An inmate serving a 25-year-to-life sentence proposed to a correctional officer while incarcerated.
In 2022, Tameka married Jonathan Lee, who has spent 13 years in prison.
The now-retired prison guard has shared details of their relationship on the YouTube channel ‘Love Don’t Judge’.
“The initial meeting with him was surreal because the same inmates who were under my supervision, and to whom I was stern, are now the same individuals who are incarcerated with my husband,” the New Yorker explained to a film crew.
“When I visit Jonathan in prison, some officers are a little perplexed. They aren’t sure which side of the law I’m on. They think, ‘she’s married to an inmate but is also one of us.’ They worry I might report them if they do something wrong.”
So, how did Lee end up in prison?
According to a change.org petition, he is serving 25 years to life following a wrongful conviction for attempted murder during a 2011 arrest resistance incident.
The petition explains that he was a minor when initially convicted. Shortly after, he violated parole by staying at a friend’s home.
It asserts that parole officers entered the residence without a warrant early in the morning, allegedly assaulting him with batons.
According to the petition, the officers claimed Lee grabbed one of their guns to justify their forceful actions.
Tameka’s husband is behind bars, but the couple’s connection dates back to childhood. After 14 years without contact, Tameka received a letter from Lee while she worked as a prison guard.
She candidly told the film crew, “I am the officer married to someone in prison. I must be the only officer in the world who was proposed to while in jail.”
“I was just 30 when I got my pension, which supports me and will support my husband when he is released. My friends advise me against being with someone in prison.”
She added, “I began sharing my story online because the world needed to know.”
“I visit Jonathan every weekend. It takes me about 12 hours round-trip. Some officers disapprove of my visits and temporarily ban me. But once my suspension is lifted, I return.”