This abuse specifically alleges misconduct by Madison County Sheriff Buddy Harwood…
Buddy Harwood recently spoke to the Asheville Citizen Times about how he treated juveniles in his care…
Harwood said, “Even with the heinous crimes they were charged with, they were human beings. They got treated with the utmost respect while they were here. We gave them respect; they gave us respect, and occasionally, yes, you would have to taser or pepper spray.”
Harwood said the young people he advocated housing in Madison County were not typical children.
“When you hear the word ‘children,’ these weren’t children we were taking care of,” he said. “These were individuals charged with heinous crimes. Some could have played professional football. We housed alleged murderers and rapists. I housed juveniles no one else in the state could house.”
Mr. Harwood, I have a question. Did you demonstrate respect for these children, given that your descriptions portray them as almost inhuman?
Did you provide the care you promised when you asked the county commissioners to proceed with this initiative, despite limited support from other North Carolina counties?
Did you and your chief deputy, Coy Phillips, give this 13-year-old respect, whose story I am about to tell, the same admiration after her father raped her and she ended up in your jail?
Or do you save your respect for the most indecent vermin and stalkers like Avery Clark, who continue to work for you and threaten the safety of children and women of this county?
It was you who wanted to bring young people to Madison County to rule over them and house them in your jail. Why? Because you are just like Avery Clark. You used your position as an authority figure and thought no one would care.
This is Madison County’s Epstein Files, and they won’t go away until justice is served.
Below is April’s story. This story started when she was a 13-year-old girl who suffered harm here in Madison harm that no child should ever have to experience.
April’s father raped her when she was 12 years old. Harwood charged her father with rape and incest. He was convicted and spent his life in prison, where he died.
When April was brought into the sheriff’s department with her mother, she recalls Coy Phillips’s actions.
Even though the child was clearly upset, the first thing this Madison County law enforcement officer said to her, while her mother was present, was, “I am going to marry you.” This kind of thinking has no place in a civilized society, especially not in law enforcement.
This reflects the culture Buddy Harwood established as Madison County Sheriff. For those who often say, “This is the way it has always been,” I ask if this is a source of pride with you.
After this point, April faced significant challenges and was placed in a group home. While a father is often a central figure in a young girl’s life, these events profoundly disrupted her sense of stability and her future.
April left the group home without permission but was later located. As she was under 18 and no alternative placement was available, DSS placed her in the Madison County detention facility.
The last time she was in this place was when her father raped her. Now she was confined with pedophile deputies who constantly requested that she go to the tower in Madison County’s sheriff’s department.
April knew bad things happened there and resisted intensely. The Sheriff’s Department staff harassed her because she would not comply with their sexual advances. The tower holds the cameras Sheriff Buddy uses to watch sexual activity at the jail.
He reportedly connected this technology to his smartphone to monitor the tower and juvenile inmates, not to prevent the torture but to watch it. Buddy Harwood, Michael Garrison, and Coy Phillips combined male and female detainees, increasing the risk of inappropriate incidents and danger for these children; yes, folks, these were children.
For Harwood to imply these detainees were criminal monsters, he encouraged it. He didn’t show them respect. He pulled their emotional strings to create violence and heinous acts he knew they could provide for his entertainment.
When April turned 18, Buddy Harwood arranged for her release at 1:00 AM out of spite. April managed to get her mother to pick her up, and as she left the Sheriff’s Department, Harwood handed her $50 and said, “You better keep your mouth shut.”
This statement was reportedly made to other juveniles in previous incidents as well.
I reported this situation four years ago.
I published the above story on Friday. The jail burned Saturday night, and Donny Law’s County Attorney has a special meeting with Harwood about the juveniles, as shown in the billing records.
In lockstep, with the purpose of quashing this report, the Leicester town clown Chad Nesbitt made defamatory comments about me on air, falsely claiming I had three Federal warrants. He is close to Buddy and Eddie Harwood and calls them his best friends.
What is Nesbitt’s kickback?
This pattern of intimidation has persisted in the county for years. The question is whether we accept it or take action to address it. I believe we should take a stand. I am not deterred by this thuggish behavior.
April has shown considerable courage. She must be treated with respect, and her safety must be ensured.
Update to Tess’s story: Tess was notified by Van Duncan via email regarding the incident involving Avery Clark and Kenny Roberts on her property, during which her civil rights were violated, and Roberts made verbal threats. Below is his response:
I sent this to Donnie Laws on October 5, 2026
Mr. Donny Laws (County Attorney for Madison)
Please confirm whether you advised the Madison County Sheriff’s Department that racially targeted threats intended to intimidate or abuse are not considered illegal in Madison County.
If so, please provide the specific State and Federal statutes that support this position.
Tess’s original story
Donny Laws has not responded to this matter, though he may address it with the NCBAR. I maintain that he is unfit to serve as Madison County’s Attorney.
This civil rights issue could expose Madison County taxpayers to legal action. With potential lawsuits ahead, I urge the county to consider the financial and reputational impact of these decisions.
Buddy Harwood, Michael Garrison, and Van Duncan’s deputies have continued to harass Tess, now at her workplace. Their actions have made her customers uncomfortable because of what seems like harassment and surveillance. On Thursday evening, three Madison County officers parked their vehicles in the middle of the business she manages, blocking the entrance and exit from 6:25 to 6:39.
This parking lot is private property.
Deputies take their guidance from the Sheriff and Chief Deputy.
Remember we have two chief deputies in Madison County.
Background: Chief Deputy Van Duncan resigned abruptly from the Sheriff’s position in Buncombe County. The following outlines the circumstances surrounding his resignation.
He resigned over a potential federal indictment tied to the Wanda Greene scandal and had to return the funds he received. He immediately used the funds to buy a camper, which had depreciated.
Duncan had to find money to repay the kickback he received from Wanda Greene. He and Chad Nesbitt created a con claiming Duncan was changing affiliations because he was angry at his party’s Wokeness. They used Fox News to spread this story.
Duncan later ran for chairman of the county commissioners against Amanda Edwards, who defeated him by a significant margin.
Edwards criticized Duncan for accepting a $125,000 early-retirement incentive from Wanda Greene, the former county manager, in 2016. She said the payment raised concerns about Duncan’s ethics.
Duncan insists the payment was legal and that he knew nothing about Greene’s improper dealings during his tenure.
Ask yourselves, folks: How did Van not know about Wanda Greene? His hunting friend Buddy Harwood’s brother, Eddie, and Nesbitt talked about this on social media every day he was aligned with this filth. Wanda Greene was their best bud until the water went dry.
Buddy Harwood even told the Madison County government he was going to have lunch with Wanda and asked if they needed anything.
What the heck was this about?
Harwood reportedly met with Greene for lunch weekly. Why?
Mr. Duncan, the Feds give you only one chance; you don’t get to screw up twice, and Buddy is out of favors. Maybe you should look for another job; the County Taxpayers are tired of paying for your ineptness and malfeasance. This is another reason to transfer financial control back from Buddy Harwood to the County commissioners. Buddy Harwood shows management concerns similar to Wanda Greene’s.
So why are Buddy and his Goons attacking political signs? If you think you are winning why do this?
You can tell who is winning by whose signs are attacked and who is the target of these dimwits. These childish reprobates are attacking Robin Lyles’ signs. Some nut case named Todd McCormick is shredding Dr. Shannon’s signs on the bypass and threatening women at the Democratic Party headquarters. I think he needs to take his medicine and calm down. But he is being ginned up by Trumpist-type statements coming from the Republican Party and Buddy Harwood.
Don’t forget what Jeremy Hensley said in his closing at the commissioner forum…
This is just more Red Neck Bravado designed to corral the minions into line, a stupid statement from a stupid mind; it reflects Buddy Harwood’s culture, which has plagued this county for too long…
More just added another Harwood- Hensley former County employee, bigot Amber Roberts, 911 dispatcher
The TikTok video below is disgusting; we will see how long this lasts
https://www.tiktok.com/@amber_rice92/photo/7694412804081650974?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc
Today is the last day to register to vote in the General election. You can register online, at the BOE, or at the party’s headquarters. We have to elect Robin Lyles for Sheriff if we want this law enforcement thuggery to stop and all of our citizens to feel safe.
The time is now. Harwood’s culture of corruption needs to be sent home-CH
more coming Madison’s Peyton Place is never ending…