After her Nov. 7 arrest, transgender influencer Nikita Dragun appeared before a judge on Nov. 8 for her bond hearing. The hearing footage shows Dragun with Miami-Dade court officials, including Judge Mindy Glazer. Dragun states she would like to be addressed with she/her pronouns during the hearing.
After reviewing the charges and bond information, Dragun tearfully asks Glazer if she has to remain in the men’s facility, where they allegedly housed her.
Glazer regretfully tells Dragun that she doesn’t “make their rules” but will try to make proper accommodations for her or possibly put her in a separate area. Dragun thanks the judge and then blows a kiss at the camera before exiting the frame.
Dragun was released on Nov. 9, after being held for less than 48 hours. Her representative, Jack Ketsoyan, criticized Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center for allegedly holding Dragun in the men’s facility without accommodations.
Ketsoyan released a statement to The Daily Beast.
“The situation with Nikita, who is legally female, being placed in a men’s unit of a Florida jail is extremely disturbing and dangerous,” he said in the statement. “This decision made by the Miami-Dade County Corrections Department directly violates their protocol, which mandates that transgender inmates are classified and housed based on safety needs and gender identity.”
After the bond hearing footage began circulating on social media, some agreed that placing Dragun in a men’s facility could be dangerous.
Twitter user @slasherrwhore stated that placing someone who identifies as a woman in a men’s facility disrespects trans people.
i’m not the biggest fan of nikita dragun however her being put in the MENS unit in the prison when she is a woman is completely out of control and needs to be fixed asap no matter your thoughts on her that’s such a unsafe environment for her and such a disrespect for trans ppl. pic.twitter.com/znWoGlSxHY
— jax🧚 (@slasherrwhore) November 9, 2022
As a result of pressure from Dragun’s colossal fanbase and statements from her representatives, officials from the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center are disputing the allegations that she was ever placed in the male facility.
“Dragun never made it beyond the booking process prior to release; therefore, she was never placed in a men’s unit,” Juan Diasgranados, a spokesperson of the correctional facility, told WPLG.
“All inmates undergoing our intake process remain in an open seating (open booking) area, in the presence of correctional staff,” he continued. “Additionally, inmate Dragun was placed in a holding cell by herself due to her high profile status before being released, and she was escorted by an LGBTQ officer during her time at the corrections facility.”
He claimed that Miami-Dade County Corrections is “committed to protecting the rights of the transgender community and of all LGBTQ people.”
He also touched on the mandatory processes and procedures of the agency.
“[MDCR] has procedures in place for the appropriate intake, housing, and medical needs of transgender inmates, and we are committed to ensuring that all inmates in our custody, including transgender persons, are treated appropriately throughout our intake, classification and placement process,” he said.
Dragun was arrested after security at The Goodtime Hotel in South Beach complained that she caused a disturbance and was walking around the public pool area without clothes.
According to The Daily Beast, police say she was also playing extremely loud music in her room.
When Dragun was confronted by a police officer and hotel security, she allegedly swung an open water bottle toward them.
Dragun was charged with felony battery against an officer, battery misdemeanor and disorderly conduct. Her representatives have not responded to the facility’s most recent statements.
