Rapper Foxy Brown filed an appeal with the New York State Supreme Court on Tuesday (January 15), requesting that her current jail sentence be cut short, due to “emergency” medical conditions.
According to The New York Post, the appeal requested that Brown, born Inga Marchand, either be released or allowed to serve the remaining three months of her sentence at home, so that she may receive adequate treatment for her progressively deteriorating hearing condition.
Brown suffered from severe and sudden hearing loss for approximately one year before undergoing surgery in 2006 and receiving a cochlear implant.
Her attorney, Laura Dilmetin, stated in the appeal that Brown cannot receive the proper care for her condition while incarcerated on Riker’s Island.
Foxy also told the courts that her implant was further damaged after she was allegedly attacked and pushed from behind by another inmate in October.
The rapper claims that she has been bleeding from her ear since. “If her hearing is damaged any further, it will affect the way she hears and will affect the way she sings,” stated the appeal.
“It will have dire consequences on her ability to maintain her profession and livelihood.”
The court papers were reportedly accompanied by a four-page, handwritten letter from Brown, pleading that the judge take her health into consideration.
“Yes, I’ve made bad choices and stupid mistakes,” she wrote. “But please understand that sitting in prison with murderers and criminals is not rehabilitating or what I need to deal with my inner issues.
“Up until now, you’ve only heard about Foxy Brown the artist,” the letter continued. “I’d like to show you Inga Marchand, the beautiful person that my mom raised me to be. Jail has shaken me to my core, and my time away has impacted me greatly.”
Brown was taken into custody in August of last year, after traveling to Florida, in violation of the terms of her probation.
She spent 40 days of her sentence in solitary confinement, serving only about half of the 76 days of punitive segregation she was ordered.
Brown is currently expected to be released on April 20.