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South Carolina inmate Katheryn Brown demands state pay for sex change operation

A transgender inmate who is serving a life sentence for murdering a woman she had stalked for years is asking the state to pay for her sex-change operation behind bars.

Katheryn Brown has been in prison for 13 years after she bound, raped and strangled 53-year-old Mary Lynn Witherspoon in November 2003, leaving her dead body in a bathtub in her Charleston, South Carolina home. 

The 44 year old, who was born Edmonds Tennent Brown IV, was already taking hormones to become a woman at the time she committed the grisly murder, and now wants the state Department of Corrections to help her complete her journey by allowing her to physically become a woman. 

Katheryn Brown (formerly Edmonds Tennent Brown IV) Mary Lynn Witherspoon

Murderer: Transgender inmate Katheryn Brown (left in 2003 mugshot) has been in prison for 13 years after she bound, raped and strangled 53-year-old Mary Lynn Witherspoon (right) in November 2003

Scene: Brown was charged with burglary June 2003 after she broke into Witherspoon's home (above) and stole a pair of her underwear

Scene: Brown was charged with burglary June 2003 after she broke into Witherspoon's home (above) and stole a pair of her underwear

'I truly believe my outward appearance does not match or correspond with my inner self,' Brown wrote in a letter to The Post and Courier, who conducted an interview with the inmate through multiple correspondences.

'But as a female I would be complete and a productive member of society because I would actually be comfortable in my own skin.'

Brown went on to claim that despite her own admission of guilt, she is not responsible for the murder of Witherspoon, claiming that she would have fought the charges had she been able to physically transition before the trial.

'If I had not been such an emotional basketcase I would have pled "not guilty" and taken my chances with a jury trial,' wrote Brown. 

'If I had been able to dress the way that I would have felt more confident, I would have been dressed in a cream-colored Chanel skirt-suit with a pair of 4½-inch spike heel Jimmy Choos and make-up.'

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Brown's father had dated Witherspoon for several years, and after the two split his daughter continued to show up at the woman's home.

Witherspoon was not alarmed at first until June 2003, when Brown broke into her laundry room and stole a pair of her underwear.

After that incident Withersppoon pressed charges and Brown took a plea, serving time for burglary until she was released in November of that year.

Brown was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and gender dysphoria after her arrest, and left prison on November 10 to undergo outpatient mental health treatment. 

While at the treatment center Brown gave her home address as Witherspoon's address and then walked over to the woman's home, where she murdered the teacher who was unaware she had even been released from prison.

Witherspoon had asked to be alerted upon Brown's release but there was a problem with the system and she never received a notification. 

Brown was arrested when she returned to Witherspoon's home after the murder, wearing a pair of her pants and underwear and having on her the keys to the home and Witherspoon's car.

She had also changed the address on her license to Witherspoon's address.

Two years after her death an anti-stalking measure was signed into law by then governor Mark Sanford that was named after Witherspoon, called Mary Lynn's law.

Brown would later claim during a post-conviction hearing in 2007 that she was innocent, despite being seen coming out of the home just after the murder.

She had also made numerous charges to Witherspoon's credit card. 

'I believe that someone and I do not know who, saw me leave the house and confronted her about her upcoming move to Paris, France,' she said.

'I don’t know who would want to hurt her.'

Witherspoon's sister Jackie Olsen said of her sister's relationship with Brown; 'She was probably the only person who was ever nice to him. Mary Lynn was kind to everybody. She was good to the core. She loved people and was truly kind to people.'

Brown's father refused to discuss his daughter's request for a sex change.

She is currently one of two women in the South Carolina prison system requesting gender reassignment surgery, with the other individual an unnamed inmate on death row.

The state had so far refused the requests of both women. 

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