrections officer named Dixon warned Rhonda to be quiet. Dixon allegedly told Derrick, “The motherfucker's wife should shut her mouth and there won't be any problems.”

Dixon's acerbic attitude toward Rhonda was likely due to her “exchanging words with him,” as Rhonda indicated in emails she sent to the media, ADOC, and Alabama officials.

In Rhonda's email, she said she had discussed Derrick's health with Dixon and a nurse. Derrick was not taken to the hospital because he had recently shown signs of a heart attack. Derrick was impressed after four or five days, Rhonda said, after she spoke with both the nurse and Dixon.

“My husband was complaining of chest pains and they wouldn't take him to the hospital, so I consulted Officer Dixon and a nurse at Elmore Hospital,” Rhonda wrote in an email. “I've been a nurse for over 20 years. I called Dixon to talk to her, the nurse spoke to both of them, and just four or five days later my husband was pulled up and taken out of Elmore. We have not been given any reason for that. I have sent all this information to the Department of Justice and my attorney.”

ADOC's inmate search resulted in Derrick being located at the Receiving Sorting Center in Kilby.

According to Rhonda, one of Elmore's correctional officers told him that Derrick was transferred for one of two reasons. One, in retaliation for defending Derrick, would be to prevent Derrick and Rhonda from having a discussion, potentially locking him up or potentially putting him in the general population. be killed. Rhonda said Derrick had been stabbed before and he was scared because two or three of the attackers were civilians in Kilby.

“I'm scared,” Rhonda told APR. “I'm afraid they'll let him die there.”

Rhonda has not been able to speak to Derrick since February 5th. The last time she spoke, she hung up on me after about 8 minutes, when it usually takes 15 minutes. Since then, Rhonda has tried calling Kilby, but she said she either doesn't answer or gets a busy signal.

Derrick's mother and sister also called, but were either denied information, hung up, or no one answered the phone.

“We are taxpayers and have a right to know what is happening in the camps with our loved ones,” Rhonda wrote. “I feel like my husband is being retailed because I am a well-known advocate. I have written many interviews and articles about medical neglect within these camps. “I occasionally exchanged words with COs and nurses for not providing medical assistance to people in need.”

ADOC has not responded to Rhonda's email, and Rhonda told APR she has not yet heard anything about Derrick's status.