Help Lindsey Fight for Truth and Justice

My Brother Warned Me About the Klan. Weeks Later, He Was Gone. Now I’m being Sued for Telling his Story.

I’ve spent my life standing up for others — veterans, survivors of sexual violence, the LGBTQ+ community, and people fighting to be heard. But now, I find myself in a place I never expected: needing to ask for help to defend myself.

Jimmy — who everyone affectionately called “Uncle Jimmy” — was a Navy veteran. He was rough around the edges, but fiercely protective of the people he loved. That included me. On October 30th, 2022, Jimmy showed up in a rainbow tutu to provide security for a Drag Brunch I hosted in Sanford, NC, where we were actively being threatened by Proud Boys.

Just weeks later, he was dead.

Shortly before his death, Jimmy texted me that he had been shown a Ku Klux Klan hood by someone at a party. He was shocked, but quickly saw it as an opportunity to expose them in an effort to protect me and others in our community. He was scared, but determined. He texted that he felt like Indiana Jones, diving into a dark rabbit hole to get to the truth.

Then he was gone.

On December 15, 2022, Jimmy was found dead. The official ruling was "accidental overdose." But there were signs that something more sinister was at play. Just the day before, he had just taken out a protective order against a woman who had threatened to poison his dogs and burn his house down. He had just been talking to other family members about what he was uncovering. He told us that he wanted to tell us everything soon — that he was in deep.

And then… he was gone.

For more than 2 years, I have begged law enforcement to investigate what really happened. I gave them his texts, audio messages, timelines, and names. I asked them to simply look to see if the KKK played any role in Jimmy’s death. They refused.

Left without any recourse, I posted publicly screenshots of the messages Jimmy sent me, along with audio recordings of law enforcement verifying that they asked our family to destroy evidence found at the crime scene of Jimmy’s death, and that they had no intention of investigating any connection of Jimmy’s death to the KKK.

Watch Here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8eHbAgoDx94&ab_channel=LindseyKnapp

After that, the person that Jimmy identified as being in the KKK is now suing me for defamation.

Since then, I’ve experienced legal threats, public scrutiny, and even safety concerns for myself and my loved ones. This has been emotionally devastating, and now, it’s also financially unsustainable. I'm trying to stay strong, but the truth is: I can’t keep doing this alone.

I’m raising funds to hire an attorney to help me navigate this lawsuit. This isn’t just about me — it’s about the right to speak out when something is wrong. It’s about protecting our ability to tell the truth, even when it's uncomfortable. And it’s about ensuring that survivors, whistleblowers, and advocates don’t get crushed by the systems they dare to question.

Asking for help is terrifying. It makes me feel exposed in ways I never wanted to be. But staying silent out of fear is exactly what this kind of intimidation is designed to create. And I won’t let that happen — not to me, not to anyone else if I can help it.

If you believe in truth, justice, and protecting the people who risk everything to speak out, I’m asking you: please consider donating, sharing, or simply holding me in your thoughts. Every dollar makes a difference. Every show of support reminds me I’m not alone.

Thank you for being here. Thank you for standing with me. And thank you for reminding me that community still matters.

Lawsuit: 24CV001646-520, Lee County NC Superior Court

Joel Kelly v. Lindsey Knapp