tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14883300404457014652024-02-20T21:47:51.458-08:00Survivors of Prison Violence - ArizonaCommunity resource for those monitoring abuses of prisoners across the criminal justice system, and for those subject to or surviving state violence, neglect and abuse.Margaret Jean Plewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02964635402252204185noreply@blogger.comBlogger208125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1488330040445701465.post-19559484314426553842015-03-01T06:00:00.000-08:002017-05-18T20:58:24.413-07:00Arizona Prison Watcher: January 2015<h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name">
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<b>ARIZONAPRISONWATCHER </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>JANUARY 2015 </b></div>
<br />
<br />
Margaret J. Plews, Editor<br />
ARIZONAPRISONWATCH.ORG<br />
<br />
<br />
January 13, 2015<br />
<br />
New Year’s Greetings to those behind bars in the AZDOC:<br />
<br />
This
may well be my last letter to you all as Arizona’s Prison Watcher,
since my family has recently called me home, where last week it was
literally colder than Mars. I moved back East around Thanksgiving
and immediately got caught up in my loved ones’ medical crises. Then my
house burned down in December, just before I moved in - thank goodness
no one was hurt. I’m crashing on a friend’s sofa now, and all my stuff
is buried in the garage under the things that were salvaged from the
house after the fire. That means my office is still in boxes, and may
well sit there until spring, as I have no place else to put it.<br />
<br />
Furthermore,
while I did put in a forwarding notice with the post office before
moving, a lot of stuff didn’t get forwarded for over a month and I got
hit all at once with a ton of mail last week. So, I’m not blowing anyone
off - I just haven’t been able to get back to most of you who have
written in the past few months. That’s what prompted this letter, as I
can’t answer all your requests for help - really, I’m having a time of
it right now myself. The best I can do is refer you to my friends and
comrades back in Arizona, in hopes that they can help you somehow. None
of the following people have asked me to promote them or anything, by
the way - I compiled this list as a favor to you, not them.<br />
<br />
To
fight the AZ DOC by reading up on their policies, your civil rights as
prisoners, how to sue them yourself and such, contact the Phoenix
Anarchist Black Cross. You can also report human rights violations to
them. They’ll try to send you the info you need to fight back. This is a
group of people I trust who have supported my work the most; they
organized this ABC chapter specifically to carry it forward. Most are
prison abolitionists/ anarchists like me, so you can bet your mail with
them will be monitored, maybe even messed with by DOC. If you dont give a
damn though, there are some pretty cool folks to correspond with and
they’ll send you whatever info they can to help you fight the
state...Just be careful about getting too radical in your own rhetoric
with SSU reading - its so easy to get carried away when you find
like-minded folks who want to hear your voice. You could become a
politicized prisoner and end up buried in a lonely hole for the next
decade, labeled an anarchist or some kind of extremist yourself. That
could follow you, too, out the gate. Most of you would be best off if
you simply state your issue and stick to the business at hand if you
need some kind of resource from them. Their addy is <i><b>Phoenix ABC PO Box
7241, Tempe, AZ 85281</b></i><br />
<br />
Next up is my colleague Stacy Scheff.
I’ve been following the work she’s done these past few years. She’s a
civil rights attorney, not a free one, either - she has bills to pay.
But she is very competent when it comes to prisoner rights litigation,
can coach you through filing a suit yourself if need be, and will do a
demand letter re: PC or medical care for a reasonable fee. DOC and the
AG know her, and that she’s not to be taken lightly. She used to work
with Vince Rabago, but has recently started her own practice in Tucson.
If you need a legal consult on a matter of your rights as a prisoner,
get a legal call to explain your issue and see what she might charge, or
write to her. I get no kickbacks for referrals, by the way - I just
know that if you have a case, she can kick the state’s a**, which makes
me happy. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Law-Office-of-Stacy-Scheff-1032960626729518/"> Law Office of Stacy Scheff</a> / P.O. Box 40611 / Tucson, AZ
85717-0611 / (520) 471-8333 FAX: (520) 300-8033<br />
<br />
Of course,
there’s also the American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona (<a href="https://www.acluaz.org/"><b>ACLU-AZ</b></a>).
They sued the DOC in the class action over health care at the DOC,
Parsons V Ryan. Ask them for a copy of the original complaint and the
stipulations the DOC agreed to in the settlement - it might help you in
your own fight for access to medical care. You should also report
violations of human and constitutional rights to them. FILE GRIEVANCES
over that stuff, first, though, and see them through - follow the policy
or you have no chance in hell of holding DOC accountable in court down
the road. Even if the ACLU doesn’t intervene in your individual case,
its so important for prisoners to document with them what’s going on
inside, that’s what get’s them paying attention to areas that may
require litigation: a barrage of compelling testimony from prisoners and
their family members, and evidence of unconstitutional policies and
practices. They are at: <b><i>ACLU-AZ / PO Box 17148 / Phoenix, AZ 85011.</i></b><br />
<br />
I’d
also recommend reporting the abuse and neglect of prisoners with
serious mental illness (SMI includes major thought and mood disorders,
like schizophrenia or manic-depression) to the Arizona Center for
Disability Law. The <a href="https://www.azdisabilitylaw.org/"><b>AZCDL</b></a> has the “Protection & Advocacy”
authority in Arizona, which is power to intervene with institutions
where disabled individuals are being abused, neglected, or denied their
civil rights. Historically they have not helped SMI prisoners on an
individual basis (they litigated the DOC in Parsons v Ryan over the poor
treatment of mentally ill prisoners and the abuse of solitary
confinement), but they may make an exception if your case is
representative of a bigger problem they’ve been hearing about. The only
way to really drag them into this fight is for those they should be
serving (or those looking out for them) to write to them. Even if they
don’t help you, your letter may help them tune into what SMI prisoners
are going through, and get them more involved on some other level. Their
contact info is: <br />
<br />
<i><b><a href="https://www.azdisabilitylaw.org/">Arizona Center for Disability Law</a><br />5025 E. Washington St., Ste 202 100 North Stone Ave., Ste 305<br />Phoenix, AZ 85034 Tucson, AZ 85701<br />(602) 274-6287 (voice/TTY) (520) 327-9547 (voice)<br />(800) 927-2260 (voice/TTY) (800) 922-1447 (voice) </b></i><br />
<br />
If
you’re fighting for your medical care, or dealing with extreme
isolation, the folks to write to are at the American Friends Service
Committee (AFSC-Arizona) in Tucson. They’re on top of prison and health care
privatization, new legislation affecting criminal justice issues, and in
the fight against solitary confinement. They wrote “Death Yards” about
Corizon’s shoddy care, and a booklet on solitary confinement in AZ. They
may have other resources that can help, and it’s good for them to hear
from prisoners about what’s going on. Their contact info is: <i><b><a href="https://afscarizona.org/">AFSC-Arizona</a> / 103 North Park Avenue, #111 / Tucson, AZ 85719 / (520) 623-9141 They also have a new campaign confronting the <a href="https://afscarizona.org/treatment-industrial-complex/">Treatment Industrial Complex</a>. Check it out.</b></i><br />
<br />
Another
place for prisoners (not solely people of color) to report the DOC’s
bad conduct to is the NAACP of Maricopa County. The attorney who
volunteers for them is in only once a week, but is good about checking
the mail and will occasionally pursue a complaint on a prisoner’s behalf
if it appears civil rights are being violated, whether it’s due to
racism, homophobia, or other such prejudices. She’s advocated for the
safety of gay and transgender prisoners as well, regardless of race.
She’s a member of the National Lawyer’s Guild, too - I often see her at
protests doing legal observing (cop-watching). She also goes around the
state doing presentations to community groups against private prisons
and mass incarceration - thank her for all her community service if you
write. Send your letters “LEGAL MAIL” to: Dianne Post, Legal Redress /
<i><b> NAACP of Maricopa County Unit 1011</b></i><i><b> / P.O. Box 20883 / Phoenix, AZ 85036 </b></i><br />
<i><b><br /></b></i>
It may also be worth it to write to the <a href="http://www.nlgazcentral.org/"><b>National Lawyer's Guild - central AZ chapter</b></a>, if you experience profound violation of civil rights. they are at <b>National Lawyer's Guild</b> <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><b>P.O. Box 3436 Phoenix, AZ 85030.</b></span><br />
<br />
<br />
Take care, all.<br />
<br />
Until all cages are empty, and all are free -<br />
<br />
<br />
Peggy Plews<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
ART ATTACK at the Maricopa County Courthouse<br />
Day of the Dead Prisoner: November 1, 2013</div>
Margaret Jean Plewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17604426254894186183noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1488330040445701465.post-16083571082988327772015-02-02T10:22:00.000-08:002015-02-02T10:22:32.060-08:00Chuck Ryan's legacy: Gangs and rapists rule the AZ DOC.<br />
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">As
many folks who follow this site are aware, a prison teacher was stabbed
and raped at the AZ DOC a year ago; the court hasn't dismissed her case
yet, thank god. </span></i><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Hopefully
her suit will be a small vindication to those of you who haven't been
able to hold the AZ DOC's feet to the fire on this issue - and a great
use to those of you who are currently litigating on these issues, as
well. This remark
from the victim about who bears responsibility for the high
level of violence in AZ prisons bears paying attention to, especially if
you've lost someone to it:</span></i><br />
<span class="first-paragraph"><span class="paragraph-0"></span></span><br />
"The attack raised questions about prison security after reports
showed she was put into a room full of inmates with no guards nearby.<br />
<br />
Authorities said Harvey had lingered behind after others left the
room, then repeatedly stabbed the victim with a pen before raping her.<br />
<br />
In a September interview with the AP, the woman said she primarily
blamed Corrections Director Charles Ryan for putting her in danger. She
said rampant understaffing meant no one checked on her while she was in
the classroom."<br />
<br />
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Surviving
the violence is a serious issue at the AZ DOC, as far as prisoners and
the parents of prisoners, are concerned, too - like those of <b><a href="http://www.arizonaprisonwatch.org/2015/01/asp-kingmans-deaths-in-custody-neil.html">Neil Early, mudered at ASP-Kingman</a></b>
last month. Prisons are run by state and gang violence, and are thus
inherently unsafe institutions to live or work in. But Arizona's are
also grossly short-staffed (presumably so we can divert more money to
the pocketbooks of out-of-state profiteers), so employees and prisoners
alike are often left to fend for themselves. With plenty of blind spots
to allow the prison heroin traffic to readily flourish (which sedates
the masses, you see), the most vulnerable are easy prey. </span></i><br />
<br />
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">That explains, in brief, why one union for AZ correctional officers, the<a href="http://www.arizonaprisonwatch.org/2014/02/suing-az-doc-judicial-watch-arizona.html"> <b>Arizona Corrections Association, has asked Judicial Watch to intervene</b></a> due to the high incidence of assaults on officers under Ryan's tenure. In fact, </span></i><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Here's <a href="http://www.prisonabolitionist.com/2010/11/brewer-please-sack-chuck-ryan.html"><b>the AZCPOA 2011 letter of no confidence in Charles Ryan's leadership</b></a>. </span></i>Note
how the AZCPOA letter in that second link makes references to documents
being routinely falsified and officers being punished for reporting
security concerns.</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span></i><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>Here is a list of links to other AzPW posts about prison
safety, specifically for those of you helping someone fight the AZ DOC
for protection from gangs, bad debts, racists, homophobes, or certain
death out on the GP yards.</i></span><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><b><a href="http://www.arizonaprisonwatch.org/2013/08/az-doc-protective-custody-battles.html">AZ DOC Protective Custody Battles: Surviving the Fight</a> </b></li>
<li><b> </b></li>
<li><b><a href="http://www.arizonaprisonwatch.org/2013/09/az-doc-protective-custody-battles.html">AZ DOC Protective Custody Battles: Letter to the Endangered Prisoner</a></b></li>
<li><b> </b></li>
<li><b><a href="http://www.arizonaprisonwatch.org/2014/06/az-state-prisoners-and-activists-call.html">AZ DOC Prisoners and activists call on DOJ to investigate violence, gangs, prison rape</a></b></li>
</ul>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>Follow the links above, </i></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>and hold Chuck Ryan accountable for your loved one's safety by addressing him here: <b><a href="mailto:CRYAN@azcorrections.gov">CRYAN@azcorrections.gov</a></b>. </i></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>Be sure you <b><a href="http://www.azleg.gov/alisStaticPages/HowToContactMember.asp">put your legislators</a></b> in the cc line - they fund his department, even though the <b><a href="http://www.azgovernor.gov/governor/engage">governor</a></b>
is his boss. Don't bother with Ryan's subordinates, unless they are
actually helping you. Send all your communications about the danger your
loved one faces to his in-box, and insist on confirmation that it's
been received.</i></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>Meanwhile, if you cant print and send them the things they need yourself, tell prisoners to write to <b><a href="http://phoenixabc.org/">Phoenix ABC</a></b>
at PO Box 7241 / Tempe, AZ 85281. They should ask for info about the
issue they're dealing with: folks at the ABC will send self-help
articles about their rights, copies of relevant policy, etc. PHX ABC may
also be reached via email at <b><a href="mailto:collective@phoenixabc.org">collective@phoenixabc.org</a></b>. Or find them on Facebook <a href="https://www.facebook.com/phxabc?ref=br_tf"><b>here</b>.</a></i></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>Finally,
here is the list of attorneys I'd send you to if you needed help suing
the AZ DOC. None of them asked to advertise with me, by the way - I put
this together for you, not for them: </i></span><br />
<br />
<br />
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-------------from the AP/East Valley Tribune------------- </div>
<h1 id="blox-asset-title">
<a href="http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/arizona/yourwestvalley/article_f5073b5a-ecf0-5d6f-8567-bb91cad3e014.html"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="blox-headline entry-title">Arizona wants lawsuit filed by raped prison teacher tossed</span></span></a></h1>
<div class="story-times dtstamp">
<b>
Posted: <span class="updated" title="2015-02-02T00:42:00-07:00">Monday, February 2, 2015 12:42 am</span></b>
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<b>
<span class="author source-org vcard"><span class="org fn">Associated Press</span></span> |East Valley Tribune</b></div>
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<span class="first-paragraph">
<span class="paragraph-0"><div>
PHOENIX (AP) — Lawyers for the state of Arizona will urge a judge on
Monday to dismiss a civil-rights violations lawsuit filed by a
Department of Corrections teacher who was raped by a convicted sex
offender in a prison classroom.<br />
<br />
The lawsuit blames corrections employees for failing to establish
proper security and the department's health care provider for improperly
assessing prisoner Jacob Harvey's mental health. That allowed the
then-20-year-old convicted rapist to be classified as a relatively
low-risk offender and gain access to the classroom on Jan. 30, 2014.<br />
<br />
A federal judge will hear arguments on the state's request to dismiss
the case Monday. A deputy attorney general wrote that the teacher
routinely worked in classrooms at the Eyman prison complex in Florence,
and there is always a risk of assault when working with prisoners. He
wrote the case should be dismissed because the teacher can't show the
defendants had actual knowledge of or willfully ignored impending harm.<br />
"By being placed in a classroom at the complex, the officers were not
placing plaintiff in any type of situation that she would not normally
face," deputy attorney general Jonathan Weisbard wrote.<br />
<br />
The victim's lawyer says there is nothing normal about his client
being placed unguarded in a classroom with convicted sex offenders.<br />
<br />
"To the contrary, the complaint alleges in substantial detail (and
plaintiff will prove) that there is nothing 'normal' or 'routine' about a
teacher being left alone in a room for nearly ninety minutes with six
or seven sex offenders and special needs inmates, including at least two
who were convicted of violent sexual crimes," attorney Scott Zwillinger
wrote.<br />
<br />
The woman, who is not being identified by The Associated Press
because she's a sexual assault victim, also is suing prison health care
provider Corizon Health Inc. Lawyers for Corizon also are asking that
the case be dismissed and deny wrongdoing.<br />
<br />
A claim the woman made against the state before filing the lawsuit sought $4 million.<br />
<br />
The attack raised questions about prison security after reports
showed she was put into a room full of inmates with no guards nearby.<br />
<br />
Authorities said Harvey had lingered behind after others left the
room, then repeatedly stabbed the victim with a pen before raping her.<br />
<br />
In a September interview with the AP, the woman said she primarily
blamed Corrections Director Charles Ryan for putting her in danger. She
said rampant understaffing meant no one checked on her while she was in
the classroom.<br />
<br />
"Safety's got to come before everything, and there's just this
attitude that we have the number of staff we need because we say we do,"
she said.<br />
<br />
A prison spokesman called the rape "a cowardly and despicable crime,
for which the inmate is rightfully facing prosecution" and said safety
is always paramount.<br />
<br />
Harvey is awaiting trial on rape, assault, kidnapping and other charges. He has pleaded not guilty.</div>
</span></span>Margaret Jean Plewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17604426254894186183noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1488330040445701465.post-6568509617763863522015-02-01T22:20:00.001-08:002015-02-01T22:20:19.368-08:00The Ghosts of Doug Ducey: JANUARY 2015 State Prison Deaths<span style="font-size: small;"><i>The first month of the new year was not kind to Arizona's prisoners,
at least three of whom died in the first week by their own hand, and one
of whom was brutally murdered. What follows are death notices for
January 2015. The AZ DOC seldom updates the public with information
about a cause of
death unless there's a compelling demand from media for it - and all
they are inclined to tell us about at times like these are their dead
prisoners crimes and punishments. If you have any information on any of
these individuals' lives or their deaths, or are a loved one who needs
assistance, please feel free to contact me. Peggy Plews <a href="mailto:arizonaprisonwatch@gmail.com">arizonaprisonwatch@gmail.com</a></i></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span><b>JANUARY 2015 AZ DOC DEATHS </b></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
<span><br /></span>
<span>January 1 ASPC-Lewis SUICIDE Donald Condra, 51, ADC #233190</span><br />
<br />
<span>January 5 ASPC-EYMAN SUICIDE Bernard Stewart, 47, ADC #277366</span><br />
<br />
<span>January 5 ASPC-EYMAN SUICIDE <span><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;">Justin Reif, 24 ADC#244623</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span><span><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;">January 6 ASPC-Florence UNK </span></span></span>James Haley, 50 ADC#075188<br />
<br />
January 7 ASPC-Perryville UNK <span><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;">Carolyn Thompson, 67 ADC#038274</span></span><br />
<br />
<span><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;">January 14 CACF (GEO) UNK </span></span><span><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"><span><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;">Craig Aubert, 46 ADC#278241</span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"><span><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;">January 19 ASP-Kingman Homicide </span></span></span></span><span><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"><span><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"><span><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;">Neil Early, 23, ADC #250396</span></span> </span></span> </span></span></span><br />
<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><i><span>23 year old Neil Early </span></i></b></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span><b><i>Murdered at ASP-Kingman, </i></b></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span><b><i>on a minimum security yard.</i></b></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
<i><span>This was the AZ DOC's Director's
statement about suicides on his watch after two guys killed themselves
the same day, in the same prison. What I've seen is that Ryan's AZ DOC's
methods of "suicide prevention" and "suicide watch" are so brutal and
humiliating, with mentally ill prisoners in particular sustaining such
emotional and physical abuse, that its no wonder more aren't sent home
dead. This really sounds like Ryan is trying hard to look on the bright
side of being mediocre ("average") about suicide prevention and
response. I wouldnt find it acceptable, myself, if my own kid was inside
- by not offering drug abuse treatment and mental health care where
needed, Corizon is cutting corners where Ryan lets them, making a profit
at the most severely impaired prisoners' expense... </span></i><br />
<span><br /></span>
</span><div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span>------------------</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
<br />
</span><div align="center">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span><a href="https://corrections.az.gov/article/inmate-death-notification-reif"><span><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"><strong>Statement from Corrections Director Charles Ryan </strong></span></span></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div align="center">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span><a href="https://corrections.az.gov/article/inmate-death-notification-reif"><span><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"><strong>regarding inmate suicides</strong></span></span></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div align="center">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
<span>
</span><span><span><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;">“The
Department of Corrections is dedicated to the safety and security of
the general public, ADC personnel and the inmates in our custody. Any
inmate self-harm attempt is taken seriously and is thoroughly
investigated.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span>
</span><span><span><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;">This
department has a goal of zero inmate suicides, and while one suicide is
one too many, data from the federal Bureau of Justice Statistics
indicate that ADC’s rate of inmate suicides was approximately 17 per
100,000 from 2001-2012 (the most recent annual data available). This is
nearly identical to the overall rate for the entire state population. </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span>
</span><span><span><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;">This
data also shows that in terms of prison systems, 21 states had a higher
rate than Arizona, 27 had a rate below, and one has the same rate as
ADC. This places Arizona’s rate in alignment with national average. </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span>
</span><span><span><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;">In
2009, ADC instituted enhanced measures to address this issue. Those
strategies include an integrated approach to mental health and suicide
prevention that combines environmental, programmatic, operational,
training and staff considerations. This begins for every inmate upon
arrival at ADC where they are assessed for any mental health, medical
and dental issues.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span>
</span><span><span><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;">Specifically,
ADC has instituted additional inmate programming to address mental
health and self-esteem concerns, enhanced officer patrol procedures to
ensure ongoing observation of inmates in max custody units, made
facility modifications such as enlarging cell windows to increase
visibility and communication between inmates and staff, modified
recreational enclosures to increase group contact and promote
socialization, replaced individual classroom enclosures with secure desk
chairs for programming classes, and installed televisions for
self-paced inmate programming.”</span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<div align="center">
<strong># # # #</strong></div>
<div align="center">
<span style="font-size: 20px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"><strong>INMATE DEATHS<br />BY YEAR AND CAUSE</strong></span></span></div>
<img alt="Inmate Deaths by Year and Cause" class="media-element file-default" data-file_info="%7B%22fid%22:%222724%22,%22view_mode%22:%22default%22,%22fields%22:%7B%22format%22:%22default%22,%22field_file_image_alt_text%5Bund%5D%5B0%5D%5Bvalue%5D%22:%22Inmate%20Deaths%20by%20Year%20and%20Cause%22,%22field_file_image_title_text%5Bund%5D%5B0%5D%5Bvalue%5D%22:%22Inmate%20Deaths%20by%20Year%20and%20Cause%22%7D,%22type%22:%22media%22%7D" height="258" src="https://corrections.az.gov/sites/default/files/inmate_deaths_by_year_and_cause.png" style="height: 90%; width: 90%;" title="Inmate Deaths by Year and Cause" width="320" /><br /><span style="font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;">*FY 2015 as of 01/05/2015<br />**Actual inmate population as of 01/05/2015<br />Includes ADC and Contract Beds<br />ADP – Average Daily Population (for Fiscal Year)<br />Cause
of death figures are subject to change based on official medical
examiner reports, which may be issued in a subsequent month.</span></span>Margaret Jean Plewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17604426254894186183noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1488330040445701465.post-54863553422971059082015-01-21T05:43:00.002-08:002015-01-31T14:41:44.147-08:00ASP-Kingman's Homicide in Custody: Neil Early, 23.<span style="color: #cc0000;"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>UPDATE (1/25/15 3:20pm) </i></span></b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>I've
heard from <a href="http://neilearly.com/">Neil</a>'s family since the post below, and they confirm he was
murdered at ASP-Kingman/Cerbat. The AZ DOC should have cracked down on
ASP-Kingman over the proliferation of drugs and violence there after the
escape of John McClusky and friends, but by the sounds of things, it
all only got worse once the spotlight was off this private prison.</i></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>Neil's mom has posted this message on her facebook, and has asked folks to share it far and wide.<span class="userContent"><br /> </span></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i><span class="userContent"></span></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i><span class="userContent"><br /> </span></i></span><br />
<br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0uzY2lwwVRKPgROGQpv0mgQkhnJuYnnmIUxYojElN3fkpRdxGi9UY01h1JaUMbAtSgr_xitauKTlq-00xoQTXZlxfP_z2ZPtFbKizJBnc-sxh9hyphenhyphenHLqA4SyQwt26e_OMxPQ4eh3EK7RQT/s1600/neilearlyGRAD.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0uzY2lwwVRKPgROGQpv0mgQkhnJuYnnmIUxYojElN3fkpRdxGi9UY01h1JaUMbAtSgr_xitauKTlq-00xoQTXZlxfP_z2ZPtFbKizJBnc-sxh9hyphenhyphenHLqA4SyQwt26e_OMxPQ4eh3EK7RQT/s1600/neilearlyGRAD.jpg" height="320" width="229" /></a></i></span></div>
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span class="userContent">(<a href="http://neilearly.com/">Neil Early</a> 7/11/1991-1/19/2015)</span></span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i><span class="userContent"></span></i></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i><span class="userContent"> <br />
</span></i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span class="userContent">We are the parents of Neil Early who was murdered in the Kingman Prison
on Monday 1/19/15. Neil was only 23 years old. There are many untruths
going on and we want to clarify a few details.<span class="text_exposed_show"><br /> <br />
Neil wasn’t a bad man, misguided, but he wanted to do the right thing.
He was in prison, doing 5 years and had 15 months left on his term. He
was convicted of Drug Paraphernalia and Conspiracy to Commit Retail
Theft. This meant that he stole some video games from two different
stores and resold them for money. Stupid yes, but he shouldn’t have to
die for a mistake he was already paying for. </span></span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span class="userContent"><span class="text_exposed_show">He now will never be a son
again, a big brother, a cousin, or a father to his child. The family
needs to know what happened to him! This should not be covered up! We
are understandably very angry and need answers. He shouldn’t have had a
death sentence for his mistakes!<br /> <br /> <span style="font-size: large;">The family is requesting anyone with ANY information please contact us:<br /> <br /> Email: <span style="color: #3d85c6;">NeilEarly@bcaz.com</span><br /> <br /> <b>Website: </b></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: Verdana;"><a href="http://neilearly.com/" target="_blank">NeilEarly.com</a></span></b></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span class="userContent"><span class="text_exposed_show"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /> <br /> The Early Family<br /> PO Box 1138<br /> Black Canyon City, AZ 85324</span></span></span></span><i> </i></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="color: lime;"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>Original Post (1/21/15) </i></span></b></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i> </i></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>Arizona
state prison officials have kept the recent death of 23 year old
ASP-Kingman prisoner Neil Early on the down low since it happened. My
condolences to the family; I hope you sue - that's the only way you'll
ever get to the truth. You sure can't trust the AZ DOC to get at it for
you. Contact me if you don't know where to start: Peggy Plews at <a href="mailto:arizonaprisonwatch@gmail.com">arizonaprisonwatch@gmail.com</a> or 480-580-6807. </i></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>I'd
also like to hear from anyone else who can fill in the blanks - all I
don't know about this kid's life, his dreams, and such that I can't find
out from the AZ DOC website; I know there was more to him than what
meets the eye. Send me a better picture, too, if you can.</i></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>Folks at <a href="http://www.prisontalk.com/forums/showthread.php?p=7404502">Prison Talk</a>
suggest that Neil's death was a homicide, but none of the media outlets
have reported it as such, and the DOC has nothing on their site (though
<a href="https://adconline.azcorrections.gov/Inmate_DataSearch/PrintInmate.aspx?ID=250396">his AZDOC profile</a>
has been updated to show he passed away.) Sadly, it appears he was
having trouble with substance use in custody, up until shortly before
his death. His judge did recommend he go to Marana facility for
substance abuse treatment when he was sentenced. It's a shame they think
(or pretend as if) people actually get any care in prison. They should
have taken one look at him and known he would be prey in there, instead.
It's time we stop sending non-violent offenders like him to prison on
minimum mandatory sentences. That could be done this year, if the
legislature had the will. </i></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>Here's what AZCENTRAL.COM has to say this am:</i></span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i> ------------------</i></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<section class="storytopbar-bucket story-headline-module" id="module-position-N0-dlGZ7CnY"><div class="asset-headline" itemprop="headline">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><a href="http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona/2015/01/20/kingman-inmate-dead-abrk/22073559/">Officials: Kingman inmate, 23, dies at private prison</a></b></span></div>
</section><section class="storytopbar-bucket story-byline-module" id="module-position-N0-dlGZgpn8"><div class="asset-metabar" itemprop="author" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person">
<span class="asset-metabar-author asset-metabar-item" itemprop="name"> Garrett Mitchell, The Republic | azcentral </span><span class="asset-metabar-time asset-metabar-item nobyline"> </span></div>
<div class="asset-metabar" itemprop="author" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person">
<span class="asset-metabar-time asset-metabar-item nobyline">8:30 p.m. MST January 20, 2015</span></div>
</section><br />
An inmate's death Monday at a private prison near Kingman has
prompted an investigation from the Arizona Department of Corrections,
according to a statement from the agency.<br />
<br />
Neil Early, 23, was
serving a sentence for two counts of organized retail theft and drug
paraphernalia charges from 2011 in Maricopa County.<br />
<br />
Early was
sentenced to a 5-year prison term in May 2012 after having previously
served less than a year in 2010 for for theft charges.Margaret Jean Plewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17604426254894186183noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1488330040445701465.post-30419752932206748582015-01-20T22:24:00.005-08:002015-01-20T22:24:55.595-08:00Corizon HealthScare: Meet me in St. Louis...<div class="post-header">
</div>
<br />
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The article below was posted from the AP to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch today. This was the comment I left for their readers: </span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></i>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Corizon
has been nothing but disastrous to Arizona state prisoners, ignoring
too many to death and leaving their families devastated. We've had a
whistleblower speak out and a class action lawsuit here (Parsons v
Ryan), exposing how evil they are - as well as numerous protests by
prisoners' loved ones and interviews with survivors, but it has been to
no avail. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Some
think that's due to Good Old Boy Terry Stewart's influence in AZ (he's
the former AZ DOC director - Chuck Ryan's mentor - now in bed with the
folks at Corizon Healthscare), but I can't explain why other states
still have contracts with them. Voters should really scrutinize things
closely if their jails or prison systems are going with these folks and
renewing contracts year after year, there's probably something dirty
going on that keeps them sucking your tax dollars up for their profits
at the expense of some of your most vulnerable citizens. Stop the
privatization all together, if you can. It doesn't deliver what it
promises, and you'll end up paying more after too many die in the end. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Posted as <a href="https://www.facebook.com/peggyplews">Peggy Plews</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">God
only knows why the new governor, Doug Ducey, has retained Chuck Ryan
after the embarassment his administration was to Brewer - must have
something on that guy, too. It's like the whole Republican party here
just dug their heads in the sand when it comes to the AZ DOC, though,
not just the chiefs. Their mascot should be an ostrich, not an elephant.
Elephants are, after all, thoughtful, compassionate, and wise...</span></i><br />
<br />
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">By
the way, if you're fighting these bastards on behalf of a loved one at
the AZ DOC, follow the links to these older pieces, but be sure to be
current on the relevant AZDOC policies (<a href="https://corrections.az.gov/reports-documents/adc-policies/department-orders-index">Department Orders</a>) and send them the right copies - the docs and links in these old posts have probably expired.</span></i><br />
<br />
<span style="color: blue;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="http://www.arizonaprisonwatch.org/2014/06/corizons-cruel-and-unusual-greed-follow.html"> Corizon's Cruel and Unusual Greed: Follow the Money with Prison Legal News</a></span></i></span><b><span style="color: blue;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span></i></span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: blue;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></i></span></b>
<h4 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name" style="text-align: center;">
<b><b><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i><a href="http://www.arizonaprisonwatch.org/2013/03/corizon-and-az-doc-prisoners-families.html">Corizon and the AZ DOC: Prisoners & Families, Know Your Rights.</a></i></span></span></span></b></b></h4>
<h4 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name" style="text-align: center;">
<b><b><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i> </i></span></span></span></b></b></h4>
<h4 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name" style="text-align: center;">
</h4>
<b><span style="color: blue;">
</span></b><h4 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i><a href="http://www.arizonaprisonwatch.org/2013/05/corizons-deliberate-indifference.html">Corizon's deliberate indifference: fighting back.</a></i></span></span></span></b></h4>
<h4 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i> </i></span></span></span></b></h4>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYOglkYYLV_I5IXwmPVoj8ZvBYqe-Ihd-JH9djVyBuYrDidr1oFPGKVG-EQwR0a1cHOr61BsgTZeLoczvuCNK82fk5f4TmxsYzljryMuskgO-KEZ2R2HtrY0zNSJhd7uxVHPpEG-PIs7JP/s1600/CoRIZON+(1).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYOglkYYLV_I5IXwmPVoj8ZvBYqe-Ihd-JH9djVyBuYrDidr1oFPGKVG-EQwR0a1cHOr61BsgTZeLoczvuCNK82fk5f4TmxsYzljryMuskgO-KEZ2R2HtrY0zNSJhd7uxVHPpEG-PIs7JP/s1600/CoRIZON+(1).JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">artwork is mine....</span></i></div>
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></i>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
<div style="text-align: center;">
------------from the <a href="http://www.stltoday.com/">St Louis POST-DISPATCH</a>--------</div>
<div class="title-block">
<h1>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.stltoday.com/business/local/corizon-s-struggles-highlight-challenges-of-inmate-care/article_94b4385c-4b5a-53ee-a90a-09b22a9b753f.html">Country's biggest for-profit prisoner health care provider under increased scrutiny</a></span></h1>
</div>
<div class="date">
<span class="pubdate">St Louis Post-Dispatch</span></div>
<div class="date">
<span class="pubdate">Janaury 20, 2014</span> </div>
<div class="date">
<span class="byline">By ADAM GELLER
Associated Press</span></div>
<br /><br />Months after he landed in Florida’s Manatee County Jail, Jovon
Frazier’s pleas for treatment of intense pain in his left shoulder were
met mostly with Tylenol.<br /><br />“I need to see a doctor!” he wrote on
his eighth request form. “I done put a lot of sick calls in & ya’ll
keep sending me back and ain’t tell me nothing.”<br /><br />Four months
later, after Frazier’s 13th request resulted in hospitalization and
doctors diagnosed bone cancer, his arm was amputated, according to a
lawsuit by his family.<br /><br />But the cancer spread. Frazier died in 2011 at age 21, months after his release.<br /><br />As
an inmate, his medical care had been managed not by the county
sheriff’s office that runs the jail, but by a private company under
contract.<br /><br />That company, Corizon Health Inc., is under growing
pressure after the loss of five state prison contracts, downgrades by
analysts and increasing scrutiny of its care of inmates held by some of
its largest customers, including New York City.<br /><br />Corizon,
responsible for 345,000 inmates in 27 states, including Missouri, is the
country’s biggest for-profit correctional health provider, but it’s
just one of many firms vying for billions of public dollars spent on
prisoner care.<br /><br />Corizon was established in 2011 when privately
held Valitás Health Services Inc., the Creve Coeur-based parent of
Correctional Medical Services Inc., acquired America Service Group Inc.,
a Tennessee-based provider of prison health services.<br /><br />With corporate headquarters in Brentwood, Tenn., Corizon touts Creve Coeur as home to its operational headquarters.<br /><br />For-profit
prison care raises questions about ceding public responsibilities to
private companies. It turns, though, on a thornier issue: How do you
ensure care of people who society mostly would prefer not to think
about?<br /><br />Inmates “are still human beings. I think some people
forget that, I really do. They’re somebody’s child,” said Shirley
Jenkins, Frazier’s grandmother.<br /><br /><b>PRIVATIZED CARE</b><br /><br />States
spend $8 billion a year, a fifth of their corrections budgets, on
prison health care, according to the Pew Charitable Trusts and the
MacArthur Foundation. Local jails spend millions more.<br /><br />Some critics fault the idea of privatizing the job.<br /><br />“The
problem is a structure that creates incentives to cut corners and deny
care to powerless people that have no other options,” said David Fathi,
director of the American Civil Liberties Union’s National Prison
Project.<br /><br />Others say deficiencies with prison care go beyond whether it is privatized.<br /><br />“I
don’t have a great love for private health care ... but I don’t think
that they’re the source of the problem,” said Dr. Marc Stern, former
health services director for Washington state’s prisons. Stern, who once
worked for a Corizon predecessor in New York state, issued a 2012
report criticizing the company’s care of Idaho prison inmates while
serving as a court-appointed expert.<br /><br />“I think the problem is how much money and effort we are willing to put into correctional health care,” Stern said.<br /><br />Some critics, though, say Corizon is notably problematic.<br /><br />“We
get letters from prisoners about medical care not being provided, and
the list is endless. And it’s increased tremendously since Corizon took
over,” said Randall Berg, executive director of the Florida Justice
Institute, who represents inmates petitioning for care.<br /><br />Corizon says it strives to provide quality care.<br /><br />“We
are always troubled by any questions on the care provided to our
patients and view this as an opportunity to reconfirm our commitment to
operational ethics and professionalism,” company spokeswoman Susan
Morgenstern said in a written statement. The company declined to answer
questions.<br /><br />The criticism surrounding Corizon isn’t new.
Correctional Medical Services, or CMS, which later became Corizon, was
the main subject of a 1998 Post-Dispatch investigation of for-profit
prison health care providers. Looking at CMS and other firms, the
investigation found more than 20 cases nationwide in which inmates died
as a result of alleged negligence, indifference, understaffing,
inadequate training or cost-cutting.<br /><br />In 2012, Corizon was sued
for alleged medical missteps in the death of Courtland Lucas, an inmate
in the St. Louis jail. He died May 25, 2009, from complications of a
heart problem, congenital aortic valve stenosis, while under the care of
CMS. The lawsuit was settled in the fall of 2014, but the terms were
not disclosed.<br /><br />Corizon’s struggles are widespread.<br /><br />Its
care of the 11,000 inmates at New York City’s Rikers Island is under
“comprehensive review” by officials, who say they are concerned about
problems including at least 16 deaths since 2009.<br /><br />Arizona hired
Corizon last year to replace Wexford Health Sources Inc. after its care
came under fire. But an advocacy group warned that “if anything, things
have gotten worse” in state prisons. Arizona and the ACLU recently
reached a settlement calling for more monitoring of inmate care.<br /><br />Meanwhile
Corizon has lost long-standing prison contracts in Minnesota, Maine,
Maryland, Tennessee and Pennsylvania since 2012. Auditors in three
states documented problems, including slowness to address poor
recordkeeping and inmates’ urgent requests for off-site care.<br /><br />Corizon,
which generated $1.4 billion in revenue in 2013 and is owned by a
Chicago private equity firm, has battled stiffening competition. In
recent months, Moody’s and Standard & Poor’s have downgraded
Corizon’s holding company, citing financial underperformance, contract
losses and competition that has squeezed profits.<br /><br />The connection between Corizon’s contract losses and questions about the quality of care it provides is not clear.<br /><br />But
the challenges are evident in Florida, where a year after the state
privatized prison care and awarded Corizon a $1.2 billion contract, news
reports point to rising inmate deaths. If the company does not address
substandard care, the state’s corrections commissioner wrote to
Corizon’s CEO in September, Florida may begin withholding payment.<br /><br />In
Minnesota, an audit last year found that inadequate communication
between prison staff and Corizon doctors during overnight hours “may
have been a contributing factor to inmate deaths.”<br /><br />But in
announcing Minnesota’s change of contractors, the corrections
commissioner said Corizon had provided “excellent” service. In a written
response to questions, the state corrections department said its
decision was not related to the audit. It would not comment on inmate
deaths.<br /><br />Corizon’s work in local jails also has come under scrutiny.<br /><br />In
October, Volusia County, Fla., officials questioned Corizon executives
about lawsuits and its financial stability before voting unanimously to
switch contractors. The hearing was held in the shadow of a lawsuit
filed locally by the family of Tracy Veira, an inmate who choked to
death in 2009 in a cell where she was supposed to be under watch while
detoxing from painkillers.<br /><br />A nurse working for one of the
companies that merged to form Corizon saw an ailing Veira in the jail’s
clinic the afternoon before she died. She told a supervisor the inmate
looked as if she needed hospitalization, but Veira was instead sent back
to her cell, according to an affidavit filed in the case.<br /><br />When
the commissioners questioned Corizon’s executives, there was no mention
of Veira. But Commissioner Deb Denys said she was mindful of the case,
scheduled for a July trial.<br /><br />“I think everybody was,” Denys said. “Sometimes you don’t state the obvious.”<br /><br /><i>Jennifer Mann of the Post-Dispatch contributed to this report.</i>Margaret Jean Plewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17604426254894186183noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1488330040445701465.post-36929512024692925152014-10-14T09:40:00.000-07:002014-10-14T15:58:39.377-07:00Confronting deliberate indifference: Parsons v Ryan settlement reached.<b> EDITED OCT 14, 2014 3:48pm</b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ6iD6sFzCk0Tqgu3QX7K8rGzfPoMFaXwtBpvfE50ctGqWzmI9hAKGCZBI748tSXAGfhoIqmwPXP2Bi7Lv15rbtWCBk0bwsjUBZ65VEAQNgi_JF272iRAbzShDvKNySN1PUHmAQ_YwHIJQ/s1600/DODMIKEbrewersprisonsPEG+(1).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ6iD6sFzCk0Tqgu3QX7K8rGzfPoMFaXwtBpvfE50ctGqWzmI9hAKGCZBI748tSXAGfhoIqmwPXP2Bi7Lv15rbtWCBk0bwsjUBZ65VEAQNgi_JF272iRAbzShDvKNySN1PUHmAQ_YwHIJQ/s1600/DODMIKEbrewersprisonsPEG+(1).JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">This first press release is just in from the ACLU of Arizona. I think the DOC is getting off easy without having a public trial, but it saves money and time to do this instead. They were definitely going to lose...</span></span></i><br />
<br />
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The second press release is from the head of the AZ DOC, Charles Ryan, the guy who was named in the suit. Sounds like he won the lawsuit or something. These are vastly different accounts of the settlement. My bet is that the AZ DOC put the most spin on their version, but it concerns me that they say the following:</span></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span></i><br />
<span style="color: white;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: white;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">" “This
is positive news,” said ADC Director Charles Ryan. “On the eve of
trial, the plaintiffs in this case have essentially agreed that the
department’s current policies and practices, along with recent
enhancements to programming opportunities, adequately addresses the
plaintiffs’ concerns relating to constitutional healthcare and
conditions of confinement for maximum custody and mentally ill inmates.</span> "</span> </span></span></i></span><br />
<span style="color: white;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: white;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>AND:</i></span></span></span></span></i></span><br />
<span style="color: white;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></span></span></i>
</span><br />
<span style="color: white;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">" </span></span></i><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">ADC
will monitor its own compliance, thus avoiding costly court oversight,
and the Plaintiffs’ attorneys, through record review and on-site tours
will confirm compliance, as well."</span></span></span></i></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: white;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Say what??? No way!!!</span></i></span></span></span></i></span><br />
<span style="color: white;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: white;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I'm going to have to read the settlement docs myself and get back to you all with another analysis..</span></i></span></span></span></i></span><br />
<span style="color: white;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: white;"><br /></span>
<br />
<h2 style="display: block; font-family: Arial; font-size: 30px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 100%; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: white;">----------</span></h2>
<br />
<h2 style="display: block; font-family: Arial; font-size: 30px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 100%; margin: 0px 0px 10px; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: white;"><b>Arizona Agrees to Major Improvements in Prison Health Care, Crucial Limits on Solitary Confinement in Landmark Settlement</b></span></h2>
<span style="color: white;">
<br />
<b>For Immediate Release</b><br />
<span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1132291439" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">October 14, 2014</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<b>CONTACT:</b><br />
<br />
Alexandra Ringe, American Civil Liberties Union, <a href="mailto:media@aclu.org" style="color: #336699; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">media@aclu.org</a>, <a href="tel:212-549-2666" target="_blank" value="+12125492666">212-549-2666</a><br />
Steve Kilar, ACLU of Arizona, <a href="mailto:skilar@acluaz.org" style="color: #336699; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">skilar@acluaz.org</a>, <a href="tel:602-773-6007" target="_blank" value="+16027736007">602-773-6007</a><br />
Don Specter and Corene Kendrick, Prison Law Office, <a href="mailto:dspecter@prisonlaw.com" style="color: #336699; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">dspecter@prisonlaw.com</a> and <a href="mailto:ckendrick@prisonlaw.com" style="color: #336699; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">ckendrick@prisonlaw.com</a>, <a href="tel:510-280-2621" target="_blank" value="+15102802621">510-280-2621</a><br />
<br />
PHOENIX – The American Civil Liberties Union, the ACLU of Arizona, the Prison Law Office, and co-counsel today <a href="http://acluaz.us6.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=3b936f097d19068dfeb3d6b0b&id=c27f549b28&e=b3a5599bf8" style="color: #336699; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">filed a settlement agreement</a>
in their class-action suit on behalf of more than 33,000 prisoners in
Arizona’s state prisons. Under the settlement, the Arizona Department of
Corrections must fix a broken health care system plagued by long-term
and systemic problems that caused numerous deaths and preventable
injuries. The settlement will also allow prisoners in solitary
confinement who have serious mental illnesses to have more mental health
treatment and time outside their cells, and will make other critical
reforms in prison conditions.<br />
<br />
“The Arizona Department of Corrections worked with us on a settlement
that shows a commitment to protecting prisoners’ physical and mental
health,” said David Fathi, the Director of the ACLU’s National Prison
Project. “We hope other states will now find ways to provide adequate
medical, mental health, and dental care to their prisoners.”<br />
<br />
“The Arizona Department of Corrections has agreed to changes that will
save lives,” said Don Specter, Director of the Prison Law Office. “This
settlement will bring more humane treatment for prisoners with serious
health care needs, and the potential for their conditions to improve
rather than worsen.”<br />
<br />
The settlement in <i>Parsons v. Ryan </i>requires the Arizona
Department of Corrections (ADC) to meet more than 100 health care
performance measures, covering issues such as monitoring of prisoners
with diabetes, hypertension, and other chronic conditions; care for
pregnant prisoners; and dental care.<br />
<br />
The settlement also requires ADC to overhaul the rules for prisoners
with serious mental illnesses in solitary confinement. Instead of
spending all but six hours a week in their cells, such prisoners will
now have a minimum of 19 hours a week outside the cell, and this time
must include mental health treatment and other programming. ADC must
also restrict guards’ use of pepper spray on these prisoners, using it
only as a last resort when necessary to prevent serious injury or
escape.<br />
<br />
The settlement provides for ongoing monitoring and oversight by the
prisoners’ lawyers to make sure the state is complying with its terms.<br />
<br />
The groups filed the federal lawsuit in 2012, challenging years of
inattention to the health needs of state prisoners and improper and
excessive use of solitary confinement, resulting in serious harm and
unnecessary deaths. Judge Neil V. Wake of the U.S. District Court in
Phoenix certified the case as a class action in March 2013, and the U.S.
Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit affirmed that ruling in June
2014. Last month, the groups filed reports by nationally recognized
experts in corrections and in medical, mental health, and dental care,
showing system-wide problems with the prisons’ health care and excessive
use of solitary confinement.<br />
<br />
In addition to the ACLU and the Prison Law Office, other attorneys on
the case are Perkins Coie, Jones Day, and the Arizona Center for
Disability Law, which is also a plaintiff in the case.
<br />
<div style="color: #505050; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 150%; text-align: left;">
<br />
<a href="http://acluaz.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3b936f097d19068dfeb3d6b0b&id=786167bd58&e=b3a5599bf8" style="color: #336699; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Click here for a copy of the SETTLEMENT stipulation filed today with the court. </a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://acluaz.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3b936f097d19068dfeb3d6b0b&id=536d7aa0a3&e=b3a5599bf8" style="color: #336699; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Click here for a copy of the EXHIBITS to the stipulation.</a><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: 14px;">For more information about </span><i style="font-size: 14px;">Parsons v. Ryan</i><span style="font-size: 14px;">:</span></div>
<a href="http://acluaz.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3b936f097d19068dfeb3d6b0b&id=5269f28e4e&e=b3a5599bf8" style="color: #336699; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">aclu.org/prisoners-rights/<wbr></wbr>parsons-v-ryan</a><br />
<br />
For information about the ACLU’s National Prison Project:<br />
<a href="http://acluaz.us6.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=3b936f097d19068dfeb3d6b0b&id=cad9f9486c&e=b3a5599bf8" style="color: #336699; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">https://www.aclu.org/<wbr></wbr>prisoners-rights</a><br />
<br />
For information about the Prison Law Office:<br />
<a href="http://acluaz.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3b936f097d19068dfeb3d6b0b&id=1e92aeaa71&e=b3a5599bf8" style="color: #336699; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">www.prisonlaw.com</a><br />
<br />
For information about the Arizona Center for Disability Law:<br />
<a href="http://acluaz.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3b936f097d19068dfeb3d6b0b&id=1b39870160&e=b3a5599bf8" style="color: #336699; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">http://www.acdl.com/</a><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: white;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>---now for the official state version----</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 23px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">ARIZONA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img height="100px;" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/wDJO1s3pEI7W0DPa5tCpPELaxiWZRnLKSiL6XbpnsLCwSc8Nzg5fhX4VgZD2CNugZgA1Cm7cmhKVm_rWjzqswmARwiDSzrXnsXAig0DIn6nHvFdA2RUw-JEiJRufXAAIHw" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad); border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad);" width="105px;" /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">1601 W. JEFFERSON</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">PHOENIX, ARIZONA 85007</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">(602) 542-3133</span></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.azcorrections.gov/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">www.azcorrections.gov</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></div>
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<table style="border-collapse: collapse; border: none;"><colgroup><col width="660"></col><col width="120"></col><col width="114"></col></colgroup><tbody>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"> </span></div>
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<span style="color: white;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">JANICE K. BREWER </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">CHARLES L. RYAN</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">GOVERNOR DIRECTOR</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">For more information contact:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Doug Nick</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">dnick@azcorrections.gov</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Bill Lamoreaux</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: right;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">blamorea@azcorrections.gov</span></div>
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<span style="color: #f3f3f3;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Tuesday, October 14, 2014</span></span></div>
<span style="color: #f3f3f3;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #f3f3f3;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 23px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Parties reach settlement agreement</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #f3f3f3;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 23px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">and seek to vacate Parsons v. Ryan trial</span></span></div>
<span style="color: #f3f3f3;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="color: #f3f3f3;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">PHOENIX (Tuesday, October 14, 2014) – </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The Arizona Department of Corrections (ADC) has reached a settlement agreement in collaboration with the ACLU, Prison Law Office and ACDL prior to the pending trial.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #f3f3f3;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">The parties have agreed to approximately 100 performance measures applicable to medical, mental health, dental and conditions of confinement.</span></span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="color: #f3f3f3;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“This is positive news,” said ADC Director Charles Ryan. “On the eve of trial, the plaintiffs in this case have essentially agreed that the department’s current policies and practices, along with recent enhancements to programming opportunities, adequately addresses the plaintiffs’ concerns relating to constitutional healthcare and conditions of confinement for maximum custody and mentally ill inmates.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #f3f3f3;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #f3f3f3;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“In regards to those issues, the settlement notwithstanding, it’s unfortunate that the plaintiffs continue to use rhetoric such as ‘solitary confinement’ to describe housing for some inmates. No such confinement exists in our institutions. The Department of Corrections has always followed nationally-accredited standards for housing single-cell inmates that include requirements for natural daylight and contact with others, and out-of-cell time. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #f3f3f3;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“Additionally, it should be noted that Arizona’s inmate mortality rates, including incidents of suicide, are within the national average for corrections departments. In 2012, the most recent year for which statistics are available, Arizona reported 215 deaths per 100,000 inmates, compared to the national average of 254 per 100,000. Additionally, Arizona averaged 17 inmate suicides per 100,000, which is in line with the national average of 16 per 100,000.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #f3f3f3;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">“By avoiding a costly trial, the Department saves significant resources that can be further directed towards continuing to provide constitutional healthcare and structured programming to support successful community reintegration. This is especially relevant in light of the fact that despite the state of California spending nearly $18,000 per inmate for health care costs due to two decades of litigation by the same plaintiffs in the Parsons case, California is still under court supervision and the inmate mortality rate there exceeds that of Arizona. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #f3f3f3;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">By contrast, Arizona spends nearly $3,800 per inmate in health care costs.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #f3f3f3;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">ADC will monitor its own compliance, thus avoiding costly court oversight, and the Plaintiffs’ attorneys, through record review and on-site tours will confirm compliance, as well. ADC, through its contracted vendor, must meet specific compliance thresholds at its facilities. Within two years, monitoring of performance measures automatically terminates when those performance measures meet agreed-upon thresholds. ADC can petition the court to terminate the entire settlement agreement after four years.</span></span>Margaret Jean Plewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17604426254894186183noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1488330040445701465.post-35402856245049965602014-09-30T14:30:00.003-07:002014-09-30T19:35:10.679-07:00Solidarity with the women of Perryville: Never Surrender.<span style="color: red;"><b><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">UPDATE September 30, 2014 7pm: I'm sorry, there's still no news on how this prisoner is faring. But if you pray, please send one up tonight for her and her kids, because no matter how this turns out, its going to be a tough one...</span></i></b></span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></i><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Last week, a
dear friend of a dear friend was reported to have ended her life on
Santa Cruz yard in Perryville prison. Over the weekend I learned a
little about the kind of blessing this woman has been in the lives of
her friends and fellow prisoners, and determined to do something special
to help remember her by. As of yesterday morning the DOC still hadn't
posted her death notice, and her record on line only showed that she was
sent out to the hospital on 9/25. Sometimes the DOC is pretty slow on
those, though, and I was pretty sure of my sources. So, first thing
Monday morning I hit Central Office to build a memorial for her and the
other women who have died from suicide or gross neglect under the
Brewer/Ryan administration. There are quite a few, some whose names and
stories I don't even know. Some stories I am all too familiar with, though, like that of the beloved <a href="http://www.arizonaprisonwatch.org/2014/04/doc-monitor-for-corizon-well-aware-of.html">Gloria Rogers</a>, whose suffering I'll write about more in due time...</span></i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq13TCQ4x1fseOQfZFXFnJ4ZCswz2o8ak0zgcScdP7li1S6lUtvSeXNWsGQDBwZEFVmBuufER4omKygoxAoIKRDOlSkCCs-gjauyfkUKI4wZQha5KijjGIyzZIO7tcB-h-LqyDv8uaYsd2/s1600/MONIindifference.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq13TCQ4x1fseOQfZFXFnJ4ZCswz2o8ak0zgcScdP7li1S6lUtvSeXNWsGQDBwZEFVmBuufER4omKygoxAoIKRDOlSkCCs-gjauyfkUKI4wZQha5KijjGIyzZIO7tcB-h-LqyDv8uaYsd2/s1600/MONIindifference.JPG" height="225" width="400" /></a></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span></i><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I returned home to process the photos from that action to find a shred of hope in a Facebook message, however: word from a friend of hers that she is apparently on life support, which explains the silence from the DOC. A hush has now fallen across the pages where she was being mourned, as all are now holding their breaths and saying their prayers for her recovery right now. <br /><br />No one in this woman's life saw a suicide attempt coming, by the way - she had just been returned to prison in August, having relapsed since her parole last year. She had just done a decade behind bars, and was now looking a six more years in prison, away from her family, as was her partner in crime. But she was tough, and seemed like she could handle it. She was certainly plagued by her addictions, but those who contacted me about her didn't know of any serious mental health history that would suggest she was at risk for this. They felt completely blindsided, and devastated. Many successful suicides occur without clear warning, though.<br /><br />Out of respect for her privacy and that of her family's, I'll defer naming this good soul until she recovers enough from this trauma to give her permission or tell her story herself - or until the DOC posts a death notice, if it turns out she passes away. Until then, those of you searching for what happened to your friend on Santa Cruz last week should just keep good thoughts in your hearts for her - she may yet be holding on. And be sure to take advantage of this time of uncertainty about her fate to tell those you love how much they mean to you - especially if they are struggling now, or in exile. You never know if you'll have the opportunity to do so tomorrow. <br /> </span></i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVzf2q2Tk3DtUDs1hTcq7g4fZJ3WLdiUREiMYNjXvN2q5_9ADKuc6BFxYB6E_Oi4aPWhZ5ozSmUzMbEtmuLYxtunFbE6AFpuqb25SQBKM42Svvka4z1sBE2aazaHxM2FjE3v4esSf68lub/s1600/MONIneversurrender+(1).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVzf2q2Tk3DtUDs1hTcq7g4fZJ3WLdiUREiMYNjXvN2q5_9ADKuc6BFxYB6E_Oi4aPWhZ5ozSmUzMbEtmuLYxtunFbE6AFpuqb25SQBKM42Svvka4z1sBE2aazaHxM2FjE3v4esSf68lub/s1600/MONIneversurrender+(1).JPG" height="225" width="400" /></a><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Finally, those of you who are struggling </span></i><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">yourselves </span></i><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">with thoughts of ending your life because you're in or are facing prison: chances are, there are people in your life who need you nonetheless - they need you to make it through this, or your death will haunt them forever. And there may be others down the road you can help if you can figure out how to survive your ordeal now. So, please don't take yourself out - study your rights, and become a thorn in the DOC's side instead. Whatever you do, don't do their dirty work for them.</span></i><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I'm attaching the images from yesterday's memorial to this post - with apologies to the women from Perryville who </span></i><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">received misinformation </span></i><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">and probably </span></i><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">had to clean up after me. I pray I never have cause to write that name on the sidewalk again. The Ghosts of Jan Brewer number far too many already...</span></i><br />
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<span style="color: red;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">If you need help dealing with your own mental health crisis or that of a loved one, THE <a href="http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/">NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION LIFELINE</a> is a free, 24/7 service that can provide suicidal persons or those around them with support, information and local resources. </span></span></div>
<span style="color: red;"><br /><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 19px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">800-273-TALK (8255)</span></span></div>
Margaret Jean Plewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17604426254894186183noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1488330040445701465.post-50040838020201055742014-09-23T00:33:00.000-07:002014-09-23T00:33:08.115-07:00ASPC-Winslow/Kaibab Homicide: Fabian Lozano, 26.<span style="color: #cc0000;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>UPDATE 9/23/14: </b></span></i></span><br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>Fabian's family reports that he was strangled to death by another prisoner at ASPC-Winslow after being denied Protective Custody three times...sounds like he fought for his life to the end.</b></span></i></span><br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>There will be a car wash to try to raise funds for Fabian's funeral expenses on Saturday, September 27 from 8am-3pm in Mesa at the <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/S9pTC">corner of Mesa Drive and Broadway</a> - there's a tire shop across from the Circle K there that will host them. Please support. He left 4 kids behind, so they can use all the help we can give them.</b></span></i></span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>---------------- </b></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Condolences to this young man's loved ones. </span></i><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">If anyone knows anything about Fabian's life or death, please contact me at <a href="mailto:arizonaprisonwatch@gmail.com">arizonaprisonwatch@gmail.com</a> or PO Box 20494 Phoenix, AZ 85036. </span></i><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">If you are Fabian's family and need help getting records from the AZ DOC or contacting an attorney familiar with suing the state, please contact me as well - I'll do what I can to help. </span></i><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">My name is Peggy Plews. </span></i><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">My number is 480-580-6807. </span></i><br />
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<i>Fabian Lozano, 26</i></div>
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------------<b>from the <a href="https://corrections.az.gov/adc-news">AZ DOC website</a></b>---------------</div>
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<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="display: table; width: 90%;"><tbody>
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<b>ARIZONA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS</b></h2>
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<tr><td colspan="2" style="background-color: white; white-space: nowrap; width: 20%;"><div align="center">
<img alt="" src="https://corrections.az.gov/sites/default/files/state_seal.png" style="height: 100px; width: 105px;" /></div>
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<td colspan="3" rowspan="2" style="background-color: white; white-space: nowrap; width: 50%;"><div align="center">
<span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: black;"><b>1601 W. JEFFERSON<br />PHOENIX, ARIZONA 85007<br />(602) 542-3133</b></span></span></div>
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<b><a href="http://www.azcorrections.gov/" target="_blank"><u>www.azcorrections.gov</u></a></b></div>
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<td colspan="2" style="background-color: white; white-space: nowrap; width: 20%;"><div align="center">
<img alt="" src="https://corrections.az.gov/sites/default/files/adc_7-point_badge_color_master.png" style="height: 100px; width: 100px;" /></div>
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<tr><td colspan="2" nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 20%;"><div align="center">
<b>JANICE K. BREWER<br />GOVERNOR</b></div>
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<td colspan="2" nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 20%;"><div align="center">
<b>CHARLES L. RYAN<br />DIRECTOR</b></div>
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<span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="font-size: 18px;"><b>NEWS RELEASE<br />For Immediate Release</b></span></span></span></h2>
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<td colspan="2" style="white-space: nowrap; width: 20%;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: black;">For more information contact:</span></span><br />
<span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: black;"><b>Doug Nick</b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: black;"><b><u><a class="" href="mailto:dnick@azcorrections.gov">dnick@azcorrections.gov</a></u></b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: black;"><b>Bill Lamoreaux<br /><u><a class="" href="mailto:blamorea@azcorrections.gov">blamorea@azcorrections.gov</a></u></b></span></span></td>
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<span style="font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"><b>Monday, September 22, 2014</b></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://corrections.az.gov/article/inmate-death-notification-lozano"><span style="font-size: 22px;"><span style="font-family: times new roman,times,serif;"><b>Inmate Death Notification</b></span></span></a></div>
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WINSLOW, (Monday September 22, 2014) – Inmate Fabian Lozano, 26, ADC
#260873, was pronounced deceased on September 19, 2014. The cause of
death is under investigation.<br />
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Lozano was sentenced out of Maricopa County and was serving one and a
half years in prison for aggravated assault. He returned to ADC
custody on March 7, 2014 and was housed at ASPC – Winslow.<br />
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All inmate deaths are investigated in consultation with the county medical examiner’s office.Margaret Jean Plewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17604426254894186183noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1488330040445701465.post-9909056829845686812014-09-08T22:07:00.001-07:002014-09-08T22:07:37.596-07:00"NO HUMAN INVOLVED": HELP FREE MARCIA POWELL!!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhziHEzQKtNoZgkCUyP5EPkThS5ENBKsoHJja83eim2JQcNWYrb2mjGtXdMVeAP42_PmYrazN-DnFEbCXRbaZ2LrQWrBF9rpFlsjJ3ELDhUtkl5offXtBRLhq_RCMSmRPXb3Oy7_6QhK0j2/s1600/marciapowellMILLARD.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhziHEzQKtNoZgkCUyP5EPkThS5ENBKsoHJja83eim2JQcNWYrb2mjGtXdMVeAP42_PmYrazN-DnFEbCXRbaZ2LrQWrBF9rpFlsjJ3ELDhUtkl5offXtBRLhq_RCMSmRPXb3Oy7_6QhK0j2/s1600/marciapowellMILLARD.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b><i>a free Marcia Powell in 2008</i></b></div>
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<b><i> on Van Buren and 16th st, downtown Phoenix</i></b></div>
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<b><i>Photo by Gary Millard</i></b></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">As many of my friends in Phoenix know, from time to time over the course of the past few years an awesome Australian filmmaker by the name of PJ Starr has come out to visit me and film area activists for her documentary about the death of Marcia Powell - the catalyst for Arizona Prison Watch to be born in the summer of 2009. </span></i><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Well, folks, it's finally almost done. We need some help to finish it, though, so please give if you can - there's an<b> <a href="https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/help-tell-marcia-powell-s-story">Indigogo fund</a></b> set up for it, and we can really use your help. The title of the film comes from a time when the cops would document homicide victims as being male or female; in the case of prostitutes, however, they would write "NO HUMAN INVOLVED".</span></i><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Here's PJ talking about "No Human Involved", along with the trailer - it looks really compelling. </span></i><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Thanks to Ruth Jacobs for this interview.</span></i><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Please help Free Marcia Powell, and visit the <b><a href="https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/help-tell-marcia-powell-s-story">Indigogo</a></b> page... </span></i></div>
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<a href="http://ruthjacobs.co.uk/2014/09/04/no-human-involved-filmmaker-pj-starr-discusses-her-documentary-telling-marcia-powells-story/"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></a>
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<header class="post-header"><a href="http://ruthjacobs.co.uk/2014/09/04/no-human-involved-filmmaker-pj-starr-discusses-her-documentary-telling-marcia-powells-story/"><span style="font-size: small;">
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<a href="http://ruthjacobs.co.uk/2014/09/04/no-human-involved-filmmaker-pj-starr-discusses-her-documentary-telling-marcia-powells-story/"><span style="font-size: small;">‘No Human Involved’: Filmmaker PJ Starr Discusses Her Documentary Telling Marcia Powell’s Story</span></a></h1>
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Posted on <span class="updated">September 4, 2014</span> </div>
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by <span class="vcard author"><a class="fn" href="http://ruthjacobs.co.uk/author/souldestructionblog/">Ruth Jacobs</a></span> in <a href="http://ruthjacobs.co.uk/category/human-rights/campaigns/harm-reduction/decriminalisation-of-prostitution/" rel="category tag">Decriminalisation of Prostitution</a>, <a href="http://ruthjacobs.co.uk/category/human-rights/campaigns/harm-reduction/" rel="category tag">Harm Reduction</a>, <a href="http://ruthjacobs.co.uk/category/creatives-interviews/arts-music-interviews/in-the-booth-with-a-film/" rel="category tag">In the Booth with a Film</a></div>
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<img alt="PJ Starr Photograph by Mike Shipley taken during filming" class="wp-image-12324 size-large" src="http://ruthjacobs.files.wordpress.com/2014/09/pj-starr-during-filming-photo-credit-mike-shipley.jpg?w=520&h=693" height="320" width="240" /><br />
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<i><b>PJ Starr – picture taken during filming<br /> Photo credit: Mike Shipley</b></i></div>
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<b>Can you tell me about your current project <i>No Human Involved</i>?</b><br />
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In 2009 my friend and colleague Cris
Sardina (who is now the co-coordinator of the Desiree Alliance) sent me
an email about the death of Marcia Powell in Perryville Prison outside
of Phoenix, Arizona. Marcia had been serving a 27 month sentence for
solicitation of prostitution and corrections officers had left her out
in the sun in a metal cage in searing heat until she collapsed. Soon
after, in hospital her life was ended when the Director of Arizona
Department of Corrections removed her from life support.</div>
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<i><b>Cris Sardina of Desiree Alliance holding pictures of Marcia Powell<br /> Photo credit: PJ Starr</b></i></div>
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<a href="https://ruthjacobs.files.wordpress.com/2014/09/marcia-powell-cris-sardina-of-desiree-alliance.jpg?w=300&h=225" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Cris Sardina of Desiree Alliance holding pictures of Marcia Powell Photo credit: PJ Starr" border="0" class="wp-image-12362 size-medium" height="225" src="https://ruthjacobs.files.wordpress.com/2014/09/marcia-powell-cris-sardina-of-desiree-alliance.jpg?w=300&h=225" width="300" /></a>After reading about what happened, Marcia’s story was always with me.</div>
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Later in 2010 at the Filmmakers’
Collaborative at the Maysles Institute in Harlem, NYC, I began to
develop the idea of investigating Marcia’s case as a potential
documentary film. Many of my peers at Maysles—who were people with a lot
of community organizing knowledge already—were quite astounded by the
sentence she was serving and what had happened to her. I knew then that
documenting what had happened to Marcia Powell could be a vital step in
educating the general public about the real harms caused to people in
the sex trade by the prison industrial complex.</div>
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It was a departure for me to embark on
this documentary for a wide range of reasons. In 2010 I didn’t know
anyone in Phoenix, I wasn’t acquainted with the organizing there and I
didn’t know Marcia personally either. My previous work had always been
with folks I had known for years. But my film mentor <a href="http://ruthjacobs.co.uk/2014/08/07/collateral-damage-sex-workers-and-the-anti-trafficking-campaigns-at-kampnagel-hamburg/#Carol-Leigh" target="_blank" title="Carol Leigh">Carol Leigh</a>
encouraged me to try this new step and connected me to several key
activists in Phoenix, most importantly with Peggy Plews of Arizona
Prison Watch. In March of 2011, I visited Peggy and several other the
local activists to ask if they thought the film should be made and if my
approach appealed to them. I knew from being involved in grassroots
organizing that so often “outside experts” suck the energy out of
community to “tell a news story” or make a film and this was something I
wanted to avoid doing. Everything fell into place during that first
journey, we all were on the same page. People were also beginning to
reflect on how Marcia’s death had set a series of events in motion and
wanted to talk about that in the context of a documentary.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEh5h7R55_ezYkjVVljS9l6PoT1I5Ftr_3vjqCHXmT1rYBQgD35Mr3gDJizZ_eNxCR15qCFfqQZqGSOzK9TnZxwNqiwfuDwuz_l_utizQWpfADAsoTxnUbvK7o6VXVyWf5rGY1WuHIDnigNd2HKF7-aBods7IELy4-nb5wywy7HwwiA8jl5r2Mk_lsY3OlmmT46ZMoFr7zYPfEayAQ=" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Marcia Powell - Peggy's Chalking" border="0" class="wp-image-12332 size-medium" src="http://ruthjacobs.files.wordpress.com/2014/09/marcia-powell-peggys-chalking.jpg?w=300&h=225" height="225" width="300" /></a></div>
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<b>What do you hope this project will achieve?</b></div>
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<i><b>Chalking by Peggy Plews of Arizona Prison Watch</b></i></div>
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I want people to understand that what
happened to Marcia can happen again. The film is not about an isolated,
shocking incident (even though the case is horrific), rather it explores
an example that exposes the system. As a member of Phoenix Food Not
Bombs said at Marcia’s memorial service in 2009, “this has happened
before, it will happen again, it happens to men, women and transgender
people.” There is a mistaken belief amongst concerned people out there
that somehow going to prison can “turn someone’s life around” and help
people “escape” prostitution or drug use. So, the first part of the
message of NO HUMAN INVOLVED is that prison is not safe, you don’t get
comprehensive services there, you are dehumanized. If you are a woman
who doesn’t conform to a very narrow set of gender norms set out in
prison, you are at greater risk, or if you are trans, or queer, or if
you have a mental health issue. The second part is that a web of
terrible laws and policies—ranging from statutes to prevent walking and
sleeping in public space and surviving through sex work—are sending
people to prison for very long periods of time under mandatory
sentencing. And to spell out the point, I think there are many, many
people in the general public who want women like Marcia to “be helped”
but they don’t yet understand the real functioning of the law, how
policing happens, what happens to you in the court room and the system
that classifies you once you are inside a prison. NO HUMAN INVOLVED
unpacks all of this step by step so that audiences can think differently
about what needs to change. The film is also raises awareness about the
sheer numbers of people being arrested under the current
criminalization of the sex trade in Arizona and the sheer numbers of
people being placed in jails and prisons for doing what they need to
live.</div>
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<b>Can you share about the research you’ve undertaken to get this off the ground?</b></div>
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When I first started developing the film
idea in 2010 and early 2011, I read a lot of online materials and
reports about Marcia’s death. Since then the ACLU Arizona has published
some very important documents about the experiences of prisoners that
also form background information for the film. Over time NO HUMAN
INVOLVED has evolved into very much a community project. Even though I
have experience in doing research, finding accurate information relating
to incarceration has been a learning curve and I am in awe of what
folks in Phoenix can do. A colleague in Arizona has shown me how to
request extremely detailed information from Arizona Department of
Corrections and my good friend Monica Jones not only explained how the
courts function in Arizona but encouraged me to find recordings and
video tapes of Marcia’s court appearances. Kini Seawright (of the
Seawright Prison Justice Project), has helped me seek out connections in
the activist community to find people who personally knew Marcia. Kini
keeps me putting my heart into the film. I’ve spoken to scores of people
to record background interviews, including some with amazing women who
were in Perryville with Marcia who have shared about who she was and how
she was treated. I’ve met and interviewed people from the corrections
system and a local filmmaker gave me truly vital original footage of
Charles Ryan (the director of the Department of Corrections) speaking
about the case at a memorial for Marcia organized by activists in 2009.
In order to document how the community has responded in the years since
Marcia’s death, I’ve attended (and filmed) church services, memorials,
meetings at local women’s groups, rallies, actions, I’ve filmed (with
permission) in the court and spoken to law enforcement. I’ve seen (and
documented) the emergence of SWOP Phoenix as a presence to challenge the
policing practices that put Marcia on that path to Perryville Prison.</div>
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<b>What stage is the project at currently?</b></div>
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I am working with a very dedicated editor
in the NYC area on the second cut of the film. Once we have enough
funding, we will refine it, and create the DVD to begin the film’s
distribution. As with most films these days NO HUMAN INVOLVED has been a
labor of love (ie unfunded) but there are certain things such as
mastering the DVD that I need to have done professionally in order to
get Marcia’s story the attention it deserves.</div>
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<b>Are you looking for people to be involved?</b></div>
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If folks are on social media they should follow/like the NO HUMAN INVOLVED project on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/nohumaninvolved" target="_blank">Facebook</a> and <a href="http://twitter.com/Free_Marcia" target="_blank">Twitter</a> or send me an email to get updates as the film is completed and released. Currently I am hosting the first <a href="https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/help-tell-marcia-powell-s-story" target="_blank">online fundraiser</a>
I have ever done to support one of my own creative projects to raise
what we need for the absolutely essential things that a really polished
documentary needs. Donations are tax deductible and every cent will be
going back to support the film.</div>
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In the future as we plan actions and
connect to campaigns related to the film, there will be many other
things for people to engage with so please find a way to get in touch. I
am also always happy to share what I have learned with others in the
community so if a reader wants support in developing a rights based
project related to the theme of NO HUMAN INVOLVED then I am happy to do
as much as I can to share information, skills and connections.</div>
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<b>Who is the target audience and what message do you want them to take away with them?</b></div>
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With
this film I am taking a step out to interface with people who may know a
little about the impact of incarceration but who have not yet had a
chance to connect the dots about anti-prostitution policies, policing,
the prison industrial complex and people in the community who also
happen to be engaged (or profiled as engaging) in sex work. And even
though as rights based activists we have collectively made enormous
strides in explaining all of this, I am sure that there is a very large
number of people out there who want to do the right thing by the
communities of people mentioned in the film (sex workers, people with
mental health issues, people with experiences of incarceration) but need
more information. The film is a rights project engaging with the
audience to explain that prisons are not a solution and that human
rights, not “rescue” by the police, are what work best. The phrase “no
human involved” indicates that the powers that be are not interested in
investigating violence committed against certain groups of people
because their lives are considered unimportant. The documentary NO HUMAN
INVOLVED reaffirms Marcia’s humanity and is an investigation of its own
kind. Finally, the phrase “free Marcia Powell” (first used by Peggy
Plews of Arizona Prison Watch) is repeated throughout the film and will
anchor social media strategies in a call for liberation of Marcia’s
spirit and all those who are still incarcerated.</div>
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<b>What are your plans for the future? </b></div>
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Once NO HUMAN INVOLVED is completed, I
will turn my activist attention to ensuring the film leads to the change
that we intend. But I am also beginning to work on another project with
Monica and some other people in Phoenix.</div>
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<b>Where can people find out more about your project?</b></div>
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I am keeping updates flowing very regularly on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/nohumaninvolved" target="_blank">Facebook</a> and <a href="http://twitter.com/Free_Marcia" target="_blank">Twitter</a>, and the film is currently fiscally sponsored as a <a href="http://www.wmm.com/filmmakers/sponsored_projects.aspx?cmd=nt" target="_blank">Women Make Movies project</a>.</div>
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<b>Recommended websites/further reading:</b></div>
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I highly recommend checking out Peggy Plews writing at <a href="http://www.arizonaprisonwatch.org/" target="_blank">Arizona Prison Watch</a>.</div>
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The book <a href="http://resistancebehindbars.org/"><i>Women’s Resistance Behind Bars</i></a>
by Victoria Law illustrates how women in prisons seek justice and is
essential reading. Victoria is also an advisor to NO HUMAN INVOLVED.
Victoria and colleagues at Truthout also provide an instructive <a href="http://www.truth-out.org/opinion/item/25419" target="_blank">commentary on documentary and journalist portrayals of prisoners at a 2014 panel discussion</a>
at the Left Forum in NYC. They describe what works and what undermines
activism and recommend some excellent films to view as well.</div>
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For very honest and insightful
information from someone who has worked within the Department of
Corrections at a senior level, I recommend the <a href="http://azprisonsurvivors.blogspot.com/2012/06/toersbijns-to-twist-walking-arizonas.html" target="_blank">various writings of Carl Toersbijns</a>.</div>
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<i><b>To support the final phase of producing the documentary NO HUMAN INVOLVED <a href="https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/help-tell-marcia-powell-s-story" target="_blank">click here</a> to donate to the Indiegogo campaign.</b></i></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" height="281" mozallowfullscreen="" src="//player.vimeo.com/video/103033038" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="500"></iframe>
<!-- Blogger automated replacement: "https://images-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com/gadgets/proxy?url=http%3A%2F%2Fruthjacobs.files.wordpress.com%2F2014%2F09%2Fmarcia-powell-peggys-chalking.jpg%3Fw%3D300%26h%3D225&container=blogger&gadget=a&rewriteMime=image%2F*" with "https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEh5h7R55_ezYkjVVljS9l6PoT1I5Ftr_3vjqCHXmT1rYBQgD35Mr3gDJizZ_eNxCR15qCFfqQZqGSOzK9TnZxwNqiwfuDwuz_l_utizQWpfADAsoTxnUbvK7o6VXVyWf5rGY1WuHIDnigNd2HKF7-aBods7IELy4-nb5wywy7HwwiA8jl5r2Mk_lsY3OlmmT46ZMoFr7zYPfEayAQ=" -->Margaret Jean Plewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17604426254894186183noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1488330040445701465.post-91953987028863743202014-09-06T08:32:00.001-07:002014-09-06T08:32:15.528-07:00Corizon Deaths in Custody: Suicide of John Kahler, 51.<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>Another suicide, this one at ASPC-Tucson/Cimarron (a pretty rough yard, by all accounts). All I can tell you about John Kahler is that while he was being held in the county jail, pending trial, he was <a href="http://www.courtminutes.maricopa.gov/docs/Criminal/112013/m6039193.pdf">deemed incompetent</a> to aid in his defense ( I suspect he was symptomatic when he committed his crime, and should maybe not even have been prosecuted...). Within days of being found competent, he <a href="http://www.courtminutes.maricopa.gov/docs/Criminal/022014/m6183585.pdf">pled guilty</a> to get the hell out of the Maricopa County jail - and got placed on <a href="http://www.courtminutes.maricopa.gov/docs/Criminal/032014/m6221440.pdf">mental health probation</a>. It appears he planned to do his four years in Montana, but he apparently violated his probation within a short period of time, pleading guilty during a "<a href="http://www.courtminutes.maricopa.gov/docs/Criminal/072014/m6387735.pdf">group advisement" - he was immediately sent to prison by Commissioner J. Justin McGuire, it appears, no discussion</a>. </i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>How sad they couldn't give him another chance. That 5 year prison stint became a death sentence, as John was only in the custody of the AZ DOC less than 2 months before killing himself...and based on all the mail and calls I get about Corizon's poor mental health care, I'd bet they weren't treating his mental illness appropriately. He must have felt terribly alone, if his family was back in Montana.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>Condolences to John's loved ones. </i></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>If anyone knows anything more about his life or death, please contact me. I am Peggy Plews at <a href="mailto:arizonaprisonwatch@gmail.com">arizonaprisonwatch@gmail.com</a></i></span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>john kahler, 51</b></span></i></div>
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<span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: black;"><b> ARIZONA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS</b></span></span></h2>
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<span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: black;"><b>1601 W. JEFFERSON<br />PHOENIX, ARIZONA 85007<br />(602) 542-3133</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: black;"><b><a href="http://www.azcorrections.gov/" target="_blank"><u>www.azcorrections.gov</u></a></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: black;"><b>JANICE K. BREWER<br />GOVERNOR</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: black;"><b>CHARLES L. RYAN<br />DIRECTOR</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: black;"><b>NEWS RELEASE<br />For Immediate Release</b></span></span></h2>
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<td colspan="6" style="white-space: nowrap; width: 35%;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: black;">For more information contact:<br /><b>Doug Nick</b><br /><b><u><a class="" href="mailto:dnick@azcorrections.gov">dnick@azcorrections.gov</a></u></b><br /><b>Bill Lamoreaux<br /><u><a class="" href="mailto:blamorea@azcorrections.gov">blamorea@azcorrections.gov</a></u></b></span></span></td></tr>
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<b>Friday, September 05, 2014</b><br />
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<b>Inmate Death Notification </b></h2>
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TUCSON (Friday, September 05, 2014) – An inmate at the Tucson prison complex has died as the result of an apparent suicide.<br />
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<span style="line-height: 1.4em;">51 year-old John Kahler, ADC#
292841, was found unresponsive in his housing location at approximately
8:50 AM. Officers immediately responded and began lifesaving measures
which were continued by paramedics. Kahler was later pronounced
deceased at a local hospital.</span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 1.4em;">Kahler was serving a five year
sentence out of Maricopa County on a conviction for arson of an occupied
structure, and had been in ADC custody since July, 2014.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="line-height: 1.4em;">All deaths are investigated in consultation with the county medical examiner’s office.</span><br />
<br />Margaret Jean Plewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17604426254894186183noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1488330040445701465.post-35412910460140659582014-08-29T07:18:00.003-07:002014-08-29T07:18:51.182-07:00Corizon body count climbs: Suicide of Barry Wilkins, 55.<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I know nothing of the circumstances of this suicide, or any of this man's struggles. I can, however, tell you that from his DOC record it appears as if he was actually at ASPC-PHX/Alhambra, not at Ft. Grant in Safford, when this happened- which is where the DOC has its intake unit, and where they assess prisoners who are seriously mentally ill. That tells me he was in a known psychiatric crisis of some kind already.</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></i>
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Condolences to Barry's loved ones; I can refer you to an attorney if you need one - it may be the only way to get to the bottom of how and why he died.</span></i><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> I can also use your help, if you want to fight back.</span></i><br />
<br />
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">If anyone out there knows more about this man's life or death, please drop me a line at arizonaprisonwatch@gmail.com.</span></i><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
---------------------</div>
<br />
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="display: table; width: 100%px;"><tbody>
<tr><td colspan="19" style="width: 95%;"><h2 align="center" class="title">
<b> ARIZONA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS</b></h2>
</td>
<td style="width: 5%;"><div align="center">
<br /></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr><td colspan="4" style="background-color: white; white-space: nowrap; width: 20%;"><div align="center">
<img alt="" src="https://d1wcbusvvegbrh.cloudfront.net/sites/default/files/state_seal.png" style="height: 100px; width: 105px;" /></div>
</td>
<td colspan="11" rowspan="2" style="background-color: white; white-space: nowrap; width: 55%;"><div align="center">
<b>1601 W. JEFFERSON<br />PHOENIX, ARIZONA 85007<br />(602) 542-3133</b></div>
<div align="center">
<b><a href="http://www.azcorrections.gov/" target="_blank"><u>www.azcorrections.gov</u></a></b></div>
<div align="center">
<br /></div>
<div align="center">
<br /></div>
</td>
<td colspan="5" style="background-color: white; white-space: nowrap; width: 25%;"><div align="center">
<img alt="" src="https://d1wcbusvvegbrh.cloudfront.net/sites/default/files/adc_7-point_badge_color_master.png" style="height: 100px; width: 100px;" /></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr><td colspan="4" nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 20%;"><div align="center">
<b>JANICE K. BREWER<br />GOVERNOR</b></div>
</td>
<td colspan="5" nowrap="nowrap" style="width: 25%;"><div align="center">
<b>CHARLES L. RYAN<br />DIRECTOR</b></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr><td colspan="11" style="background-color: white; white-space: nowrap; width: 45%;"><h2>
<b>NEWS RELEASE<br />For Immediate Release</b></h2>
</td>
<td colspan="3" style="background-color: white; white-space: nowrap; width: 15%;"><div align="center">
<br /></div>
</td>
<td colspan="6" style="background-color: white; white-space: nowrap; width: 35%;">For more information contact:<br />
<b>Doug Nick</b><br />
<b><u><a class="spamspan" href="mailto:dnick@azcorrections.gov">dnick@azcorrections.gov</a></u></b><br />
<b>Bill Lamoreaux<br /><u><a class="spamspan" href="mailto:blamorea@azcorrections.gov">blamorea@azcorrections.gov</a></u></b></td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="display: table; width: 100%px;"><tbody>
<tr><td><b>Wednesday, August 27, 2014</b><br />
<h2 class="title" style="text-align: center;">
<b>Inmate Death Notification </b></h2>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
SAFFORD (Wednesday, August 27, 2014) – An inmate at the Ft. Grant unit of ASPC-Safford has died in an apparent suicide.<br />
<br />
55 year-old inmate Barry Wilkins, ADC #070104 was found unresponsive
Wednesday morning by ADC personnel who began lifesaving measures that
were continued by paramedics upon their arrival. Medical personnel
later pronounced Wilkins dead.<br />
<br />
Wilkins was admitted to ADC custody on September 16, 2002. He was
sentenced out of Maricopa County on multiple charges including burglary,
theft, unlawful use of a means of transportation, criminal damage,
forgery, fraudulent use of a credit card, criminal damage and resisting
arrest.<br />
<br />
All inmate deaths are investigated in consultation with the county medical examiner’s office.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<img alt="https://apps.azcorrections.gov/mugshots/070104.jpg" class="shrinkToFit decoded" height="320" src="https://apps.azcorrections.gov/mugshots/070104.jpg" width="256" /> </div>
Margaret Jean Plewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17604426254894186183noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1488330040445701465.post-7708931293950894892014-08-18T17:34:00.002-07:002014-08-18T22:15:52.651-07:00The "execution" of Lino Flores, ASPC-EYMAN: Even supermax isn't "safe".<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i></i></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i> </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>Another homicide at the AZ DOC, this time in the Supermax prison, ASPC-Eyman. Interestingly, <a href="https://corrections.az.gov/public-resources/inmate-datasearch">according to the records below</a>, both prisoners were both moved to their current location at
Eyman on the same date, perhaps together. Also of note - the victim was
Native American, while the killer is identified as Mexican American.
That means this crime was intensely personal and spur-of-the-moment, or
Salazar had the permission of - perhaps was under the orders of - one of the
gangs to take Flores out; otherwise this might start a race war. </i></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i> </i></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>How
either of these two men
were considered to be lower than MAX custody is a puzzle, since they
had both apparently killed someone in custody before. Wow, in fact, <a href="https://law.resource.org/pub/us/case/reporter/F3/340/340.F3d.877.01-17531.html">this was Flores' case</a>. More startling, <a href="http://tucson.com/news/local/crime/inmate-linked-to-stabbing-of-prison-officer-is-identified/article_1ef1ccc8-ccae-5186-9da8-ec3ddc69e92c.html">here is one of the reports</a> about Salazar's history: it says he actually stabbed an officer in the head in 2007 - and that was apparently before he killed someone else. And he was only close custody? Yet they bury political prisoners and the mentally ill guys who have harmed no one in solitary for years...). </i></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i><span id="lblInmage" style="background-color: #d6d6d6; border-color: #CC3300; color: grey; font-size: Medium;">Inmate 156258</span> </i></span><br />
<br />
<table align="center"><tbody>
<tr><td class="auto-style2"><table class="auto-style1"><tbody>
<tr><td><div>
<table border="1" cellspacing="0" class="border" id="GridView7" rules="all" style="background-color: white; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: X-Small; width: 100%;"><tbody>
<tr align="center" style="background-color: #000084; color: white; font-size: Small; font-weight: bold;"><th scope="col">Last Name</th><th scope="col">First Name</th><th scope="col">Middle Initial</th><th scope="col">Birth Date</th>
</tr>
<tr align="center" style="background-color: #eeeeee; color: black;">
<td style="color: #aa0000; font-weight: bold;">SALAZAR</td><td style="color: #aa0000; font-weight: bold;">JULIO</td><td>C</td><td>01/22/1982</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><div>
<table border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" class="border" id="GridView8" rules="all" style="background-color: white; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: X-Small; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr align="center" style="background-color: #000084; color: white; font-size: Small; font-weight: bold;">
<th scope="col">Gender</th><th scope="col">Height (inches)</th><th scope="col">Weight</th><th scope="col">Hair Color</th>
</tr>
<tr align="center" style="background-color: #eeeeee; color: black;">
<td>MALE </td><td>69</td><td>165</td><td>BLACK </td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><div>
<table border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" class="border" id="GridView9" rules="all" style="background-color: white; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: X-Small; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr align="center" style="background-color: #000084; color: white; font-size: Small; font-weight: bold;">
<th scope="col">Eye Color</th><th scope="col">Ethnic Origin</th><th scope="col">Custody Level</th><th scope="col">Inmate/Detainee</th>
</tr>
<tr align="center" style="background-color: #eeeeee; color: black;">
<td>BROWN</td><td>MEXICAN AMERICAN</td><td>CLO</td><td>INMATE </td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><div>
<table border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" class="border" id="GridView11" rules="all" style="background-color: white; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: X-Small; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr align="center" style="background-color: #000084; color: white; font-size: Small; font-weight: bold;">
<th scope="col">Sentence</th><th scope="col">Admission</th><th scope="col">Prison Release Date</th><th scope="col">Max Supervision End Date</th>
</tr>
<tr align="center" style="background-color: #eeeeee; color: black;">
<td>Sentence Information Below</td><td>01/23/2001</td><td></td><td style="color: #aa0000; font-weight: bold;">09/18/2035</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><div>
<table border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" class="border" id="GridView12" rules="all" style="background-color: white; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: X-Small; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr align="center" style="background-color: #000084; color: white; font-size: Small; font-weight: bold;">
<th scope="col">Cur. Absconded</th><th scope="col">Hist. Absconded</th><th scope="col">Release Type</th><th scope="col">Most Recent Loc</th>
</tr>
<tr align="center" style="background-color: #eeeeee; color: black;">
<td>-N-</td><td>--</td><td>RECEIVED FROM</td><td>EYMAN</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><div>
<table border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" class="border" id="GridView13" rules="all" style="background-color: white; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: X-Small; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr align="center" style="background-color: #000084; color: white; font-size: Small; font-weight: bold;">
<th scope="col">Community Supervision Parole</th><th scope="col">Last Movement</th><th scope="col">Commitment Status</th><th scope="col">Status</th>
</tr>
<tr align="center" style="background-color: #eeeeee; color: black;">
<td></td><td>04/30/2014</td><td>COMPLETE AND VERIFIED </td><td>ACTIVE</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="auto-style2"><table style="border: 1px ridge #333333; text-align: left;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="auto-style2" style="text-align: left;"><span id="Label1" style="font-size: Medium; font-weight: bold;">Commitment Information </span>
<span id="lblCommit" style="color: #ff3300; font-size: Small; font-style: italic;">2 record(s)</span>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="auto-style2" style="text-align: left;"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="auto-style2"><div>
<table align="Left" border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" class="border" id="GVCommitment" rules="all" style="background-color: white; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: XX-Small; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr align="center" style="background-color: #000084; color: white; font-size: Small; font-weight: bold;">
<th scope="col">Commit#</th><th scope="col">Sentence County</th><th scope="col">Court Case#</th><th scope="col">Offense Date</th><th scope="col">Sentence Status</th><th scope="col">Crime</th><th scope="col">Felony Class</th>
</tr>
<tr align="center" style="background-color: #eeeeee; color: black; font-size: X-Small;">
<td><span id="GVCommitment_ctl02_lblCommitItem">A01</span>
</td><td>MARICOPA </td><td>2000007153 </td><td><span id="GVCommitment_ctl02_lblOffendDateItem">04/29/2000</span>
</td><td><span id="GVCommitment_ctl02_LblSentenceStatusItem">IMPOSED </span>
</td><td align="left"><span id="GVCommitment_ctl02_lblCrimeItem">MANSLAUGHTER </span>
</td><td><span id="GVCommitment_ctl02_lblFelonyItem">CL2 </span>
</td>
</tr>
<tr align="center" style="background-color: gainsboro; color: black; font-size: X-Small;">
<td><span id="GVCommitment_ctl03_lblCommitItem">B01</span>
</td><td>PINAL </td><td>2007-00258 </td><td><span id="GVCommitment_ctl03_lblOffendDateItem">01/17/2007</span>
</td><td><span id="GVCommitment_ctl03_LblSentenceStatusItem">IMPOSED </span>
</td><td align="left"><span id="GVCommitment_ctl03_lblCrimeItem">MURDER 1ST DEGREE </span>
</td><td><span id="GVCommitment_ctl03_lblFelonyItem">CL2 </span>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="auto-style2" style="text-align: left;"><span id="Label2" style="font-size: Medium; font-weight: bold;">Sentence Information </span>
<span id="lblSentence" style="color: #ff3300; font-size: Small; font-style: italic;">2 record(s)</span></td><td class="auto-style2" style="text-align: left;"></td><td class="auto-style2" style="text-align: left;"></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>I don't know
why the DOC didn't have Flores in Protective Custody - he was a target,
with that sex crime conviction on his record; it looks like he murdered
his rape victim. I'd really call this one a state-assisted <u>execution</u>, not a "murder". </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<br />
<table align="center"><tbody>
<tr><td class="auto-style2"><table class="auto-style1"><tbody>
<tr><td rowspan="6" style="vertical-align: top;"><table style="text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="vertical-align: top;"><span id="lblInmage" style="background-color: #d6d6d6; border-color: #CC3300; color: grey; font-size: Medium;">Inmate 040338</span>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</td>
<td><div>
<table border="1" cellspacing="0" class="border" id="GridView7" rules="all" style="background-color: white; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: X-Small; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr align="center" style="background-color: #000084; color: white; font-size: Small; font-weight: bold;">
<th scope="col">Last Name</th><th scope="col">First Name</th><th scope="col">Middle Initial</th><th scope="col">Birth Date</th>
</tr>
<tr align="center" style="background-color: #eeeeee; color: black;">
<td style="color: #aa0000; font-weight: bold;">FLORES</td><td style="color: #aa0000; font-weight: bold;">LINO</td><td></td><td>09/23/1960</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><div>
<table border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" class="border" id="GridView8" rules="all" style="background-color: white; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: X-Small; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr align="center" style="background-color: #000084; color: white; font-size: Small; font-weight: bold;">
<th scope="col">Gender</th><th scope="col">Height (inches)</th><th scope="col">Weight</th><th scope="col">Hair Color</th>
</tr>
<tr align="center" style="background-color: #eeeeee; color: black;">
<td>MALE </td><td>67</td><td>140</td><td>BLACK </td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><div>
<table border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" class="border" id="GridView9" rules="all" style="background-color: white; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: X-Small; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr align="center" style="background-color: #000084; color: white; font-size: Small; font-weight: bold;">
<th scope="col">Eye Color</th><th scope="col">Ethnic Origin</th><th scope="col">Custody Level</th><th scope="col">Inmate/Detainee</th>
</tr>
<tr align="center" style="background-color: #eeeeee; color: black;">
<td>BROWN</td><td>NATIVE INDIAN</td><td>MED</td><td>INMATE </td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><div>
<table border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" class="border" id="GridView11" rules="all" style="background-color: white; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: X-Small; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr align="center" style="background-color: #000084; color: white; font-size: Small; font-weight: bold;">
<th scope="col">Sentence</th><th scope="col">Admission</th><th scope="col">Prison Release Date</th><th scope="col">Max Supervision End Date</th>
</tr>
<tr align="center" style="background-color: #eeeeee; color: black;">
<td>Sentence Information Below</td><td>11/19/1979</td><td></td><td style="color: #aa0000; font-weight: bold;">LIFE</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><div>
<table border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" class="border" id="GridView12" rules="all" style="background-color: white; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: X-Small; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr align="center" style="background-color: #000084; color: white; font-size: Small; font-weight: bold;">
<th scope="col">Cur. Absconded</th><th scope="col">Hist. Absconded</th><th scope="col">Release Type</th><th scope="col">Most Recent Loc</th>
</tr>
<tr align="center" style="background-color: #eeeeee; color: black;">
<td>-N-</td><td>--</td><td>RECEIVED FROM</td><td>EYMAN</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><div>
<table border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" class="border" id="GridView13" rules="all" style="background-color: white; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: X-Small; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr align="center" style="background-color: #000084; color: white; font-size: Small; font-weight: bold;">
<th scope="col">Community Supervision Parole</th><th scope="col">Last Movement</th><th scope="col">Commitment Status</th><th scope="col">Status</th>
</tr>
<tr align="center" style="background-color: #eeeeee; color: black;">
<td></td><td>04/30/2014</td><td>COMPLETE AND VERIFIED </td><td>ACTIVE</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="auto-style2"><table style="border: 1px ridge #333333; text-align: left;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td></tr>
<tr><td></td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="auto-style2" style="text-align: left;"><span id="Label1" style="font-size: Medium; font-weight: bold;">Commitment Information </span>
<span id="lblCommit" style="color: #ff3300; font-size: Small; font-style: italic;">5 record(s)</span>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="auto-style2" style="text-align: left;"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="auto-style2"><div>
<table align="Left" border="1" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" class="border" id="GVCommitment" rules="all" style="background-color: white; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: XX-Small; width: 100%;">
<tbody>
<tr align="center" style="background-color: #000084; color: white; font-size: Small; font-weight: bold;">
<th scope="col">Commit#</th><th scope="col">Sentence County</th><th scope="col">Court Case#</th><th scope="col">Offense Date</th><th scope="col">Sentence Status</th><th scope="col">Crime</th><th scope="col">Felony Class</th>
</tr>
<tr align="center" style="background-color: #eeeeee; color: black; font-size: X-Small;">
<td><span id="GVCommitment_ctl02_lblCommitItem">A01</span>
</td><td>MARICOPA </td><td>0106761 </td><td><span id="GVCommitment_ctl02_lblOffendDateItem">04/13/1979</span>
</td><td><span id="GVCommitment_ctl02_LblSentenceStatusItem">IMPOSED </span>
</td><td align="left"><span id="GVCommitment_ctl02_lblCrimeItem">MURDER 2ND DEGREE </span>
</td><td><span id="GVCommitment_ctl02_lblFelonyItem">CL3 </span>
</td>
</tr>
<tr align="center" style="background-color: gainsboro; color: black; font-size: X-Small;">
<td><span id="GVCommitment_ctl03_lblCommitItem">A02</span>
</td><td>MARICOPA </td><td>0106761 </td><td><span id="GVCommitment_ctl03_lblOffendDateItem">04/13/1979</span>
</td><td><span id="GVCommitment_ctl03_LblSentenceStatusItem">IMPOSED </span>
</td><td align="left"><span id="GVCommitment_ctl03_lblCrimeItem">SEXUAL ASSAULT </span>
</td><td><span id="GVCommitment_ctl03_lblFelonyItem">CL3 </span>
</td>
</tr>
<tr align="center" style="background-color: #eeeeee; color: black; font-size: X-Small;">
<td><span id="GVCommitment_ctl04_lblCommitItem">B01</span>
</td><td>PINAL </td><td>0009748 </td><td><span id="GVCommitment_ctl04_lblOffendDateItem">10/15/1981</span>
</td><td><span id="GVCommitment_ctl04_LblSentenceStatusItem">IMPOSED </span>
</td><td align="left"><span id="GVCommitment_ctl04_lblCrimeItem">DANG/DEADLY ASLT BY PRSNR </span>
</td><td><span id="GVCommitment_ctl04_lblFelonyItem">CL1 </span>
</td>
</tr>
<tr align="center" style="background-color: gainsboro; color: black; font-size: X-Small;">
<td><span id="GVCommitment_ctl05_lblCommitItem">B02</span>
</td><td>PINAL </td><td>0009748 </td><td><span id="GVCommitment_ctl05_lblOffendDateItem">10/15/1981</span>
</td><td><span id="GVCommitment_ctl05_LblSentenceStatusItem">IMPOSED </span>
</td><td align="left"><span id="GVCommitment_ctl05_lblCrimeItem">PRISNR POSS DEADLY WEAPON </span>
</td><td><span id="GVCommitment_ctl05_lblFelonyItem">CL4 </span>
</td>
</tr>
<tr align="center" style="background-color: #eeeeee; color: black; font-size: X-Small;">
<td><span id="GVCommitment_ctl06_lblCommitItem">C01</span>
</td><td>PINAL </td><td>0010992 </td><td><span id="GVCommitment_ctl06_lblOffendDateItem">01/03/1984</span>
</td><td><span id="GVCommitment_ctl06_LblSentenceStatusItem">IMPOSED </span>
</td><td align="left"><span id="GVCommitment_ctl06_lblCrimeItem">MURDER 1ST DEGREE </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>Unfortunately, this man's death is not just "one
less bad guy off the taxpayers back" (a comment left at the end of this <a href="http://azcentral.com/">AZCENTRAL.COM</a> article below by one reader). Yet another homicide in the AZ DOC
is symptomatic of the huge problem of violent gangs and thugs running
the AZ Prison system under Department of Corrections director Charles
Ryan (Jan Brewer's chief disciplinarian); even minor drug offenders are
vulnerable to being murdered over petty debts. This victim was probably
asking for some kind of protection and denied it before he was killed,
and the killer was likely given no choice but to do the deed or be
killed himself. That's the way it works in the AZ DOC, under the Mexican Mafia's rule. Better take a closer look at the recent suicides, too - they have a habit of strangling guys and leaving them hanging in the showers.</i></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>Due to the high rate of violence, medical neglect, and outright abuse of prisoners in the past 6 years, the AZ DOC has come to be known as
the most poorly-run prison system in the country; officers and prisoners alike aren't
safe in any of the state prisons, not even in Protective Custody ( where
the last two homicides occurred). </i></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>So before we celebrate this man's
murder - be it because of the seriousness of his own crimes or whatever other reason one may think it represents "justice" - think about how many lives and tax dollars are being wasted
warehousing potheads with murderers in the kind of hellhole where they
are more likely to develop a new heroin habit than get any kind of
substance abuse treatment. We should all really be asking Jan why she
still stands by her man there...</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHXkZa0pplfhylHwmnWocPhCXiDV2PCTpad-DQ9l5sCZ5tA_92AoDsYlDGx0LVriGrgqIa7w4Si0Cs0rSVYnXTqJ6UQnyuRjdgOdJoIm33A7BEifLpetXSc0C1AdAETUoKc_rUxDGrgZGG/s1600/Fight+Real+Power+Robert+Haasch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHXkZa0pplfhylHwmnWocPhCXiDV2PCTpad-DQ9l5sCZ5tA_92AoDsYlDGx0LVriGrgqIa7w4Si0Cs0rSVYnXTqJ6UQnyuRjdgOdJoIm33A7BEifLpetXSc0C1AdAETUoKc_rUxDGrgZGG/s1600/Fight+Real+Power+Robert+Haasch.jpg" height="393" width="640" /></a></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<b><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>photo by Robert Haasch</i></span></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<b><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>art by Margaret J Plews</i></span></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: right;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i> the day the nazis came to town </i></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i> </i></span></b><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i><b>(phoenix, november 2010)</b></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>---------from the Arizona Republic----</b></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<section class="storytopbar-bucket story-headline-module" id="module-position-Nb7JvhgaA_c"><h1 class="asset-headline" itemprop="headline">
<a href="http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona/2014/08/17/arizona-inmate-death-florence-possible-homicide-abrk/14204471/"><span style="font-size: small;">Florence inmate death may be homicide, officials say</span></a></h1>
</section><section class="storytopbar-bucket story-byline-module" id="module-position-Nb7JvhieFQc"><div class="asset-metabar" itemprop="author" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person">
<b><span class="asset-metabar-author asset-metabar-item" itemprop="name">Matthew Casey, The Republic | azcentral.com
</span><span class="asset-metabar-time asset-metabar-item nobyline"> </span></b></div>
<div class="asset-metabar" itemprop="author" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person">
<b><span class="asset-metabar-time asset-metabar-item nobyline">2:51 p.m. MST August 17, 2014</span></b></div>
<div class="asset-metabar" itemprop="author" itemscope="" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person">
</div>
</section>Authorities are investigating a suspected homicide at a state prison
in Florence, according to the Arizona Department of Corrections.<br />
<br />
Prison
officials found <a href="https://corrections.az.gov/public-resources/inmate-datasearch">Lino Flores</a> unresponsive and suffering from traumatic
injuries at about 2 p.m. Saturday in his cell at the Eyman prison
complex, ADC spokesman Doug Nick said.<br />
<br />
Paramedics pronounced
Flores, 53, dead at the scene, Nick said. Flores was serving a life
sentence for first-degree murder, second-degree murder, sexual assault,
possession of a deadly weapon and assault with a deadly weapon.<br />
<br />
Investigators
are questioning fellow inmate <a href="https://corrections.az.gov/public-resources/inmate-datasearch">Julio Salazar</a>, Nick said. Salazar, 32, is
serving time for first-degree murder and manslaughter.<br />
<br />
No other information was immediately available.Margaret Jean Plewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17604426254894186183noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1488330040445701465.post-12950673607050113312014-08-03T17:48:00.000-07:002014-08-03T17:48:24.091-07:00Parsons v Ryan: AZ AG/DOC seeks settlement talks, as CORIZON treats cancer with antacids. <br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>C</i></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>ondolences
to the family of Glen Huggins and every other <b><a href="http://www.azcorrections.gov/index.aspx">AZ DOC</a></b> prisoner who has
died from the violence of deliberate indifference under this
governorship. May we soon see an end to the drug war, and the beginning
of the end to our legislature giving blessings to those who would
maximize profit by stealing public resources from the sick and dying.</i></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i> The prisoners, the <b><a href="http://www.acluaz.org/">ACLU-AZ</a></b> and the <b><a href="http://www.prisonlaw.com/">Prison Law Office</a></b>, among others, are doing their part to fight the parasites our state does business with, having filed <b><a href="http://azprisonsurvivors.blogspot.com/2013/02/suing-arizona-parsons-v-ryan-should-be.html">Parsons v Ryan</a></b> (which goes to trial in October, unless it's settled first). </i></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>Please do your part as well, and honor Glen's dying wish that no more have to suffer as he did.</i></span> <span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>Demand that your legislators launch an investigation into the DOC's ineffective leadership, high number of unnecessary prisoner deaths, and poor oversight of contract agencies. You can find them here:</i></span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: blue;"><b><a href="http://www.azleg.gov/alisStaticPages/HowToContactMember.asp"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>http://www.azleg.gov/alisStaticPages/HowToContactMember.asp</i></span></a></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><br /></i></span></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Arizona State Legislature<br />Capitol Complex<br />
1700 West Washington<br />
Phoenix, AZ 85007-2890</span></span></b><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Also call on Governor Brewer's office to sack AZ Department of Corrections' Director Charles Ryan for this mess, and insist that a new director improve health care as a top priority - Ryan's DOC has only sought to grow prisons and the profits of folks like Corizon. </span></span></i></div>
<br />
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Her contact info is here:</span></span></i><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.azgovernor.gov/Contact.asp"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">http://www.azgovernor.gov/Contact.asp</span></span></b></a><br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The Honorable Janice K. Brewer<br />
Arizona Governor<br />
Executive Tower<br />
1700 West Washington Street<br />
Phoenix, AZ 85007</span></span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">(602) 542-4331</span></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY2nNlnTtHcYVGc3B7IM-3JMjsgtiDR3CUPBFgjKaa7K0oSk3h4L3TIfQxgjZQX5FvrovA7RJTByOTJ-B5TIm5Yj0QPeF5WY_M7-zo_4ZF9LAfHLIlcwxXFFjFkeqZppowknAVUqK5SmPd/s1600/assertHUMANITY.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY2nNlnTtHcYVGc3B7IM-3JMjsgtiDR3CUPBFgjKaa7K0oSk3h4L3TIfQxgjZQX5FvrovA7RJTByOTJ-B5TIm5Yj0QPeF5WY_M7-zo_4ZF9LAfHLIlcwxXFFjFkeqZppowknAVUqK5SmPd/s1600/assertHUMANITY.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i> </i></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>Thank
you to CH 12/KPNX and Wendy Halloran, from the prisoners and the family
members I've spoken to about <b><a href="http://www.arizonaprisonwatch.org/2014/05/death-sentence-kpnxs-halloran-and.html">Corizon</a></b> and the AZ DOC's complicity in
depriving state prisoners of the most basic things they need to survive -
which begins with recognizing their humanity, as well as our own.</i></span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>If you are the loved one of a prisoner of the AZ DOC who is suffering without care, contact Arizona Prison Watch. I will provide what resources I can to help - including a list of attorneys who have sued the state prison system and don't give me kickbacks for referrals (likewise, if you know of any good lawyers who may help other families, please let me know).<span style="font-size: small;"><b> </b></span>I can be reached at:</i></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: blue;"><u><b>arizonaprisonwatch@gmail.com</b></u></span> or 480-580-6807 </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i><b></b></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>Here are a couple of other blog posts that give concrete info about fighting the AZ DOC on medical issues.</i></span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i><a href="http://azprisonsurvivors.blogspot.com/2013/03/corizon-and-az-doc-prisoners-families.html">http://azprisonsurvivors.blogspot.com/2013/03/corizon-and-az-doc-prisoners-families.html</a></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i><a href="http://www.arizonaprisonwatch.org/2013/05/corizons-deliberate-indifference.html">http://www.arizonaprisonwatch.org/2013/05/corizons-deliberate-indifference.html</a></i></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>Please also contact KPNX/AZ Republic's parent company, to tell them we need more stories like the one below, because prisoners' lives matter. Cut and paste this email to reach them at <b><u><span style="color: blue;">connect@ad.gannett.com</span></u></b> </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i> </i></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">-------------<b>from CH12/KPNX</b>-----------</span></i><br />
<h1 class="asset-headline" itemprop="headline" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Costs up, no improvement in prison healthcare quality</span></h1>
<h1 class="asset-headline" itemprop="headline" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="asset-metabar-author asset-metabar-item" itemprop="name">Wendy Halloran, 12 News | azcentral.com </span></span></h1>
<h1 class="asset-headline" itemprop="headline" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="asset-metabar-author asset-metabar-item" itemprop="name"> </span><span class="asset-metabar-time asset-metabar-item nobyline">10:50 p.m. MST August 1, 2014</span> </span></h1>
</div>
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<br />
<br />
<i>First they refused to admit there's a dire problem. Now, after a <a href="http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/arizona/2014/05/22/12news-death-sentence-prison-healthcare-costly-ineffective/9395497/">12 News investigation</a>, the Arizona Department of Corrections is offering to settle up with inmates in a class-action lawsuit filed in 2012.</i><br />
<br />
We
first brought you the story of inmates not getting proper healthcare,
even though taxpayers are footing the bill, in May. Our reporting
revealed there were at least 16,000 delays in medical care to Arizona
inmates in 2013.<br />
<br />
So far, the only action taken has been imposing
fines on Corizon, the company contracted to provide healthcare for
inmates in the state.<br />
<br />
<b>HEALTHCARE RATE INCREASE </b><br />
<br />
The
state has paid Corizon $130 million a year to provide healthcare for
inmates. Arizona taxpayers have paid, on average, $348,000 per day.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://procure.az.gov/bso/external/purchaseorder/poSummary.sdo?docId=ADOC13-041943&releaseNbr=0&parentUrl=contract">In July, a rate increase went into effect</a>,
from $10.10 per inmate per day to $10.42, due to changes made by ADC.
According to Corizon's contract, the increase is to pay for 34 more
staff positions to hand out medications. This followed an ADC policy
change regarding what medications inmates were allowed to
self-administer after multiple suicides and overdoses.<br />
<br />
So costs
have gone up, but newly released records obtained by 12 News show the
problems inside the state's prisons are getting worse.<br />
<br />
ADC-employed
monitors routinely document Corizon's performance in monthly reports
known as MGARs. In our review of the new batch of reports covering
November of last year through April, we found numerous cases of delay,
lack of treatment, noncompliance with the terms of the contract, ADC
monitors noting staff shortages, and lack of medication and psychiatric
care for mentally ill prisoners.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>THE STORY OF INMATE GLEN HUGGINS</b><br />
<br />
On December 15, 2013, Glen Huggins had 72 hours left to live.<br />
<br />
Huggins
was serving a 12-year prison sentence on drug convictions at the state
prison in Tucson. He had already served eight years when he suddenly
became gravely ill.<br />
<br />
In August of 2013 Huggins complained to prison
staff in Tucson about abdominal pain. He filled out what is known as an
HNR, a Health Needs Requests inmates are required to fill out to get
medical care. He complained he had not been able to swallow his food and
keep it down since June, and had been losing weight.<br />
<br />
More than a week later, a nurse saw Huggins. His symptoms were documented but his case was deemed "not urgent."<br />
<br />
At
the end of August, a nurse practitioner saw Huggins and, thinking the
pain was due to Hepatitis C and acid reflux, gave him an antacid.<br />
<br />
"That wasn't doing anything," Huggins' son, Cody, told us. "Meanwhile he's still losing weight, he can't swallow."<br />
<br />
Huggins' family provided 12 News his medical records, which show he had a family history of cancer.<br />
<br />
We
asked Dr. Palav Babaria, a primary-care physician in Oakland,
California to review the documents and give her opinion on whether the
family's allegations of delays in care were accurate.<br />
<br />
Dr. Babaria
has done work for the Prison Law Office, one of the plaintiffs in the
class-action lawsuit against the Department of Corrections.<br />
<br />
"For
someone like Mr. Huggins, who had the medical history that he had, any
complaints of not being able to swallow accompanied by profound weight
loss he was talking about, I think any competent physician would have
worried about cancer until proven otherwise," said Dr. Babaria.<br />
<br />
On September 17, Huggins wrote in an HNR the antacids he was taking weren't working and his condition was getting worse.<br />
<br />
In
an October request, Huggins wrote a nurse had seen him eight times and
an abdominal X-ray was normal, but still no doctor was assigned to
examine him.<br />
<br />
He filed more HNRs complaining of continued
difficulty swallowing food and keeping food down. He wrote that the
antacids were not helping with his pain.<br />
<br />
Dr. Babaria says an abdominal X-ray was not an appropriate test.<br />
<br />
"The
two easiest ways of doing that are getting X-rays called a barium
swallow, and see if liquid that shows up on the X-ray is passing or not,
or just doing an endoscopy, going down with a camera to get a really
good look and do biopsies," she said.<br />
<br />
Dr. Babaria says, in
Huggins' case, it seems that none of that was done when he first
complained of the symptoms. Instead he was treated as if he only had
acid reflux.<br />
<br />
According to records obtained by 12 News, Huggins was
just one of several inmates at the Tucson prison who suffered from a
lack of medical care.<br />
<br />
The Department of Corrections' own monitors
documented long delays for inmates to be seen by outside specialists.
Only nine patients out of 33 received urgent consultations in a timely
manner. The requirement is that urgent consultations are done within 30
days, which goal Corizon met only 27% of the time.<br />
<br />
<b>A SON'S STRUGGLE </b><br />
<br />
Reading his father's HNRs was upsetting for Cody Huggins.<br />
<br />
"You see a man that is just pleading for help and asking for help practically begging for help there at the end," he said.<br />
<br />
According
to Huggins' prison records, on October 23, 2013 a possible diagnosis of
cancer is noted after a mass extending from Huggins' chest to his navel
was discovered. This was made by the Corizon nurse practitioner.<br />
<br />
Only
then did Corizon approve sending Huggins to an outside hospital. The
first time Huggins was seen by a doctor was when he arrived in the
emergency room. According to Huggins' medical records, within an hour,
he was diagnosed with Stage 4 esophageal cancer.<br />
<br />
The cancer spread
from his esophagus to other parts of his body. The doctors could not
put a stint in to open up his esophagus because of the size of the
tumor. Instead, they inserted a feeding tube in his stomach so he could
get some nourishment.<br />
<br />
His medical records show he lost almost 40 pounds in the months he kept requesting treatment and reporting problems.<br />
<br />
On
December 5, 2013 the Arizona Board of Executive Clemency recommended
his sentence be commuted due to "imminent danger of death."<br />
<br />
Gov.
Jan Brewer signed a clemency order on December 11. Huggins was medically
paroled the next day. His family took him home to die.<br />
<br />
Huggins died on December 18, less than a week after his release.<br />
<br />
Cody Huggins called it inhumane and hopes this doesn't happen to any other inmates or their families.<br />
<br />
Dr. Babaria says the degree of suffering was preventable.<br />
<br />
Now,
Huggins' family plans to file suit against Corizon, accusing the
healthcare provider of denying Huggins adequate and competent care.<br />
<br />
Corizon denies any wrongdoing in Huggins' death. The company issued this statement:<br />
<br />
<blockquote>
"State
and federal privacy laws forbid disclosure by Corizon of any
identifiable patient medical information, let alone argument of factual
claims regarding patient care in the news media. We can state that the
allegations made by Ms. Halloran related to the patient's access to
nursing staff and medical providers are not supported by the medical
record. The inmate patient received timely, appropriate and professional
care. The onset and advance of the patient's condition were
unfortunately rapid and aggressive, just as they are often so among
other similarly stricken patients. Allegations to the contrary are
misleading and untruthful."</blockquote>
<br />
Cody Huggins struggles with
his father's death. He thought his dad would be released from prison for
the last time and they could rebuild their relationship and start a new
one with Cody's young daughter.<br />
<br />
Over the last two quarters,
Corizon has been sanctioned by the state for a total of $71,000 based on
its performance. An ADC spokesman emailed us this statement:<br />
<br />
<blockquote>
"The
MGAR reports are valuable tools to document compliance with identified
performance measures. Corrective action plans are implemented to hold
Corizon accountable for those measures. ADC has imposed financial
sanctions on Corizon as part of the company's contract with the state.</blockquote>
<br />
<blockquote>
"As
with any such contract, Corizon's agreement is subject to the state
Procurement Code as well as adherence to the Department of Corrections
Department Order 302, Contracts and Procurement, to ensure transparent,
fair and equitable practices and has the approval of the Attorney
General's Office and State Procurement Officer."</blockquote>
<br />
Meanwhile,
the class-action lawsuit filed by the ACLU of Arizona, ACLU National
Prison Project, and the Prison Law Office is scheduled to go to trial
this October in Phoenix. It accuses the Department of Corrections of
providing inadequate medical care, mental healthcare and dental care
that has led to deaths.<br />
Defending against the suit is private law
firm Struck, Wieneke & Love PLC of Chandler. So far, billing records
reveal taxpayers have paid this firm approximately $3.4 million to
defend the Arizona Department of Corrections against the lawsuit.<br />
<br />
Meanwhile,
the Prison Law Office has confirmed via email that settlement talks are
underway to avoid a trial, issuing the following statement:<br />
<br />
<blockquote>
"The
AG's office filed a request seeking a settlement conference, and after
preliminary discussions with the AG's office we agreed to that request.
A court-supervised settlement conference is scheduled for August 5."</blockquote>
<br />Margaret Jean Plewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17604426254894186183noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1488330040445701465.post-11275043611248701452014-07-24T17:56:00.000-07:002014-08-03T17:56:56.372-07:00Journalist Keifer witnesses Wood's execution; urges independent inquiry.<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>Very thorough coverage of the botched execution of Joseph Wood, which was witnessed by AZ Republic journalist Michael Keifer, as well as the family of Joseph Wood's victims, who I do feel for. Both have something to say about the execution in the video clip below.</i></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>I have no idea why Jan Brewer continues to employ Director Charles Ryan at the AZ Department of Corrections. Those prisoners of his who are in for minor offenses are being beaten and killed by gangs - effectively punished with death - while the condemned are being medically tortured. The last condemned Arizona prisoner who died <b><a href="http://www.arizonaprisonwatch.org/2013/09/sos-from-arizonas-living-dead.html">succumbed to untreated throat cancer</a></b> before he could be executed...he might have preferred the drug cocktail instead. <b><a href="http://azprisonsurvivors.blogspot.com/2014/01/corizon-healthscare-another-death-row.html">Three men on death row committed suicide last year, as well</a></b>. </i></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>Hmm. Yes, I must say that all is certainly not well on Arizona's Death Row.</i></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>Meanwhile <b><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/07/debra-milke-death-row_n_3885473.html">Debra Milke</a></b> was released from death row at ASPC-Perryville last year when her conviction was overturned after 23 years of imprisonment. That was due to evidence that she was convicted on testimony of a dirty, lying cop who likely perjured himself saying she confessed to having her son murdered when he interrogated her. Guess it's a good thing that we hadn't yet gotten around to killing her before we made absolutely sure she was prosecuted justly...</i></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona/2014/07/23/arizona-execution-botched/13070677/"><span style="font-size: small;">Execution of Arizona murderer takes nearly 2 hours</span></a></h1>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="asset-metabar-author asset-metabar-item" itemprop="name">Bob Ortega, Michael Kiefer and Mariana Dale </span></span></h1>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="asset-metabar-author asset-metabar-item" itemprop="name">The Republic | azcentral.com
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="asset-metabar-time asset-metabar-item nobyline">12:24 a.m. MST July 24, 2014</span> </span></h1>
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The controversial drug that Arizona used to execute double-murderer Joseph Rudolph Wood on Wednesday took nearly two hours to kill him and left him snorting and gasping for breath.
One reporter who witnessed the execution, Troy Hayden of Fox 10 News, said it was "very disturbing to watch ... like a fish on shore gulping for air. At a certain point, you wondered whether he was ever going to die."
State officials and the victims' families, however, took issue with other witness descriptions, saying that Wood was not conscious after the first few minutes and that the noises he made sounded like snoring.<br />
<br />
The drawn-out execution — most take about 10 minutes — quickly drew
international attention and criticism, spurring calls for a moratorium
on executions and putting Arizona front and center in the contentious
debate over lethal-injection drugs.<br />
<br />
<b>RELATED: </b><a href="http://archive.azcentral.com/ic/pdf/execution-emergency-appeal.pdf" title="http://archive.azcentral.com/ic/pdf/execution-emergency-appeal.pdf">Emergency motion for stay</a><br />
<br />
The
process at the state prison in Florence began about 1:30 p.m. Wednesday
and dragged on long enough that, more than an hour after the execution
started, Dale Baich of the Federal Public Defender's Office sent two
other lawyers out to file an emergency motion asking the 9th U.S.
Circuit Court of Appeals to halt it, saying it violated Wood's Eighth
Amendment right against cruel and unusual punishment. The motion noted
that Wood "has been gasping and snorting for more than an hour" after
being injected with a lethal cocktail of drugs.<br />
<br />
Wood died before the appeals court responded.<br />
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</a>"The experiment failed," Baich said to reporters as he left the
execution chamber. In a statement later, he added that "Arizona appears
to have joined several other states who have been responsible for an
entirely preventable horror — a bungled execution."<br />
<br />
U.S. District
Judge Neil Wake granted a motion Wednesday requiring the state to
preserve all physical evidence related to Wood's body. The motion
directed the medical examiner to draw blood from the femoral subclavian
veins and from the ventricles of the heart before 8 p.m. Wednesday. Wake
earlier this month denied Wood's request for a preliminary injunction
blocking the execution.<br />
<br />
Gov. Jan Brewer said she was concerned by
how long the execution took and directed the Department of Corrections
to review the process. She released a written statement that "Wood died
in a lawful manner" and did not suffer. Department of Corrections
Director Charles Ryan said Wood remained "deeply sedated" until his
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Arizona Attorney General Tom Horne declined to comment. His
spokeswoman, Stephanie Grisham, disputed that Wood snorted or gasped for
air. "He went to sleep and appeared to be snoring," she said. "This was
my first execution, and I was surprised at how peaceful it was."<br />
<br />
Wood was sentenced to death for the 1989 murders of his ex-girlfriend, Debra Dietz, and her father, Eugene Dietz.<br />
<br />
The
victims' family members said the media were wrong to focus on the
execution method rather than on the victims. "Everybody here said it was
excruciating," said Jeanne Brown, Debra Dietz's sister. "You don't know
what excruciating is. Seeing your dad lying there in a pool of blood,
seeing your sister lying there in a pool of blood, that's excruciating."<br />
<br />
Her
husband, Richard Brown, who said he witnessed the murders, said, "What
I've seen today, you guys are blowing this all out of proportion about
these drugs.<br />
<br />
"Why didn't we give him a bullet? Why didn't we give
him some Drano? These people that are on death row, they deserve to
suffer a little bit."<br />
<br />
Across the country, a majority of Americans support the death penalty, but that support appears to be waning.<br />
<br />
A
2013 Pew Research Center survey indicated that 55 percent of U.S.
adults favor the practice, while 37 percent oppose it, a big drop from
two years earlier, when 62 percent said they favored the death penalty
for murder convictions and 31 percent opposed it.<br />
<br />
Wednesday's
execution began at 1:53 p.m., after Wood's last words, in which he
thanked his attorneys, said he had found Christ and concluded, "May God
forgive all of you."<br />
<br />
According to Arizona Republic reporter
Michael Kiefer, who witnessed the execution, lines were run into each of
Wood's arms. Wood was unconscious by 1:57 p.m. At about 2:05, he
started gasping, Kiefer said.<br />
"I counted about 640 times he
gasped," Kiefer said. "That petered out by 3:33. The death was called at
3:49. ... I just know it was not efficient. It took a long time."<br />
<br />
The length of the process drew swift condemnation from death-penalty critics.<br />
<br />
"The
worst part about Joseph Wood's botched execution was, it was entirely
predictable and avoidable," Diann Rust-Tierney, executive director of
the National Coalition To Abolish the Death Penalty, said in a statement
noting that the same combination of drugs had been used in a
problematic execution in Ohio earlier this year.<br />
<br />
That was echoed by the Arizona director of the American Civil Liberties Union.<br />
<br />
"Arizona
had clear warnings from Ohio and Oklahoma," said Alessandra Soler,
executive director of the ACLU of Arizona, calling for a moratorium on
executions. "Instead of ensuring that a similar outcome was avoided
here, our state officials cloaked the plans for Mr. Wood's death in
secrecy."<br />
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The
latest petition initially was filed in Pima County Superior Court after
a federal appellate court's stay was lifted Tuesday by the U.S. Supreme
Court. It argued that Wood had ineffective assistance of counsel during
his trial, and also challenged Arizona's lethal-injection protocol and
the drug cocktail used in executions.<br />
Pima County Superior Court
Judge Kenneth Lee dismissed Wood's first argument, but sent the question
of Arizona's lethal-injection protocol to the state high court.<br />
<br />
On
Tuesday, the U.S. Supreme Court had upheld Arizona's veil of secrecy
around its lethal-injection drugs, permitting plans for the execution to
proceed.<br />
<br />
The high-court ruling knocked down a federal appeals
court decision that the execution could not move forward unless the
state turned over information about how the execution would be carried
out.<br />
<br />
Executions are public events. But in recent years, many
states that still have capital punishment, including Arizona, have
passed or expanded laws that shroud the procedures in secrecy.<br />
<br />
The
Arizona Department of Corrections planned to use a controversial drug,
and it favors a controversial method of administering it, so Wood's
attorneys demanded to know the qualifications of the executioners and
the origin of the drugs to be used in the execution, claiming that Wood
had a First Amendment right to the information.<br />
<br />
On Saturday, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals agreed.<br />
<br />
The state appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, which lifted the stay without addressing the First Amendment issue.<br />
<br />
State
officials said in court filings that they need to maintain secrecy
because publicity has made it more difficult to obtain the drugs needed
to carry out executions.<br />
<br />
Drug manufacturers have begun refusing to
sell to departments of corrections, forcing the departments to
experiment with new and less reliable drugs or to specially order them
from compounding pharmacies, which in turn are harassed by
anti-death-penalty activists.<br />
<br />
"Prisoners who are sentenced to
death for their crimes have every right to know what drugs are going to
be used," said Stephanie Grisham, a spokeswoman for Arizona Attorney
General Tom Horne, "but it would be a bad matter of policy if the
manufacturer of these drugs were identified. The very reason we have a
new drug protocol is because of the pressure and threats applied to the
companies ... forcing them to stop making it."<br />
<br />
It was not the
first time the Supreme Court has ruled against a stay of execution based
on drug secrecy. In 2010, it ruled against an Arizona prisoner
asserting his right to know about lethal-injection drugs that turned out
to have been improperly obtained from overseas.<br />
<br />
The U.S. District
and Circuit Courts in Washington, D.C., later determined federal law
had been violated, which the Arizona Attorney General's Office denies.<br />
<br />
"In most respects, what Mr. Wood is asking for is quite small," said
Megan McCracken, a former federal defender who works with the University
of California-Berkeley Death Penalty Clinic. "I think they don't want
to set precedent about giving out information, and they don't want to
come under scrutiny."<br />
<br />
Sen. Ed Ableser, D-Tempe, called the
execution barbaric and said: "This one is really on (Brewer's)
shoulders. She can sign an executive order, put a stay on executions and
let the Legislature find a better way to deal with violent criminals
who deserve the maximum penalty, but one that is not cruel and unusual."<br />
<br />
Dan
Peitzmeyer, president of Phoenix-based Death Penalty Alternatives,
said, "Actions like this might not cause us to totally repeal the death
penalty. But it should sure as hell cause us to bring a moratorium to it
and take a sincere look at what we're doing."<br />
<br />
Executions by
lethal injection using barbiturates such as pentobarbital more typically
take about 10 minutes. But the European and American manufacturers
refuse to supply it for executions. With the drug unavailable for death
penalties, Arizona became the latest of four states to turn to another
sedative, midazolam, first used for execution less than a year ago.<br />
<br />
Arizona
used it in combination with a narcotic, hydromorphone. Midazolam, by
itself or with hydromorphone, has led to flawed, drawn-out executions in
three other states.<br />
<br />
Wood's attorneys had fought its use before
the U.S. Supreme Court and then in a last-minute appeal to the Arizona
Supreme Court, saying the drug was "experimental" and had not been
proven to be effective.<br />
<br />
Wood had been scheduled to die at 10a.m.
Wednesday, but the state Supreme Court halted the process to consider a
last-minute petition for post-conviction relief. The court lifted its
temporary stay shortly before noon, clearing the way for his execution
later in the day. Witnesses were told when the stay was issued to return
by 1 p.m.<br />
<br />
One day earlier, it was uncertain whether the execution
would go forward. Wood's attorneys had filed for a preliminary
injunction to stop the execution unless Arizona revealed where it had
obtained the midazolam and divulged the qualifications of the medical
team that would administer it.<br />
<br />
In October and January, midazolam
was used in executions in other states. Both times, witnesses said that
the condemned prisoners appeared to gasp for breath and took longer to
die than with the barbiturates that were used until they became
unavailable.<br />
<br />
And in April, an Oklahoma inmate was executed using
the drug, but the medical person inserting the catheter into a groin
artery completely punctured it, sending the drug into the soft tissue
beneath. The man writhed in pain for more than 40 minutes before dying
of an apparent heart attack.<br />
<br />
Wood's attorneys asked for
information with those incidents in mind. A U.S. District Court judge
denied a stay. But on Saturday, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals
granted it, with the condition that it would be vacated if the state
turned over the information. The Arizona Attorney General's Office
appealed the 9th Circuit ruling and the U.S. Supreme Court threw it out
Tuesday afternoon.<br />
<br />
Wood chose not to have a special "last meal"
Tuesday night, instead eating the sausage and mashed potatoes that the
rest of the prisoners were served.<br />
<br />
In 1989, Wood was living with
Debra Dietz, who supported him and paid for the apartment they shared.
But Wood was abusive, and after Dietz moved out of the apartment, he
stalked her.<br />
<br />
On Aug. 7, 1989, Wood became enraged when Dietz
wouldn't take his calls. He went to the auto body shop where Dietz
worked for her father. Eugene Dietz was on the phone when Wood reached
the body shop; Wood waited for him to hang up and then shot him in the
chest without saying a word.<br />
<br />
Wood then hunted down Debra Dietz and shot her twice in the chest.<br />
<br />
<i>Megan Finnerty and Megan Cassidy contributed to this article. </i><br />
<br />
<br />Margaret Jean Plewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17604426254894186183noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1488330040445701465.post-31430517460802783242014-07-07T21:33:00.000-07:002014-07-09T11:18:22.829-07:00ASPC-Lewis: Another Murder in "The Promised Land": Homicide of Gordon Lee (UPDATED)<b><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>UPDATE July 9, 2014 </i></span></i></span></b><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">It's my understanding, from more than one source, that Gordon Lee was strangled to death in the ASPC-Lewis Bachman shower by three other prisoners, who then dragged him back to his cell, dressed him and put him in bed. Staff allegedly slept through the murder happening 15 feet away from them, and didn't do their 4am count. He was found dead the next day. I dont know why tyey killed him - there are plenty of more horrible pedophiles in Protective Custody, which is what the Bachman yard he was killed on is. PC has become an increasingly dangerous place these days.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">According to my sources, Lee was assaulted a couple of weeks before this attack, and told a nurse what happened to him but she failed to report it to anyone. Its unclear whether or not he </span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">also formally applied for additional protection after that - the investigation, if conducted honestly, should show his protective custody requests (many prisoners need to PC up from Protective Custody yards like Bachman because of drug debts or repeated victimization, so that wouldnt be unusual for him to request). </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I believe that Wendy Halloran at Channel 12/KPNX is on the job trying to get records, so I'll be tuning in to them for follow-up.</span><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></i>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">peggy plews 7/9/14</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i><b><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>From original POST (7/7/14 6:53PM) </i></span></b> </i></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i><a href="http://www.azcorrections.gov/Inmate_DataSearch/results_Minh.aspx?InmateNumber=067866&LastName=LEE&FNMI=G&SearchType=SearchInet">This man</a> was murdered on ASPC-Lewis/Bachman, the same yard <a href="http://www.arizonaprisonwatch.org/2014/03/aspc-lewisbachman-homicide-in-custody.html">Alex Clark</a> was just killed on. Seems like Protective Custody (AKA "the Promised Land" by the guys in the process of getting there) is as dangerous as the rest of the prison system these days. That's a big warning sign, Arizona. </i></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>Think the Governor is paying attention yet? Maybe she notices, finally - the problem is that she still just doesn't care. This guy was in for child molestation, anyway, so no one will care that he's been murdered. He's one of the few who get long sentences who fessed up, interestingly - his plea was apparently not to avoid dying in prison - usually these long sentences are reserved for those who deny their guilt, like the truly innocent convicted at trial. About 8-15% of sex offenders, by <a href="http://www.urban.org/UploadedPDF/412589-Post-Conviction-DNA-Testing-and-Wrongful-Conviction.pdf">at least one prominent exoneration study</a>, are likely to be innocent.</i></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>Gordon Lee's plea deal pretty much guaranteed he would never again be free, in fact - and maybe he felt he shouldn't be. You'd be surprised how many men who perpetrate these kinds of crimes against children are remorseful and want only to not hurt anyone again. Some mutilate themselves, and many commit suicide to protect the world from the monsters they fear they have become. Some even beg their judges to lock them away forever, castrate, or execute them. Many of them know what it's like to be violated, as survivors of childhood sexual abuse themselves; they never wished to become what they abhorred. Gordon Lee may have been a sick human being to do what he did, but at least <a href="http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/mesa/2014/07/07/inmate-pronounced-dead-abrk/12301889/">he didn't make the victim and her family go through a trial</a>, or call her a liar in court. He owned his crimes against that child, when so few people ever do. There must have been some humanity in him somewhere.</i></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>Condolences, by the way, to anyone who cared for this man. Thoughts go out to his victim as well, who will likely relieve certain feelings all over again and have unexpected ones as well, in light of this news... </i></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; font-size: x-small;"><i><b>(Remainder of post EDITED out - it was all speculation inviting people to contact me)</b></i></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>If anyone has any additional information about this homicide or this mans life, please contact me. He had no known close friends or family contacts outside of prison.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i></i></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>Reach me at 480-580-6807 <u><span style="color: blue;"><a href="mailto:arizonaprisonwatch@gmail.com">arizonaprisonwatch@gmail.com</a></span></u>.</i></span><br />
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<br />Margaret Jean Plewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17604426254894186183noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1488330040445701465.post-78354165561480034942014-07-07T21:32:00.000-07:002014-07-07T21:32:09.567-07:00Ryan "cares" enough to do damage control on teacher's rape, OSHA investigation.<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Most readers are aware by now that a teacher at AZ DOC's supermax complex, ASPC-Eyman, was stabbed and raped in January after being left alone in a classroom with one of the sex offenders she was educating, on a sex offender unit, where teachers have routinely been left alone with students. Here's <a href="http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/arizona/2014/06/22/teacher-left-alone-sex-offender-raped/11231825/"><b>the more complete account of the incident</b></a> by the AP just last month.</span></i><br />
<br />
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">One might expect this to have happened sooner or with greater frequency, given the poor security measures taken at the state's "most secure" facility. Despite their charges, however, I suspect that most of the students would have come to this teacher's defense if they had been present when it happened - they not only value their educational opportunities and appreciate the people who offer them, they also know this whole incident will keep educators and other civilians away for years to come, now. </span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></i>
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Seems like any dummy in the Governor's office can take one good look and
advise the AZ DOC director that Warden Credio is putting female
staff and volunteers at risk by leaving them alone in classrooms full of sex
offenders with no surveillance (or even pepper spray, until now), but in the aftermath of this rape report going national in June, the <b><a href="http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/pinal/2014/06/26/safety-agency-reviewing-rape-teacher-prison/11445271/">Arizona Occupational Safety and Health Administration has decided to conduct an investigation into staff safety at Eyman</a></b>. I guess Arizona wants the nation to know that we take rape seriously here - we do if it happens to anyone other than a prisoner, at least. We refuse to abide by the federal <b><a href="http://www.arizonaprisonwatch.org/2014/06/az-state-prisoners-and-activists-call.html">Prison Rape Elimination Act</a></b>, which should tell you something about how else we treat our prisoners.</span></i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0pR40_bW94e7x5bO9ggGU-uLKjKr_F2xEpwcQRruOI-hWsXDViSzWJxw3fuJoAcENlVTZ_BZX7XPd-V6JY_4rtTxd7w319oigf2Kg_pWWeXvuGjZ35hU_hbmsKKKEdUYzwkiPM2ys7Uu_/s1600/victimsDURON.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0pR40_bW94e7x5bO9ggGU-uLKjKr_F2xEpwcQRruOI-hWsXDViSzWJxw3fuJoAcENlVTZ_BZX7XPd-V6JY_4rtTxd7w319oigf2Kg_pWWeXvuGjZ35hU_hbmsKKKEdUYzwkiPM2ys7Uu_/s1600/victimsDURON.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Unfortunately, OSHA never investigates when prisoners are assaulted or injured on the job because prisoners are technically slaves of the state, or this might have been prevented. If ANYONE other than the DOC investigated prisoner assaults and deaths (and had authority to change things there), they would have most certainly required additional safety measures to be taken at Eyman and elsewhere. </span></i><br />
<br />
<br />
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">In fact, the whole system would be safer to work and be confined in than it is now if someone from outside of it - like the legislature or auditor general's office -took a good close look at how it's being run. Makes you wonder where that billion dollar budget is being spent, since it clearly isn't going into facility repairs, surveillance cameras, security personnel, health care, psychiatric treatment, or substance abuse programs. (Hmm. I'd love to see DOC administrator's expense accounts and departmental credit cards...)</span></i><br />
<br />
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Needless to say, <span style="color: blue;"><b><a href="http://www.azcentral.com/story/opinion/editorial/2014/06/27/rape-teacher-prison/11433269/">mainstream media has been rather critical of the AZ DOC over this</a></b></span>, to which the director felt compelled to respond last week. It was such classic bureaucratic BS that I'm posting it below - along with the comment I left at the end of the article. All Chuck Ryan does about assaults on prisoners is punish the victim (and anyone else who dares say that violence is out of control in his prisons). </span></i><br />
<br />
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Go to the source for the other remarks, including those by former Eyman Deputy Warden Carl Toersbijns...</span></i><br />
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<b><a href="http://www.azcentral.com/story/opinion/op-ed/2014/07/02/prison-rape-take-seriously/12119231/">Prisons director: Actually, we do take rape seriously</a></b><br />
<br />
<b>AZCENTRAL.COM</b><br />
<b>Charles L. Ryan, AZ I See It 5:50 p.m. MST July 2, 2014</b><br />
<br />
Regarding
what I believe to be a misrepresentation of the Arizona Department of
Corrections' response to an assault on one of its own employees, ("Is
rape an acceptable risk for teachers? We think not," Editorial,
Saturday):<br />
<br />
On Jan. 30, a staff member at the Eyman corrections
complex in Florence was brutally assaulted by an inmate. As the
Department of Corrections reported in news releases that day and the
following, a criminal investigation was immediately launched with the
goal of pursuing prosecution of the inmate suspect to the fullest
extent. In May, the inmate was indicted by a grand jury on charges
including sexual assault, kidnapping and aggravated assault with a
deadly weapon.<br />
<br />
Contrary to The Republic editorial board's
assertion of indifference, every assault against staff and inmates is
reviewed extensively and thoroughly investigated. In fact, when I
returned as director in January of 2009, I changed the previous policy
and ordered that all physical actions taken by inmates against staff or
other inmates be reported and investigated, whether an injury occurred
or not. This sends the strong message that every assault is intolerable.<br />
<br />
Obviously,
this incident at Eyman was a despicable and cowardly act — a fact
clearly stated by this department when the documents from the criminal
investigation were released to the news media.<br />
<br />
But an Associated
Press story published June 22 in The Arizona Republic indicated, "Prison
officials dismissed the concerns. They say assault is a risk that comes
with the job of overseeing violent inmates." This is not a department
quote. It's the description by the AP reporter.<br />
<br />
Department
practice is quite the opposite. Staff and inmate safety is our highest
priority — a fact reflected and borne out by ongoing training and
assessment of security protocols. Significant focus is given to ensuring
that all staff remain vigilant that any inmate, regardless of custody
level or prior criminal history, can turn violent.<br />
<br />
Such
self-examination is ingrained in the daily work of the Department of
Corrections. It results in decisions to create sector officers who
conduct security checks on staff working in isolated areas; random
physical, visual, radio and phone checks of such sectors; implementation
of chemical-agent and hand-held radio training; addition of cameras
where appropriate; and numerous other security measures that are
constantly being reviewed.<br />
<br />
Reporting on corrections can be
tainted by sensationalism. Each assault in prison is thoroughly reviewed
and investigated, and those responsible are held accountable
administratively or criminally for their actions.<br />
<br />
The safety of our staff and inmates has been, and always will be, my commitment and first priority.<br />
<i><br /></i><i>Charles L. Ryan is director of the Arizona Department of Corrections. </i><br />
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<a class="postActor _29h _3eb" href="https://www.facebook.com/peggyplews" tabindex="-1" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="img" height="50px" src="https://fbcdn-profile-a.akamaihd.net/hprofile-ak-xpf1/t1.0-1/c32.0.50.50/p50x50/10525769_10201263042096519_3220028220212947494_n.jpg" width="50px" /></a><br />
<a class="profileName" href="https://www.facebook.com/peggyplews" target="_blank">Peggy Plews</a><span class="fsm fwn fcg"> · Top Commenter · <a class="uiLinkSubtle" href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Editor/137483732957368" target="_blank">Editor</a> at <a class="uiLinkSubtle" href="https://www.facebook.com/arizonaprisonwatch" target="_blank">Arizona Prison Watch</a></span><br />
<br />
Violence
against the staff at the AZ DOC - as well as a jump in the viciousness
of attacks on more vulnerable prisoners such as transgender women and
those with mental illness, has increased under this man's leadership,
causing such concern among officers that one of the employee
associations has asked Judicial Watch to investigate and local advocates
have called on the US department of Justice. Those pleas for outside
intervention were preceded in November 2010 with an open letter to Jan
Brewer by the Arizona Correctional Peace Officers Association urging her
to sack Chuck Ryan because, among other things: <br />
<br />
"There
exists, within ADOC administration, a well-known pattern of obstructing
the disclosure of hazards in time to prevent accidents, injury, illness,
and deaths. Tragically, in these instances, danger is not "imminent<span class="text_exposed_show">"
- it is past, and too late to respond. Employees are routinely ordered
to falsify documents and when they proactively seek to report identified
hazards, they face punishment and retaliation. Obtaining an accurate
account of the range and extent of violations will be difficult from
records alone. It is unlikely that ADOC will disclose information
without well-planned intervention by authorities. There is no evidence
of any health and safety program existing, even on paper. There is no
identifiable health and safety officer or other person bearing that
responsibility and essential training is lacking to assure staff can
perform certain assigned tasks safely and equipped with appropriate
equipment e.g. cell extractions, transports, etc.<br /> <br /> The entire
department is devoid of any active programs for: Fire Prevention, Hazard
Communication, Respiratory Protection, Medical Surveillance, Record
keeping, Ventilation, Emergency Evacuation Procedures, Disaster
Preparedness, Emergency Response, Training, or Education. Failure of
ADOC administration to respond has resulted in secondary risks and
complications - now endangering, not just the prison population and
employees, but the public at large. Appropriate identification of risk
requires your immediate intervention. Another day must not go by without
initiating an investigation.<br /> <br /> We as institutional line staff
are expected to hold a very high standard within the institutions and
community, we expect that our Director and his administrators to be held
to the same standard of conduct and the same standard of punishment if
those standards are violated..." <br /> <br /> The Minority Leader for the
Arizona House of Representatives, Chad Campbell, has called for Ryan's
termination more than once, and the media has feasted on the tragedies
generated by the privatization of prison health care under this
director. Of course, I've been calling for him to go for some time now,
having heard from hundreds of prisoners and their loved ones about
highly racialized gang violence, the heroin epidemic, pervasive despair
and hunger, and gross medical neglect behind bars these days. Arizona
should be ashamed of itself for rivaling the horrendous conditions
attributed to prisons in far more impoverished countries run by
dictators.<br /> <br /> I hope some of you out there who know what I'm
talking about have the courage to speak out and demand a new director.
If you bother to call the governor's office about that, be sure to call
your legislators as well - they are as much to blame for all this as
Brewer, for simply refusing to oversee the prisons and giving them a
blank check to do as they please. <br /> <br /> Please ask that the
Governor re-visit the AZ DOC's determined non-compliance with the Prison
Rape Elimination Act, too - I just received a letter from a gay
prisoner who was raped and denied protective custody yet again, and the
AZ DOC thinks they dont have a problem. <a href="http://www.arizonaprisonwatch.org/2014/06/az-state-prisoners-and-activists-call.html" rel="nofollow nofollow" target="_blank">http://<wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>www.arizonaprisonwatch.org/<wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>2014/06/<wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>az-state-prisoners-and-acti<wbr></wbr><span class="word_break"></span>vists-call.html</a></span>Margaret Jean Plewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17604426254894186183noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1488330040445701465.post-15116918813620239232014-07-01T21:15:00.000-07:002014-07-07T21:16:44.234-07:00Execution by Deliberate Indifference: Killing Robert W. Murray.<div style="text-align: center;">
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>UPDATED JULY 1 2014: There's nothing new about this, sadly - the AZ DOC has been executing prisoners all along by way of failing to treat their critical medical and psychiatric conditions. Three death row prisoners in just over a year have also committed suicide...</b></span> </span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">You must be a subscriber to see Gary Grado's </span></i><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><a href="http://azcapitoltimes.com/news/2014/06/30/death-row-inmate-with-untreated-cancer-dies/">newest article</a></b></span></i><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> at the Capitol Times about the above notice of Robert Murray's death - if you can afford it, check it out. Below is the original piece on Murray's cancer last fall, also by Grado, along with my post at the time. Not sure anything more needs to be said, except condolences to anyone who might have cared about this prisoner, as well as to the loved ones of his victims, for whom this will be an emotional time as well. </span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>---------------- </b></span></i></div>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">
</h3>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>SOS from Arizona's living dead: </b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Deliberate indifference to life on death row</b></span> <br />
(originally posted to arizonaprisonwatch.org on September 26, 2013 7am)<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> one of many letters received at AZ Prison Watch re: </span></i></b></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>prisoner frustration over difficulty accessing medical care.</b></span></span></i></div>
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<br />
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">A big thanks goes out to Gary Grado at the AZ Capitol Times for interviewing this prisoner, and to the publication for making this particular article accessible to non-subscribers. Prisoners don't make sympathetic news subjects - especially not those on death row. A lot of folks would just as soon let Murray die of throat cancer untreated, in favor of putting those health care resources into the community (as if the state would actually re-direct "savings" there, instead of into the private pockets of profiteers). </span></i><br />
<br />
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">All I can say is that withholding medical care from Murray because the state plans to kill him anyway is akin to choosing to execute him by applying acid to his throat in small doses over the course of 9 months or so, letting it eat slowly away at his ability to swallow, speak, and breathe, knowing this will not only kill him, but will make him suffer horribly as he dies. This has nothing to do with one's feeling about the death penalty - it's a question of whether or not you are for the constitution and against torture. If you believe in the rule of law, and that we should not torture our prisoners, then you have to support the provision of a basic standard of medical and mental health care to them.</span></i><br />
<br />
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The other thing is that prisoner health IS public health, and if we don't treat them inside, they come out with high rates of chronic illness, infectious disease, psychiatric disability, and so on. The imprisoned population is especially high-risk, medically, and many live marginally once back in the community, where they are more likely to lack access to health care than most non-felons. In prison they're frequently exposed to things like Hepatitis C (at least 40% of prisoners are believed to be infected), but as a captive patient population, they would be more likely than not to follow up on treatments and regimens that lower their mortality and long term health risks considerably, if their dietary plans and health care provider will offer them.</span></i><br />
<br />
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">But that's not what appears to be happening. </span></i><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> </span></i><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Deliberate
indifference to human suffering is the absolute worst cancer there is in a society,
and it's metasticized from the head of the AZ DOC to the agency's extremities. </span></i><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I hear stories like Murray's all the time, sadly - and it's not just the guys on death row. </span></i><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Remember <b><a href="http://arizonaprisonwatch.blogspot.com/2013/07/cancer-in-custody-benny-joe-roseland-59.html">Benny Joe Roseland</a></b>? I've written to him a few times, but haven't heard back from him since writing that post. DOC says he's still alive, but that's all I can get from them.</span></i><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span></i><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span></i><br />
<br />
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span></i><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Furthermore, as Dan Pochoda points out below, how we treat our prisoners says a lot about our society. </span></i><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The conditions in Arizona's prisons - from the medical neglect to the prevalence of heroin, the dominance of criminal gangs, and the rampant racialized violence - are among the worst in the country. There was a brief spell of progressive vision a the AZ DOC while Dora Schriro was director, under then-governor Janet Napolitano, but she was often mocked as being a "thug-hugger" for favoring rehabilitative programs over punishments, and her efforts were frequently undermined by the Good Old Boys network of DOC administrators and officers.</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></i>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>According to prisoners and former employees, things at the AZ DOC</i> </span></span><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">got dramatically worse as soon as Jan Brewer became governor, bringing Charles Ryan out of retirement to be her chief disciplinarian at the AZ DOC. The culture of contempt for prisoners and human rights that permeates that institution has actually been decades in the making, much of it under the direction of the younger Chuck Ryan, so all the bad stuff began to flourish again once he took over the reins there. </span></i><br />
<br />
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I don't understand that man at all, I have to say. He's spent his career climbing that ladder, but now there, he appears to have utterly <b><a href="http://arizonaprisonwatch.blogspot.com/2013/08/from-behind-walls-ryanbrewer-legacy.html">ceded control of his prisons to the gangs and profiteers</a></b> - either that, or he's knowingly and intelligently aiding and abetting them. In either case, his directorship should be an embarassment to the Governor's office - for some reason<a href="http://arizonaprisonwatch.blogspot.com/2013/07/afsc-tucson-calls-on-brewer-to-pull-her.html"> <b>Jan still stands by her man</b></a>, though. </span></i><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span></i><br />
<br />
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Check out <b><a href="http://azcapitoltimes.com/news/2013/09/16/arizona-death-row-inmate-struggles-with-cancer-prison-ordeal/?site=azcap&client=wp_basic&output=xml_no_dtd&proxystylesheet=wp_basic&getfields=*&qclean=department+of+corrections&q=department+of+corrections&as_q=department+of+corrections&ud=1&filter=p&oe=UTF-8&num=10&ie=UTF-8&ulang=&ip=10.65.150.15&access=p&entqr=3&entqrm=0&sort=date%3AD%3AS%3Ad1">the other work the Capitol Times</a></b> has been doing on the prison system here. If you're a subscriber, this is a pretty good piece that just came out about the class action lawsuit over health care, also by Gary Grado: </span></i><br />
<h1 class="entry-title" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i><a href="http://azcapitoltimes.com/news/2013/09/24/unsealed-court-document-provides-insight-into-broken-prison-health-system/"><span style="font-size: small;">Exhibit in class-action lawsuit details failings of prison health system</span></a></i></span></h1>
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-<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">------from the <a href="http://azcapitoltimes.com/">AZ Capitol Times (9/16/13)</a>--------</span></div>
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<h1 class="entry-title">
<a href="http://azcapitoltimes.com/news/2013/09/16/arizona-death-row-inmate-struggles-with-cancer-prison-ordeal/">Prison ordeal</a></h1>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Death row inmate struggles with cancer</span></h2>
By <span class="author vcard"><span class="fn">Gary Grado</span></span><a href="mailto:gary.grado@azcapitoltimes.com"></a>
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<br />
Published: September 16, 2013 at 8:41 am<br />
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<br />
A lab discovered death-row inmate Robert Murray had cancer the same
day a Scottsdale surgeon removed his tonsils, but his disease went
unknown to him and untreated for seven more months.<br />
<br />
As Murray, 48, and his lawyers try to figure out what went wrong with
his medical treatment, one thing is certain. The breakdown coincided
with the turmoil surrounding the Department of Corrections’ transition
to a private health care provider for Arizona prisoners, and his
situation didn’t improve after the first company parted ways with DOC
and a new company came under contract.<br />
<br />
Murray endured long, painful delays between doctor’s appointments, a
misdiagnosis, and a time in which blood from a burst abscess on his
tonsil gushed from his mouth. He came to learn he had cancer when the
surgeon he hadn’t seen in months asked him if he was finished with
radiation to treat the illness, a treatment he never had.<br />
<br />
Despite the delays, the cancer didn’t spread. Murray said an
oncologist told him that although the situation could have become grave,
he should have a full recovery with proper treatment.<br />
<br />
“It was prayer, luck it just didn’t explode like it could have,”
Murray said in a 21-minute interview from death row in Arizona State
Prison Complex-Florence, where he’s been locked up since October 1992.<br />
<br />
Such allegations aren’t unusual. A class-action lawsuit alleging DOC
has provided inadequate health care for years offers other medical
horror stories. And a suit recently filed by the survivors of an inmate
who died in October 2012 alleges employees of Wexford Health Sources
Inc. of Pittsburgh refused to treat him while he convulsed on the floor.
Wexford is a company that provides prisoner health care in Arizona and
elsewhere.<br />
<br />
“We get weekly at least one letter that is equivalent, literally, to
this fellow on death row,” said Dan Pochoda, the legal director for
ACLU-Arizona.<br />
<br />
Pochoda is one of more than 20 lawyers involved in the class action
suit. He said the medical hardships of prisoners don’t resonate with the
public, but they should because the state has a heavy obligation to
provide adequate health care once it takes control of someone’s life.<br />
<br />
“To paraphrase Dostoevsky, the test of a society is how they treat persons in prison,” Pochoda said.<br />
<br />
<b>Pleas for help</b><br />
<br />
Murray and his brother, Roger Murray, are on death row for
convictions in the May 14, 1991, robbery and murders of Dean Morrison,
65, and Jacqueline Appelhans, 60, at their store in Grasshopper Junction
in Mohave County.<br />
<br />
Morrison and Appelhans were found face down in their bathrobes, shot
several times each in the head with shotguns and handguns. Appelhans was
clutching Morrison’s arm.<br />
<br />
Murray wrote a book titled “Life on Death Row” in which he denied committing the murders.<br />
<br />
He has contended with an assortment of health problems during his 21
years in prison, and it was during an examination in February 2012 that
he first complained of a lump in his throat.<br />
<br />
Murray’s tonsils were becoming swollen and sore by April 2012, which
was one of the final months that DOC provided medical care. Murray saw a
DOC doctor in May and was diagnosed with an infected tonsil and given
antibiotics.<br />
<br />
Just days before his appointment, DOC and Wexford Health Solutions
announced the company had been awarded a five-year contract to provide
onsite medical, dental, pharmacy and mental health care, as well as the
administration of third-party services.<br />
<br />
Murray claims in a nine-page affidavit that the antibiotics had no
effect and his many requests over the next month to see a doctor went
unfulfilled as the swelling worsened and swallowing became difficult.<br />
<br />
“His neck and face were visibly deformed,” said Murray’s attorney, Jennifer Garcia, a deputy federal public defender.<br />
<br />
Wexford took over on July 1, 2012, and the company informed Murray he
was on a waiting list to see a doctor, even as he continued to submit
medical requests pleading for help.<br />
<br />
“At least once during this period I overheard RX delivery nurses
state that ‘Wexford has no available doctors for (the infirmary),’”
Murray wrote.<br />
<br />
In a Cure Notification, a letter to Wexford to outline how it wasn’t
complying with the contract, DOC said the company’s staffing shortage
created “inappropriate scheduling gaps in on-site medical coverage.”<br />
<br />
In his requests to see a doctor, Murray writes about shooting pains
in his ear, choking and coughing and difficulty breathing. He saw a
nurse practitioner on July 20, 2012, who became alarmed by his condition
and prescribed “magic mouthwash,” a formula of various medicines used
to treat ulcers in the mouth.<br />
Four days later the abscess burst.<br />
<br />
“A warm fluid gushed into my mouth, I thought I may be vomiting and hurried to my sink,” he wrote.<br />
<br />
He was rushed to the hospital, but he didn’t see a surgeon until
September and wasn’t on the operating table until Nov. 19, 2012.<br />
<br />
DOC, meanwhile, was already unhappy with Wexford’s performance,
stating in the Cure Notification that the company was inadequately
staffed, administered medication incorrectly, inconsistently and
incompletely, and lacked a sense of urgency in addressing crisis
situations.<br />
<br />
DOC referred to several incidents in which it said Wexford did not
comply with the terms of the contract, including not giving medication
to a mentally ill inmate who hanged himself and a nurse who contaminated
diabetes insulin with syringe tainted with Hepatitis C and continued to
inject inmates with it.<br />
<br />
Wexford responded with a letter of its own explaining that “the
majority of the problems Wexford now faces are long-standing issues,
embedded into (DOC) health care policy and philosophy, and which existed
well before Wexford Health Sources assumed responsibility of the
program.”<br />
<br />
Wexford also alleged that DOC kept key information hidden during the procurement process.<br />
<br />
<b>An aggressive form of cancer</b><br />
<br />
Dr. Joel Cohen of the Allergy Ear Nose and Throat Center in
Scottsdale removed Murray’s tonsils on Nov. 19 and sent them to a nearby
lab. The lab confirmed he had cancer and phoned the results to Cohen
the next day, according to the pathology report.<br />
<br />
Dr. Sun Yi, a University of Arizona professor who specializes in
cancers of the head and neck, said that after diagnosis, blood work and
scans would be done to determine the severity, or stage, of the cancer, a
process that generally takes a few months.<br />
<br />
From there, the patient would be referred to various oncologists.<br />
<br />
“With malignancy, the more time you wait the more time the tumor has
to continue to populate and grow,” said Yi, who is not involved in the
case. “The worst case scenario is the cat’s out of the bag situation
where it metastasizes and becomes phase four and for most cancers
incurable at that point.”<br />
<br />
Yi said cancer in the throat is extremely aggressive.<br />
<br />
There are no records of any of the steps Yi described in Murray’s medical file.<br />
<br />
Murray said Cohen wanted to see him 14 to 21 days after the surgery, but “ADOC-Wexford failed to take action.”<br />
<br />
Cohen said he reported the cancer by telephone to a doctor at DOC on Nov. 20, 2012, and recommended treatment.<br />
<br />
The doctor said he regularly treats prisoners and he understands
there are all sorts of prison protocol that must be followed for each
visit. He typically wants to see a patient for post-operative visit in
10 to 14 days.<br />
<br />
“The prisoners can’t always come back when they’re told to come back,” Cohen said.<br />
<br />
He said it is not his responsibility to prescribe the cancer treatment.<br />
<br />
A spokesman for DOC and spokeswoman for Wexford declined to comment
for this story. The agency and company agreed Jan. 30 to end the
contract and DOC signed a new one with St. Louis-based Corizon Health
Inc., which took over services on March 4.<br />
<br />
Murray’s throat was still irritated and swollen in the meantime, and he got an appointment with Cohen on May 14.<br />
<br />
“He’s talking to Corizon all the time about this problem and no one
seems to be addressing them for months either,” Garcia said. “It doesn’t
seem to me things have been measurably better under Corizon.”<br />
<br />
Murray said Cohen asked him about his radiation treatment, which he
never had, but the doctor still didn’t tell him about the cancer.<br />
<br />
Records indicate Murray was prescribed radiation and a CT scan that
day, but there is nothing in the record explaining why. When Murray
returned to the doctor’s office on June 7 he saw Lee, Cohen’s associate.<br />
<br />
“He said, ‘You have cancer, you didn’t know,’” Murray said. “It was
kind of an astounding moment, surreal.<br />
<br />
I kind of expected something was
not right.”<br />
<br />
Ray Norris, a medical malpractice attorney with the firm Gallagher
and Kennedy, said medical negligence is determined by whether a doctor
fell below the standard of care.<br />
<br />
Norris, who is not involved in Murray’s case, said standard of care
is measured by what an ordinary, prudent, and reasonable health care
provider would do under the same circumstance.<br />
<br />
“If there was a breach of the standard of care, the question then
becomes causation, or in other words, what difference did it make,”
Norris said.<br />
<br />
Murray’s theory is he thinks Cohen expected him to return for a
follow up visit within a few weeks and was going to inform him then
about the cancer, but when Wexford failed to schedule the appointment
Cohen never followed up. “I think it was probably just an accident, but
an accident can be easily overlooked,” Murray said.<br />
<br />
Murray is still undergoing treatment, and while it isn’t going at the
pace he would prefer, he said he’s been assured it is normal pace for
treating such a cancer. He said he is still considering his options on
filing a lawsuit and looking for a civil lawyer.<br />
<br />
<h2>
Health Decline</h2>
<b>May 2012:</b> Inmate Robert Murray diagnosed with
possible infected tonsils and given antibiotics. Wexford Health
Solutions is awarded $349 million contract to provide health services to
Arizona prisoners.<br />
<br />
<b>June 2012:</b> Swelling in neck worsens.<br />
<br />
<b>July 1, 2012:</b> Wexford takes over medical services.<br />
<br />
<b>July 24, 2012:</b> Abscess in neck bursts and Murray rushed to hospital.<br />
<br />
<b>Aug. 17, 2012: </b> In an incident not related to
Murray, Wexford nurses are accused of improperly administer medication
by making inmates lick powdered medication from hands.<br />
<br />
<b>Aug. 23, 2012:</b> Mentally ill inmate who didn’t receive psychiatric medication for weeks found hanged in cell.<br />
<br />
<b>Aug. 27, 2012:</b> Wexford nurse allegedly contaminates diabetes insulin with syringe tainted with Hepatitis C.<br />
<br />
<b>Sept. 21, 2012:</b> Arizona Department of Corrections informs Wexford of assorted contract breaches.<br />
<br />
<b>Nov. 19, 2012:</b> Murray, whose face is deformed from swelling, undergoes tonsillectomy and lab results show he has cancer.<br />
<br />
<b>January 2013:</b> Murray’s requests for follow up with
surgeon unfulfilled, problems and pain with neck persist. Wexford and
DOC agree to cancel contract. Corizon becomes new contractor.<br />
<br />
<b>June 7, 2013:</b> Murray informed he has cancer that went untreated for seven months.<br />
<br />Margaret Jean Plewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17604426254894186183noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1488330040445701465.post-11301114798690182442014-06-21T19:17:00.000-07:002014-06-21T19:17:00.398-07:00Corizon's Cruel and Unusual Greed: follow the money with Prison Legal News. <br />
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but troubling article below from Prison Legal News: print and send it
to prisoners! Prisoner subscriptions to Prison Legal News are only $30 a
year for the print edition (for prisoners), and one of the best
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></span></span></i></div>
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<span style="color: white;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><i>F</i>or<i> those fighting Corizon over a loved one's health care, </i></span></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: white;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><i>check out these posts </i></span></span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i><a href="http://www.arizonaprisonwatch.org/2013/03/corizon-and-az-doc-prisoners-families.html"><span style="color: blue;">Corizon and the AZ DOC: Prisoners & Families, Know Your Rights.</span></a></i></span>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i><span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.arizonaprisonwatch.org/2013/05/corizons-deliberate-indifference.html">Corizon's deliberate indifference: fighting back.</a></span></i></span></h4>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i><b><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span></b></i></span></div>
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<a href="https://www.prisonlegalnews.org/news/2014/mar/15/corizon-needs-a-checkup-problems-with-privatized-correctional-healthcare/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Corizon Needs a Checkup: Problems with Privatized Correctional Healthcare</span></a></div>
<b>published in Prison Legal News March, 2014, page 1<br /><br />Loaded on March 15, 2014</b><br /><br />by Greg Dober <br /><br />Corizon,
the nation’s largest for-profit medical services provider for prisons,
jails and other detention facilities, was formed in June 2011 through
the merger of Prison Health Services (PHS) and Correctional Medical
Services (CMS).<br /><br /><br />In April 2013, the debt-rating agency Moody’s
downgraded Corizon’s nearly $360 million worth of debt to a rating of
B2 – an indication the company’s debt is highly speculative and a high
credit risk. According to Moody’s, the rating downgrade was due to an
“expectation of earnings volatility following recent contract losses,
margin declines from competitive pricing pressure on new and renewed
contracts, and Moody’s belief that Valitás [Corizon’s parent
corporation] will be unable to restore metrics to levels commensurate
with the prior B1 rating over the near to intermediate term.”<br /><br /><br />Valitás
Health Services is majority owned by Beecken Petty O’Keefe &
Company, a Chicago-based private equity management firm. Beecken’s other
holdings are primarily in the healthcare industry.<br /><br /><br />On
September 23, 2013, Moody’s again downgraded Corizon’s debt rating and
changed the company’s rating outlook from “stable” to “negative.” The
following month Corizon announced that it had replaced CEO Rich
Hallworth with Woodrow A. Myers, Jr., the former chief medical officer
at WellPoint Health. Hallworth, who had been appointed Corizon’s CEO in
2011, previously served as the president and CEO of PHS. At the same
time that Hallworth was replaced, Corizon president Stuart Campbell also
stepped down.<br /><br /><br /><b>Prison Medical Care for Profit</b><br /><br />According
to Corizon’s website, the company provides healthcare services at over
530 correctional facilities serving approximately 378,000 prisoners in
28 states. In addition, Corizon employs around 14,000 staff members and
contractors. The company’s corporate headquarters is located in
Brentwood, Tennessee and its operational headquarters is in St. Louis,
Missouri.<br /><br />The 2011 merger that created Corizon involved
Valitás Health Services, the parent company of CMS, and America Service
Group, the parent company of PHS. The Nashville Business Journal
reported the deal was valued at $250 million.<br /><br />“Corizon’s
vision is firmly centered around service – to our clients, our patients
and our employees,” Campbell said at the time. “To that we add the
insight of unparalleled experience assisting our client partners, and
caring professionals serving the unique healthcare needs of
[incarcerated] patients.”<br /><br />Corizon has around $1.5 billion in
annual revenue and contracts to provide medical services for the prison
systems in 13 states. The company also contracts with numerous cities
and counties to provide healthcare to prisoners held in local jails;
some of Corizon’s larger municipal clients include Atlanta, Philadelphia
and New York City (including the Rikers Island jail). Additionally, the
company has its own in-house pharmacy division, PharmaCorr, Inc.<br /><br />The
prison healthcare market has flourished as state Departments of
Corrections and local governments seek ways to save money and reduce
exposure to litigation. [See: PLN, May 2012, p.22]. Only a few major
companies dominate the industry. Corizon’s competitors include Wexford
Health Sources, Armor Correctional Health Services, NaphCare, Correct
Care Solutions and Centurion Managed Care – the latter being a joint
venture of MHM Services and Centene Corporation. Around 20 states
outsource all or some of the medical services in their prison systems.<br /><br />As
Corizon is privately held, there is little transparency with respect to
its internal operations and financial information, including costs of
litigation when prisoners (or their surviving family members) sue the
company, often alleging inadequate medical care.<br /><br />For example,
when Corizon was questioned by the news media in Florida during a
contract renewal, the company initially tried to prevent the release of
its litigation history, claiming it was a “trade secret.”<br /><br />In
2012, Corizon agreed to settle a lawsuit filed against PHS – one of its
predecessor companies – by Prison Legal News, seeking records related to
the resolution of legal claims against the firm in Vermont. Based on
the records produced pursuant to that settlement, PHS paid out almost
$1.8 million in just six cases involving Vermont prisoners from 2007 to
2011. [See: PLN, Dec. 2012, p.16].<br /><br />Companies like Corizon
provide healthcare in prisons and jails under the HMO model, with an
emphasis on cutting costs – except that prisoners have no other options
to obtain medical treatment except through the contractor.<br /><br /><b>Arizona DOC</b><br /><br />A
former Corizon nurse had her license suspended and is currently under
investigation by the Arizona State Board of Nursing for incompetence. In
January 2014, nurse Patricia Talboy was accused of contaminating vials
of insulin at three units at the ASPC-Lewis prison, potentially exposing
two dozen prisoners to HIV or hepatitis.<br /><br />Talboy reportedly
used a needle to stick prisoners’ fingers to check their blood sugar
levels. She then used the same needle to draw insulin from vials of the
medication utilized for multiple prisoners, possibly contaminating the
insulin in the vials. After placing the vials back into inventory, other
staff members may have unknowingly used them to dispense insulin.<br /><br />“Every
indication is that the incident is the result of the failure by one
individual nurse to follow specific, standard and well-established
nursing protocols when dispensing injected insulin to 24 inmates,”
Arizona Department of Corrections (ADC) director Charles L. Ryan said in
a January 9, 2014 statement.<br /><br />Talboy’s failure to follow
procedures was discovered after a prisoner told a different nurse about
the issue. Corizon reportedly delayed three days before publicly
reporting the incident; in a press release, the company admitted that
one of its nurses had been involved in “improper procedures for
injections.” Talboy received her nursing license in August 2012 and
became an RN in June 2013; as a rookie nurse, Corizon likely paid her
less than more experienced nurses.<br /><br />Following the
insulin-related incident, the company was ordered to develop a
comprehensive plan that includes “supplemental training and competency
testing procedures for blood glucose testing and administration of
insulin,” as well as “nurse-peer reporting education to ensure
professional accountability” and “patient awareness education on
injection protocols.”<br /><br />Granted, Corizon isn’t alone with
respect to such incidents. In August 2012, a nurse employed by the ADC’s
previous medical services contractor, Wexford Health Sources,
contaminated the insulin supply at ASPC-Lewis through improper injection
protocols, potentially exposing 112 prisoners to hepatitis C. [See:
PLN, July 2013, p.1].<br /><br />Corizon has a three-year, approximately
$370 million contract to provide medical care in Arizona state prisons,
which began in March 2013. The contract award generated controversy
because former ADC director Terry Stewart was hired by Corizon as a
consultant; current director Charles Ryan had previously worked under
Stewart, raising a potential conflict of interest. Ryan denied any
improprieties.<br /><br />According to a report by the American Friends
Service Committee released in October 2013, titled “Death Yards:
Continuing Problems with Arizona’s Correctional Health Care,” medical
services in Arizona prisons did not improve after Corizon replaced
Wexford as the ADC’s healthcare contractor. “Correspondence from
prisoners; analysis of medical records, autopsy reports, and
investigations; and interviews with anonymous prison staff and outside
experts indicate that, if anything, things have gotten worse,” the
report stated.<br /><br /><br /><b>Florida DOC</b><br /><br />In 2013, the Florida
Department of Corrections (FDOC) awarded Corizon a five-year, $1.2
billion contract to provide medical services to state prisoners in north
and central Florida. Wexford Health Sources was contracted to provide
similar services in the southern region of the state for $240 million.
[See: PLN, June 2013, p.24]. The wholesale privatization of healthcare
in Florida’s prison system followed a 2011 legislative decision to
disband the state’s Correctional Medical Authority, which had oversight
over prison medical care. [See: PLN, May 2012, p.30].<br /><br />The
contracts were part of the Republican administration’s initiative to
expand privatization of government services, including prison management
and healthcare, in spite of previous setbacks. In 2006, PHS withdrew
two months into an almost $800 million contract to provide medical care
to Florida prisoners; at that time, the company said the contract was
not cost-effective and claimed it would lose money.<br /><br />The 2013
contract awards to Corizon and Wexford followed a two-year legal fight.
In 2011, AFSCME Florida and the Federation of Physicians and
Dentists/Alliance of Healthcare and Professional Employees filed suit
challenging the prison healthcare contracts, in an effort to protect the
jobs of nearly 2,600 state workers.<br /><br />On June 21, 2013 the
First District Court of Appeals approved the privatization of medical
care in FDOC facilities, overturning a ruling by the Leon County Circuit
Court. The appellate court noted in its decision that “The LBC
[Legislative Budget Committee] simply moved funds from different line
items within the Department’s Health Services’ program, providing
additional funds for contracts that the Department otherwise had the
authority to enter.” See: Crews v. Florida Public Employers Council 79,
113 So.3d 1063 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. 1st Dist. 2013).<br /><br /><br />Under
the terms of the FDOC’s contract with Corizon, the company must provide
medical care to Florida state prisoners for 7% less than it cost the
FDOC in 2010. When entering into the contract, state officials
apparently had few concerns about the numerous lawsuits previously filed
against Corizon, and no hard feelings toward the company’s predecessor,
PHS, when it terminated its 2006 contract to provide medical services
to Florida prisoners because it wasn’t profitable.<br /><br /><br />“Most
people feel, as long as they achieve their 7 percent savings who cares
how they treat inmates?” noted Michael Hallett, a professor of
criminology at the University of North Florida.<br /><br /><br /><b>Florida Counties</b><br /><br /><br />In
a September 6, 2012 unpublished ruling, the Eleventh Circuit Court of
Appeals affirmed a $1.2 million Florida jury verdict that found Corizon –
when it was operating as PHS – had a policy or custom of refusing to
send prisoners to hospitals. The Court of Appeals held it was reasonable
for jurors to conclude that PHS had delayed medical treatment in order
to save money. See: Fields v. Corizon Health, 490 Fed.Appx. 174 (11th
Cir. 2012).<br /><br /><br />The jury verdict resulted from a suit filed
against Corizon by former prisoner Brett A. Fields, Jr. In July 2007,
Fields was being held in the Lee County, Florida jail on two misdemeanor
convictions. After notifying PHS staff for several weeks that an
infection was not improving, even with antibiotics that had been
prescribed, Fields was diagnosed with MRSA. PHS did not send him to a
hospital despite escalating symptoms, including uncontrolled twitching,
partial paralysis and his intestines protruding from his rectum. A
subsequent MRI scan revealed that Fields had a severe spinal
compression; he was left partly paralyzed due to inadequate medical
care.<br /><br /><br />The Eleventh Circuit wrote that PHS “enforced its
restrictive policy against sending prisoners to the hospital,” and noted
that a PHS nurse who treated Fields at the jail “testified that, at
monthly nurses’ meetings, medical supervisors ‘yelled a lot about nurses
sending inmates to hospitals.’” Further, PHS “instructed nurses to be
sure that the inmate had an emergency because it cost money to send
inmates to the hospital.”<br /><br /><br />At trial, the jury found that PHS
had a custom or policy of deliberate indifference that violated Fields’
constitutional right to be free from cruel and unusual punishment. The
jurors concluded that Fields had a serious medical need, PHS was
deliberately indifferent to that serious medical need, and the company’s
actions proximately caused Fields’ injuries. The jury awarded him
$700,000 in compensatory damages and $500,000 in punitive damages. [See:
PLN, March 2013, p.54; Aug. 2011, p.24].<br /><br /><br />More recently, the
estate of a 21-year-old prisoner who died at a jail in Manatee County,
Florida filed a lawsuit in October 2013 against the Manatee County
Sheriff’s Office and Corizon, the jail’s healthcare provider. The
complaint accuses the defendants of deliberate indifference to the
serious medical needs of Jovon Frazier and violating his rights under
the Eighth Amendment.<br /><br /><br />In February 2009, Frazier was
incarcerated at the Manatee County Jail; at the time of his medical
intake screening, staff employed by Corizon, then operating as PHS,
noted that his health was unremarkable. Frazier submitted a medical
request form in July 2009, complaining of severe pain in his left
shoulder and arm, and a PHS nurse gave him Tylenol.<br /><br /><br />Throughout
August and September 2009, Frazier submitted five more medical requests
seeking treatment for his arm and shoulder. “It really hurts! HELP!” he
wrote in one of the requests. PHS employees saw him and recorded his
vital signs. Despite the repeated complaints, Frazier was never referred
to a doctor or physician assistant; on September 9, 2009 his treatment
was documented as routine but he was placed on the “MD’s list.”<br /><br /><br />An
X-ray was taken on September 17, 2009 to rule out a shoulder fracture.
The X-ray was negative for a fracture, and Frazier was not referred to a
doctor. He submitted two more medical requests that month and five
requests in October 2009 seeking treatment for his increasingly painful
condition. The complaint alleges that in total, Frazier submitted 13
medical request forms related to pain over a period of three months; he
was seen by a nurse each time but not examined by a physician.<br /><br /><br />On
October 29, 2009, Frazier received an X-ray to determine if he had a
tendon injury. An MRI was recommended and he was transported to a
hospital where an MRI scan revealed a large soft tissue mass on his
shoulder. A doctor at the hospital, concerned that the mass was
cancerous, recommended additional tests.<br /><br /><br />After being
diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a form of bone cancer, Frazier was returned
to the jail and subsequently treated at the Moffitt Cancer Center,
where he received chemotherapy, medication and surgery. Despite this
aggressive treatment the cancer progressed and Frazier’s left arm was
amputated. The cancer continued to spread, however, and he was diagnosed
with lung cancer in June 2011. He died within three months of that
diagnosis, on September 18, 2011.<br /><br /><br />In a letter to the attorney
representing Frazier’s estate, Florida oncologist Howard R. Abel wrote
that the lack of treatment provided by Corizon at the Manatee County
Jail constituted “gross negligence and a reckless disregard to Mr.
Frazier’s right to timely and professionally appropriate medical care.”<br /><br /><br />The
lawsuit filed by Frazier’s estate claims that Corizon was aware of his
serious medical condition but failed to provide adequate treatment. In
addition, the complaint contends the company has a widespread custom,
policy and practice of discouraging medical staff from referring
prisoners to outside medical practitioners and from providing expensive
medical tests and procedures. Finally, the lawsuit states that “Corizon
implemented these widespread customs, policies and practices for
financial reasons and in deliberate indifference to [the] serious
medical needs of Frazier and other inmates incarcerated at Manatee
County Jail.”<br /><br /><br />On January 10, 2014, U.S. District Court Judge
James Moody denied Corizon’s motion to dismiss the case. The company had
argued that the allegations in the lawsuit failed to assert sufficient
facts to establish deliberate indifference, amounted only to medical
negligence and were insufficient to establish gross negligence, and
failed “to adequately allege a policy or custom that violated Frazier’s
rights.” Judge Moody disagreed, finding the claims set forth in the
complaint were “sufficient to establish a constitutional violation.”<br /><br /><br />The
Manatee County Sheriff’s Office had better luck with its motion to
dismiss. The Sheriff argued the complaint did not establish facts
indicating that the jail had a similar practice – like Corizon – of
providing deliberately indifferent medical care to prisoners. The court
agreed and dismissed the claims against the Sheriff’s Office; the claims
against Corizon remain pending. See: Jenkins v. Manatee County Sheriff,
U.S.D.C. (M.D. Fla.), Case No. 8:13-cv-02796-JSM-TGW.<br /><br /><br /><b>Idaho DOC</b><br /><br /><br />In
February 2013, the Idaho Department of Corrections (IDOC) announced it
had reached a one-year extended agreement with Corizon to provide
medical care in the state’s prison system. However, the Idaho Business
Review reported that the extension also resulted in a rate increase.
Then-Corizon president Stuart Campbell informed the IDOC Board of
Correction that the company wouldn’t sign an extension for less money,
stating the current contract had become too costly. During the preceding
three years of the contract the IDOC had incurred approximately 20% in
cumulative rate increases.<br /><br /><br />Both sides agreed that the
contract would run through December 2013 and the IDOC would pay an
additional $250,000. It seems odd that Idaho was willing to continue
contracting with the company, though, as the relationship between the
IDOC and Corizon has been a rocky one.<br /><br /><br />The quality of medical
care at the Idaho State Correctional Institution (ISCI) in Boise has
been an ongoing issue for nearly three decades. The prison was the focus
of a class-action lawsuit filed on behalf of prisoners alleging a
variety of problems, including inadequate healthcare. The lawsuit was
known as the Balla litigation after plaintiff Walter Balla.<br /><br /><br />In
July 2011, after new complaints were filed regarding medical care at
ISCI, U.S District Court Judge B. Lynn Winmill appointed a special
master, Dr. Marc F. Stern, to assess the situation at the facility. The
court wanted Stern to confirm whether ISCI was in compliance with the
temporary agreements established in the Balla case, and to investigate
and report on “the constitutionality of healthcare” at the facility.<br /><br /><br />Dr.
Stern, a former health services director for the Washington Department
of Corrections who also had previously worked for CMS, one of Corizon’s
predecessor companies, issued a scathing report in February 2012. With
the aid of psychiatrist Dr. Amanda Ruiz, Stern and his team reviewed
ISCI over a six-day period and met with dozens of prisoners,
administrators and Corizon employees.<br /><br /><br />Stern stated in the
report’s executive summary: “I found serious problems with the delivery
of medical and mental health care. Many of these problems have either
resulted or risk resulting in serious harm to prisoners at ISCI. In
multiple ways, these conditions violate the rights of prisoners at ISCI
to be protected from cruel and unusual punishment. Since many of these
problems are frequent, pervasive, long-standing, and authorities are or
should have been aware of them, it is my opinion that authorities are
deliberately indifferent to the serious health care needs of their
charges.”<br /><br /><br />The report found that prisoners who were terminally
ill or in long-term care were sometimes left in soiled linens, given
inadequate pain medication and went for long periods without food or
water. The findings regarding sick call noted instances in which
prisoners’ requests either resulted in no care, delayed care or
treatment that was deemed dangerous. Emergency care situations had
insufficient oversight, delays or no response; inadequately trained
medical staff operated independently during emergencies without
oversight from an RN or physician. The report also found problems with
the pharmacy and medication distribution at ISCI.<br /><br />In one
case, a prisoner with a “history of heart disease was inexplicably
dropped from the rolls of the heart disease Chronic Care Clinic.” As a
result, medical staff stopped conducting regular check-ups and
assessments related to the prisoner’s heart condition. A few years later
the prisoner went in for a routine visit, complaining of occasional
chest pain. No evaluation or treatment was ordered and the prisoner died
four days later due to a heart attack. In another case, Corizon staff
failed to notify a prisoner for seven months that an X-ray indicated he
might have cancer.<br /><br />Dr. Stern’s report not only reviewed
processes but also staff competency and adequacy. The report cited
allegations that a dialysis nurse at ISCI overtly did not like
prisoners, and routinely “failed to provide food and water to patients
during dialysis, prematurely aborted dialysis sessions or simply did not
provide them [dialysis] at all and failed to provide ordered
medications resulting in patients becoming anemic.” Stern concluded that
prison officials were aware of this issue and the danger it presented
to prisoners, but “unduly delayed taking action.”<br /><br /><br />The mental
health care provided by Corizon at ISCI was found to be deficient by Dr.
Ruiz, who conducted the psychiatric portion of the court-ordered
review. The report noted that the facility had 1) inadequate “screening
of and evaluating prisoners to identify those in need of mental health
care,” 2) “significant deficiencies in the treatment program at ISCI”
which was “violative of patients’ constitutional right to health care,”
3) an “insufficient number of psychiatric practitioners at ISCI,” 4)
incomplete or inaccurate treatment records, 5) problems with
psychotropic medications, which were prescribed with no face-to-face
visits or follow-up visits with prisoners and 6) inadequate suicide
prevention training.<br /><br /><br />The report concluded: “The state of
guiding documents, the inmate grievance system, death reviews and a
mental health CQI [continuous quality improvement] system at ISCI is
poor. While not in and of themselves unconstitutional, it is important
for the court to be aware of this and its possible contribution to other
unconstitutional events.”<br /><br /><br />In March 2012, shortly after Dr.
Stern’s report was released over the objection of state officials,
Corizon disagreed with its findings. The company retained the National
Commission on Correctional Health Care (NCCHC) to review the report.
Corizon described the review as an “independent assessment,” even though
it was paying NCCHC accreditation fees.<br /><br /><br />The NCCHC review
consisted of a three-person team assessing the facility over a two-day
period in April 2012. Unlike Stern’s assessment of medical and mental
health care, the NCCHC team did not interview prisoners or include a
psychiatrist. Regardless, the agency concluded that “The basic structure
of health services delivery at ISCI meets NCCHC’s standards.”<br /><br /><br />Corizon
stated in a press release that Dr. Stern’s report was “incomplete,
misleading and erroneous,” and then-CEO Rich Hallworth appeared in a
video defending the company. The NCCHC had previously accredited
Corizon’s healthcare services at ISCI, thus in essence the NCCHC’s
review was self-validating the organization’s prior accreditation
findings. Also, according to NCCHC’s website, two Corizon officials sit
on the agency’s health professionals certification board of trustees.<br /><br /><br />Corizon’s
criticism of Dr. Stern’s report is just one example where the company
has objected to an independent, third-party assessment of its medical
services. The Balla case settled in May 2012 after 30 years of
litigation. [See: PLN, Feb. 2013, p.40].<br /><br /><br /><b>Indiana DOC</b><br /><br /><br />Following
a competitive bidding process, Corizon was selected to continue
providing medical care to Indiana state prisoners under a three-year
contract effective January 1, 2014. The contract has a cap of $293
million, based on a per diem fee of $9.41 per prisoner.<br /><br /><br />Three
weeks later, a lawsuit filed in federal court named Corizon and the
Indiana Department of Correction as defendants in connection with the
wrongful death of prisoner Rachel Wood. Wood, 26, a first-time drug
offender, died in April 2012; the suit, filed on behalf of her family,
claims she was transferred from prison to prison and denied care for her
serious medical conditions, which included lupus and a blood clotting
disorder.<br /><br />“Notwithstanding the duty of the prison medical
staff to provide adequate medical care to Rachel and to treat her very
serious life threatening conditions, prison medical staff willfully and
callously disregarded her condition, and allowed Rachel to deteriorate
and die,” the complaint stated.<br /><br />“That is just the attitude of
these guys, is saving money rather than providing health care,” said
Michael K. Sutherlin, the attorney representing Wood’s family.<br /><br />Prison
officials reportedly moved Wood among several different prisons and
hospitals, and at one point lost track of her and claimed she had
escaped even though she was still incarcerated.<br /><br />“She died a
horrible death and she died alone,” stated her father, Claude Wood. The
lawsuit remains pending. See: Williams v. Indiana DOC, Marion County
Superior Court (IN), Case No. 49D05-1401-CT-001478.<br /><br /><br /><b>Maine DOC</b><br /><br /><br />In
an October 2013 Bangor Daily News article, Steve Lewicki, coordinator
of the Maine Prisoner Advocacy Coalition, discussed the state of
healthcare in Maine’s prison system. “Complaints by prisoners are less,”
he said, noting that while medical services provided to prisoners are
better than in the past, there are still concerns. This relative
improvement coincided with the end of the state’s contract with Corizon.
The contract, valued at approximately $19.5 million, was awarded to
another company in 2012.<br /><br />A year earlier, the Maine
legislature’s Office of Program Evaluation and Government Accountability
(OPEGA) completed a review of medical services in state prisons. The
agency contracted with an independent consultant, MGT of America, to
conduct most of the fieldwork, and the review included services provided
under Corizon’s predecessor company, CMS.<br /><br />The OPEGA report,
issued in November 2011, cited various deficiencies in medical care at
Maine prisons – including medications not always being properly
administered and recorded by CMS staff. Although the company was
notified of the problem, no corrective action was taken. CMS employees
did not follow policies related to medical intake and medical records;
OPEGA reported that 38% of prisoners’ medical files had inadequate or
inaccurate documentation regarding annual physical assessments, and that
files were not complete or consistently maintained. The report found
11% of sick calls reviewed were either not resolved timely or had no
documented resolution. OPEGA also criticized CMS for inadequate staff
training.<br /><br />At a January 2012 legislative committee hearing,
state Senator Roger Katz asked Corizon regional vice president Larry
Amberger, “My question to you is in light of this history, why should
the state seriously be considering any proposal your company might make
to get this contract back again?”<br /><br />In response, Amberger
criticized the methodology used by MGT during the assessment and said he
believed Corizon provided quality medical care. Questioning and
challenging the findings of an independent reviewer is the same tactic
the company used in Idaho. Regardless, Corizon’s contract to provide
medical care to Maine state prisoners is now a part of history.<br /><br /><br /><b>Louisville, Kentucky</b><br /><br /><br />While
some jurisdictions, like Maine, have chosen not to renew their
contracts with Corizon due to performance-related problems, in 2013 the
Metro Department of Corrections in Louisville, Kentucky (LMC) offered
the company a chance to rebid for its $5.5 million contract to provide
medical care at the LMC jail. This time, however, it was Corizon that
said “no thanks.”<br /><br />The rebid offer was made even though seven
healthcare-related prisoner deaths occurred in a seven-month period in
2012 during Corizon’s prior contract, which expired in February 2013.
Nevertheless, LMC and Corizon agreed to extend the contract through July
30, 2013 on a month-to-month basis pending a formal rebid.<br /><br />After
the expiration of the month-to-month contract extension, Corizon
notified LMC that it was no longer interested in providing services to
the corrections department and would not seek to rebid the contract. LMC
director Mark Bolton told the Courier Journal he was “surprised” by the
company’s decision. What seems more surprising is that LMC wanted to
continue contracting with Corizon to provide medical services in spite
of the number of prisoner deaths.<br /><br />In April 2012, Savannah
Sparks, 27, a heroin addict and mother of three, was arrested and held
on shoplifting charges at the LMC jail. While withdrawing from heroin
she vomited, sweat profusely, could not sit up, could not eat or drink,
and defecated and urinated on herself. Six days later she was dead.
According to the medical examiner, her death was due to “complications
of chronic substance abuse with withdrawal.”<br /><br />A subsequent
wrongful death suit alleged that Corizon and LMC employees were
negligent in failing to provide treatment for Sparks’ opiate addiction
and withdrawal. Corizon settled the suit under confidential terms. See:
May v. Corizon, Jefferson County Circuit Court (KY), Case No.
13-CI-001848.<br /><br />Four months after Sparks’ death, on August 8,
2012, another LMC prisoner, Samantha George, died. A lawsuit filed in
Jefferson County Circuit Court claimed that George was moved from the
Bullitt County Jail to the LMC facility on a charge of buying a stolen
computer. According to the complaint, she told a Corizon nurse that she
was a severe diabetic, needed insulin, and was feverish and in pain from
a MRSA infection.<br /><br />The nurse notified an on-call Corizon
physician, who was not located at the facility and thus could not
examine George in person, to decide if she should be taken to an
emergency room. The doctor recommended monitoring George and indicated
he would see her the next day. George’s condition rapidly deteriorated
while she was monitored by staff at the jail; she was found unresponsive
a few hours after being admitted to the facility and pronounced dead a
short time later.<br /><br />An autopsy concluded that George died due
to complications from a severe form of diabetes compounded by heart
disease. According to the lawsuit, the Corizon doctor never saw George;
among other defendants, the suit named Corizon and LMC director Mark
Bolton as defendants. The case was removed to federal court, then
remanded to the county circuit court in October 2013. See: George v.
Corizon, U.S.D.C. (W.D. Ky.), Case No. 3:13-cv-00822-JHM-JDM.<br /><br />A
few weeks after George’s death, Kenneth Cross was booked into the LMC
jail on a warrant for drug possession. According to a subsequent
lawsuit, upon Cross’ arrival at the jail a nurse documented that he had
slurred speech and fell asleep numerous times during the medical
interview. Several hours later he was found unconscious, then died
shortly thereafter due to a drug overdose. The lawsuit filed by Cross’
estate alleged that employees at the LMC jail were deficient in
recognizing and treating prisoners’ substance abuse problems and that
the facility was inadequately staffed for such medical care.<br /><br />After
the deaths of Sparks, George, Cross and four other prisoners in 2012,
LMC director Bolton said he believed Corizon took too long to evaluate
and treat prisoners at the jail. According to the Courier-Journal,
Bolton sent an email to his staff in December 2012 regarding the
prisoners’ deaths, stating, “Mistakes were made by Corizon personnel and
their corporation has acknowledged such missteps.” He further indicated
that Corizon employees – not LMC staff members – were responsible for
the care of the prisoners who died. Six Corizon employees at the LMC
jail resigned in December 2012 during an internal investigation; they
were not identified.<br /><br />Bolton’s criticism was too little, too
late to prevent the deaths of the seven LMC prisoners, though the jail
has since made improvements to its medical services, including a
full-time detox nurse and new protocols for prisoners experiencing
withdrawal. One could speculate that LMC’s critique of Corizon might be a
litigation tactic, to deflect responsibility. The fact remains that
seven deaths occurred under Corizon’s watch and, notwithstanding those
deaths, LMC was willing to renew its contract with the company.<br /><br />In
January 2014, the Louisville Metro Police’s Public Integrity Unit
concluded investigations into three of the deaths at the jail, and
criticized both Corizon and LMC. The Commonwealth Attorney’s Office
found that Sparks’ and George’s deaths were preventable; however, no
criminal charges were filed. Dr. William Smock, a forensic examiner who
served as a consultant during the investigations, stated with respect to
George’s death: “There is compelling evidence of a significant
deviation from the standard of care and medical negligence on the part
of the medical providers.”<br /><br />“I’m glad to see that the
government’s investigation matches exactly what our investigation
showed, which is that her death and others like hers is easily
preventable,” said Chad McCoy, the attorney representing George’s
estate.<br /><br /><br /><b>Minnesota DOC</b><br /><br />After providing medical care
to Minnesota state prisoners for 15 years, Corizon was not selected
when the contract was rebid in 2013 – despite having submitted the
lowest bid. Instead, competitor Centurion Managed Care was to begin
providing healthcare services in Minnesota’s prison system effective
January 1, 2014 under a two-year, $67.5 million contract.<br /><br />Corrections
Commissioner Tom Roy said the contract with Centurion was expected to
“deliver significant savings to taxpayers while improving the quality of
care for offenders.”<br /><br />According to the Star-Tribune, nine
prisoners died and another 21 suffered serious or critical injuries in
Minnesota correctional facilities due to delay or denial of medical care
under the state’s previous contract, which had been held by Corizon or
its predecessor, CMS, since 1998.<br /><br />That contract was for a
fixed annual flat fee of $28 million. A flat fee contract provides an
incentive for the contractor to tightly control costs, as a reduction in
expenses results in an increase in profit. The Star-Tribune found that
many of the staffing arrangements negotiated in the contract played a
role in the deaths and injuries. For example, the contract allowed
Corizon physicians to leave at 4:00pm daily and did not require them to
work weekends. During off-hours there was only one doctor on call to
serve the state’s entire prison system, and many of the off-hour
consultations were done telephonically without the benefit of the
prisoner’s medical chart. Under the contract, Corizon was not required
to staff most facilities overnight.<br /><br />The Minnesota Department
of Corrections was held liable for nearly $1.8 million in wrongful death
and medical negligence cases during the period when the state
contracted with Corizon or CMS.<br /><br />In October 2012, a jury in
Washington County awarded Minnesota prisoner Stanley Riley more than $1
million after finding a Corizon contract physician, Stephen J. Craane,
was negligent in providing medical treatment. The Star-Tribune reported
that Riley suffered from what turned out to be cancer and had written a
series of pleading notes to prison officials. One read, “I assure you
that I am not a malingerer. I only want to be healthy again.”<br /><br />In
May 2013, the state paid $400,000 to settle a lawsuit over the death of
a 27-year-old prisoner at MCF-Rush City. Xavius Scullark-Johnson, a
schizophrenic, suffered at least seven seizures in his cell on June 28,
2010. Nurses and guards didn’t provide him with medical care for nearly
eight hours. According to documents obtained by the Star-Tribune,
Scullark-Johnson was found “soaked in urine on the floor of his cell”
and was “coiled in a fetal position and in an altered state of
consciousness that suggested he had suffered a seizure.” An ambulance
was called several hours later but a nurse at the prison turned it away,
apparently due to protocols to cut costs. Corizon settled the lawsuit
for an undisclosed sum in June 2013. See: Scullark v. Garin, U.S.D.C.
(D. Minn.), Case No. 0:12-cv-01505-RHK-FLN.<br /><br /><br /><b>Philadelphia, Pennsylvania</b><br /><br /><br />In
Philadelphia, Mayor Michael A. Nutter has been accused of being too
loyal to his campaign contributors, including Corizon. The company
donated $1,000 to Nutter’s 2012 campaign committee several months before
the city renewed Corizon’s contract to provide medical care to 9,000
prisoners in Philadelphia’s prison system. Further, PHS donated $5,000
to Nutter’s mayoral campaign in 2008.<br /><br />The contract renewal
would have been routine except for the fact that Corizon’s performance
in Philadelphia has been far from stellar. In July 2012 the company
agreed to pay the city $1.85 million following an investigation that
found Corizon was using a minority-owned subcontractor that did no work,
which was a sham to meet the city’s requirements for contracting with
minority-owned businesses.<br /><br />The renewed year-to-year Corizon
contract, worth $42 million, began in March 2013. Nutter’s
administration was accused of using the year-to-year arrangement to
avoid having the contract scrutinized by the city council; the city’s
Home Rule Charter requires all contracts of more than one year to be
reviewed by the council. Further infuriating opponents of the contract,
Corizon was not the lowest bidder. Correctional Medical Care (CMC), a
competitor, submitted a bid that would have cost the city $3.5 million
less per year than Corizon. Philadelphia Prison Commissioner Louis
Giorla defended the city’s decision to award the contract to Corizon at a
council hearing; however, he declined to answer questions as to why the
administration considered Corizon’s level of care to be superior to
that provided by CMC.<br /><br />Three union contracts with Corizon
covering 270 of the company’s workers in Philadelphia’s prison system
expired on November 26, 2013. Corizon demanded benefit cuts, including
changes in employee healthcare programs, to offset wage increases
promised under the company’s contract with the city. A strike was
averted in December 2013 when the mayor’s office intervened and both
sides reached a settlement. The Philadelphia Daily News reported that
the new union contracts provide wage increases but also include a
less-generous health insurance plan for Corizon employees.<br /><br />Since
1995, Corizon and its predecessor, PHS, have received $196 million in
city contracts. The company’s contract was terminated for several months
in 2002 as a result of complaints that a diabetic prisoner had died
after failing to receive insulin. The city renewed the contract anyway,
citing affordability and pledging increased oversight. The city’s law
department estimates that Philadelphia has paid over $1 million to
settle lawsuits involving claims of deficient prison healthcare; the
largest settlement to date is $300,000, paid to a prisoner who did not
receive eye surgery and is now partially blind.<br /><br />Based upon
the number of lawsuits filed against Corizon alleging inadequate medical
care, its use of a sham subcontractor and the company’s treatment of
its own employees, it appears that maintaining the status quo – not best
practices – may be the controlling factor in Philadelphia’s continued
relationship with Corizon.<br /><br /><br /><b>Allegheny County, Pennsylvania</b><br /><br />On
September 30, 2013, a prisoner jumped from the top tier of a pod at the
Allegheny County Jail. Following an investigation, authorities refused
to make public their findings and declined to disclose the prisoner’s
injuries, citing medical privacy laws. The prisoner, Milan Karan, 38,
was not transported to the hospital until the following day.<br /><br />A
spokesperson for Corizon, which provides medical care at the 2,500-bed
jail, defended the nearly 24-hour delay by noting the prisoner “was
under observation” before being sent to a hospital.<br /><br />In
December 2013, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported that Corizon was
having difficulty staffing the Allegheny County Jail. When the newspaper
requested a comment from Corizon vice president Lee Harrington,
Harrington claimed he had no knowledge of staffing problems – despite
having previously received emails from the facility’s warden about that
exact issue.<br /><br />The staffing problems resulted in prisoners not
receiving their medication in a timely manner. In emails obtained by the
Post-Gazette, Warden Orlando Harper wrote to Harrington in October
2013, noting, “We are continuing to experience issues pertaining to the
following: 1. Staffing, 2. Medication distribution.” Also, on November
17, 2013, Deputy Warden Monica Long sent an email to Corizon and jail
staff. “I was just informed by the Captain on shift, the majority of the
jail has not received medication AT ALL,” she stated, adding, “Staffing
is at a crisis.”<br /><br />That crisis had been ongoing since Corizon
assumed the medical services contract at the facility on September 1,
2013. Before the $62.55 million, five-year contract was awarded, Corizon
vice president Mary Silva wrote in an email that it was imperative the
jail have “adequate staffing on ALL shifts.” That promise was made
despite Corizon laying off many of the former employees of Allegheny
Correctional Health Services, the jail’s previous healthcare provider.<br /><br />Allegheny
Correctional had provided four full-time and one part-time physician
during its contract tenure. Corizon reduced the number of doctors to one
full-time and one part-time physician. Allegheny Correctional also
employed three psychiatrists and one psychologist. Corizon’s contract
requires that it provide one full-time psychiatrist and a part-time
psychologist.<br /><br />In January 2014, the United Steelworkers union
(USW) filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board to
unionize Corizon employees at the Allegheny County Jail, including nurse
practitioners, RNs, physician assistants and psychiatric nurses. USW
representative Randa Ruge indicated that the Corizon workers had
approached the union for representation due to intolerable working
conditions.<br /><br />“Our folks [Corizon employees] are in danger of
losing their licenses to practice by some of the things that the company
has them doing,” she said. Ruge told the Post-Gazette that the jail had
run out of insulin for more than a week and Corizon supervisors had
“countermanded doctors’ orders.”<br /><br />Several weeks after the USW
filed the labor petition, a Catholic nun who worked as an RN at the jail
was fired by Corizon, allegedly for union organizing activities. Sister
Barbara Finch was dismissed after she openly expressed concerns about
staffing, patient care and safety at the facility. The USW filed an
unfair labor complaint against Corizon regarding Finch’s dismissal,
claiming she was terminated in retaliation for her union activities.<br /><br />“This
is a clear case of intimidation and union-busting at its worst,” said
USW President Leo W. Gerard. “Sister Barbara has been an outspoken
advocate of change for these courageous workers and their patients, and
this kind of illegal and unjust action, unfortunately, is par for the
course with Corizon.”<br /><br />On February 14, 2014, Corizon employees
at the Allegheny County Jail voted overwhelmingly to unionize. “The
next step is getting to the bargaining table and getting Corizon to
bargain in good faith and get some changes made in the health system at
the jail,” said Ruge.<br /><br />The previous week, Allegheny County
Controller Chelsa Wagner stated she had “grave and serious concerns”
about medical care at the facility, including issues related to staffing
and treatment for prisoners with certain mental health conditions. “I
regard the current situation as intolerable and outrageous, and I fully
expect necessary changes to be urgently implemented,” she wrote in a
letter to Corizon.<br /><br /><br /><b>Polk County, Iowa</b><br /><br />On August 29,
2013, Ieasha Lenise Meyers, incarcerated at the jail in Polk County,
Iowa on a probation violation, gave birth on a mattress on the floor of
her cell. Her cellmates assisted with the delivery. Earlier, when
Meyers, 25, had complained of contractions, a Corizon nurse called an
offsite medical supervisor and was told to monitor the contractions and
check for water breaking.<br /><br />Despite Meyers having been twice
sent to a hospital earlier the same day, and pleading that she was about
to give birth, the nurse did rounds in other parts of the jail. Guards
reportedly did not check on Meyers as required, even though the birth
could be seen on a nearby security monitor. Only after the baby was born
was medical care provided. Sheriff Bill McCarthy defended the actions
of jail staff.<br /><br /><b>Corizon Employee Misconduct</b><br /><br />Like
most private contractors that provide prison-related services, Corizon
tends to cut costs in terms of staffing and operational expenses. As
noted above, this includes paying lower wages, providing fewer or
inferior benefits and hiring less qualified workers who can be paid
less. Sometimes, however, these practices result in employees more like
to engage in misconduct.<br /><br />At the Pendleton Correctional
Facility in Indiana, a Corizon nurse was arrested and charged with
sexual misconduct, a Class C felony. The Herald Bulletin reported that
in April 2013, when Colette Ficklin was working as a contract nurse for
Corizon, she convinced a prisoner to fake chest pains so they could be
alone in an exam room. A guard told internal affairs officers that she
witnessed Ficklin and the prisoner engaging in sex acts in the prison’s
infirmary. [See: PLN, Sept. 2013, p.17].<br /><br />In March 2013 at the
Indiana State Prison in Michigan City, a Corizon practical nurse was
charged with drug trafficking and possession with intent to distribute.
Phyllis Ungerank, 41, was arrested and booked into the LaPort County
Jail after attempting to smuggle marijuana into the facility. [See: PLN,
July 2012, p.50].<br /><br />A Corizon nurse at the Volusia County
Branch Jail in Daytona Beach, Florida was fired after officials learned
she was having sex with and giving money to a prisoner. Valerie
Konieczny was terminated on December 18, 2012 when the jail was
contacted by the brother of prisoner Randy Joe Schimp, who had written
in a letter that a nurse was having sex with him and depositing money
into his jail account. Investigators determined that Konieczny was the
nurse who had sex with Schimp at both the Volusia County facility and
another branch jail in 2011.<br /><br /><br />In New Mexico, Corizon physician
Mark Walden was accused of fondling prisoners’ genitals and performing
prostrate exams that were “excessive and inappropriate in terms of
length and method.” At times, Walden reportedly did not wear gloves
during the prostate exams. He was accused of sexually abusing 25 or more
male prisoners while employed as a doctor at two privately-operated
facilities, the Guadalupe County Correctional Facility in Santa Rosa and
Northeast New Mexico Detention Facility in Clayton.<br /><br /><br />Lawsuits
were filed against Walden, Corizon and private prison operator GEO
Group, and Walden’s medical license was suspended in December 2013. The
suits claim that Corizon allowed Dr. Walden to work at the Clayton
prison “despite knowing of the risk of sexual abuse and having the
ability to know that [he] was repeatedly sexually abusing patients” at
the Santa Rosa facility. [See: PLN, Sept. 2013, p.47].<br /><br /><br /><b>The Privatization Model</b><br /><br /><br />Economics
professors Kelly Bedard and H.E Frech III at the University of
California at Santa Barbara examined the privatization of correctional
medical services in their research study, “Prison Health Care: Is
Contracting Out Healthy?,” published in Health Economics in November
2009.<br /><br /><br />They concluded: “We find no evidence to support the
positive rhetoric regarding the impact of prison health care contracting
out on inmate health, at least as measured by mortality. Our findings
of higher inmate mortality rates under contracting out are more
consistent with recent editorials raising concerns about this method of
delivering health care to inmates.”<br /><br /><br />Today, five years after
the Bedard-Frech report was published, it has the benefit of hindsight.
Since the report was written, its findings and conclusions have been
reaffirmed in prisons and jails across the nation that have contracted
with private companies to provide medical care to prisoners. Cost
reductions in the provision of correctional healthcare tend to result in
greater inefficiencies that lead to poorer outcomes. Consequently,
for-profit medical contractors may actually be increasing morbidity and
mortality in prison and jail populations.<br /><br /><br />Many governmental
entities are willing to outsource correctional healthcare to private
companies; reasons for doing so include cutting costs, risk management
and removing healthcare duties from corrections departments. If
Corizon’s record with respect to providing medical care to prisoners
seems dismal, the company can always defend its actions by stating it
does what it has been hired to do: Cut costs for its customers. And
those costs have been rising due to an increasingly aging, and thus
medically-needy, prison population. [See: PLN, Nov. 2012, p.22; Dec.
2010, p.1].<br /><br /><br />With respect to risk management, litigation is
not a compelling issue within the prison healthcare industry and Corizon
views lawsuits as simply a cost of doing business. “We get sued a lot,
but 95% or 97% of cases were self-represented cases,” ex-CEO Rich
Hallworth was quoted in an August 2013 article. He added that most
lawsuits settle for an average of less than $50. Of course it is
difficult for prisoners to obtain representation to pursue litigation –
unless it’s a wrongful death case, and then usually their family or
estate is doing the suing.<br /><br /><br />Nor are the public agencies that
contract with private medical providers greatly concerned about their
litigation records. In fact, when Florida contracted with Corizon and
Wexford Health Sources to provide medical care for the state’s entire
prison system, the Florida Department of Corrections didn’t ask the
companies about their litigation histories – such as lawsuits raising
claims of deliberate indifference, negligence and medical malpractice.<br /><br /><br />“What
really troubles me about this is the fact that the department didn’t
ask these very basic, elemental questions any system would ask,”
observed ACLU National Prison Project staff attorney Eric Balaban.
“These two vendors were taking over Florida’s massive health care system
and you’d think they would have asked hard questions to determine if
these companies can provide these services within constitutional
requirements.”<br /><br /><br />Even worse, the downgrading of Corizon’s debt
rating by Moody’s in 2013 creates a potential problem for the company’s
service delivery model. The majority of Corizon’s revenue is derived
from contracts with state and local agencies that are trying to reduce
their budgetary expenses. Given those fiscal pressures and competition
from Wexford, Armor, Centurion and other prison healthcare companies,
Corizon cannot easily increase its revenue through contractual price
increases. But the company’s expenses are largely within its control.<br /><br /><br />Unfortunately
for prisoners, in order to reduce costs Corizon will likely have to
curtail the quality or quantity of healthcare services it provides. As
noted above, this can be done by reducing employee wages or benefits;
the company can also cut costs through understaffing and by limiting
prescription medications or providing fewer referrals to hospitals and
specialists. A growing trend is to use off-site medical staff who
consult with prisoners through telemedicine. [See: PLN, Dec. 2013,
p.34].<br /><br /><br />The correctional healthcare industry, comprised of
only a few large companies, is highly competitive. When one company
loses a contract, another is more than willing to step in and submit a
bid. What really matters for most government agencies and policymakers
is the bottom line cost.<br /><br /><br />According to Dr. Marc Stern, the
court-appointed special master in Idaho, “whoever delivers prison
healthcare is doing it on less than adequate funding because that’s how
much municipalities, state legislatures and county commissions are
allocating.” He noted that privatization can be good in some cases and
bad in others, depending on the level of oversight by the contracting
public agency.<br /><br />When Corizon compromises medical care to save
money, such as curtailing the use of ambulances for emergency
transports, reducing the number of on-site doctors or sending fewer
prisoners to outside hospitals for needed treatment, government
officials typically fail to take corrective action and deny
responsibility for the resultant deaths and injuries. Indeed, as with
the Idaho Department of Corrections and LMC in Kentucky, they sometimes
want to reward the company with renewed contracts.<br /><br />Why? Because
continuity maintains cost control, which is the driving force behind
privatization of prison and jail medical services.<br /><br /><br /><b>Conclusion</b><br /><br />The
intent of this article was to review Corizon’s performance and
practices based on publicly-available information, including news
reports and court records. Although the company was formed in June 2011,
its two predecessor firms, PHS and CMS, littered the news and judicial
dockets over the years with lawsuits and articles involving cases of
inadequate healthcare. Thus, the sins of Corizon’s parents, CMS and PHS,
are forever linked with the progeny of their merger.<br /><br />Such past
misdeeds could be explained away had Corizon adopted a new, post-merger
culture that was removed from prior practices under PHS and CMS.
However, many of Corizon’s mid-level and top executives – including
ex-CEO Rich Hallworth, former president Stuart Campbell, chairman
Richard H. Miles and a number of vice presidents – were previously
executives with PHS or CMS. It was during their tenure at those
companies that numerous cases involving deficient medical care occurred.<br /><br />The
corporate culture of Corizon, as well as its business model, appears to
be largely the same as those of its predecessors. Therefore, the only
thing that may have changed as a result of the merger that created
Corizon is the company’s name.<br /><br />Gregory Dober is a freelance
writer in healthcare and ethics. He has been a contributing writer for
PLN since 2007 and co-authored Against Their Will: The Secret History of
Medical Experimentation on Children in Cold War America, published by
Palgrave in 2013. [See: PLN, Nov. 2013, p.36].<br /><br /><b>Sources:</b> Bloomberg
News, Forbes, www.businessweek.com, Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia
Daily News, The American Independent, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, St.
Louis Business Journal, www.browardbulldog.org, Miami Herald, WHAS-TV,
The Tennessean, Courier-Journal, Idaho Business Review, Associated
Press, The Arizona Republic, Maine Public Broadcasting Network, Bangor
Daily News, WANE-TV, Raton Range, Des Moines Register, Star-Tribune, The
Nation, The Florida Current, www.usw.org, KPHO-TV, WANE-TV, Tucson
Citizen, WCAV-TV, www.wdrb.com, www.modernhealthcare.com, www.cochs.org,
www.wndu.com, www.afsc.org, www.americanownews.com
Margaret Jean Plewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17604426254894186183noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1488330040445701465.post-32771420640801564902014-06-21T19:15:00.001-07:002014-06-21T19:15:05.921-07:00ASPC-Eyman's TSU break bones, spew hate speech at Cook prisoners.<br />
<br />
<div class="post-header">
</div>
<br />
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The
excerpt from the email below comes from a family member of a prisoner
at ASPC-Eyman/Cook Unit, which recently experienced an excessively
violent shake-down by the troubled Tactical Support Unit (TSU).</span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></i>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw2UM-jy0VoMn_xaMzCpF17myhOLapF0qhqBkBLcKsEyeHdaqynv4EG74T5z1aXNuO9S_as5G5r0-sCyyUH9cm4buYocCTZDQ8ApTqXb_oDJR2LGpDjkQU_zZnDKcPHcd0zdVSKd2Q9cE3/s1600/ron_credio.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw2UM-jy0VoMn_xaMzCpF17myhOLapF0qhqBkBLcKsEyeHdaqynv4EG74T5z1aXNuO9S_as5G5r0-sCyyUH9cm4buYocCTZDQ8ApTqXb_oDJR2LGpDjkQU_zZnDKcPHcd0zdVSKd2Q9cE3/s1600/ron_credio.jpg" width="160" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b> </b></span></span><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Apparently <b><a href="http://www.azcorrections.gov/prisons//Jeff_Eyman.aspx">Eyman</a></b> Warden Ron Credio and his brave and noble Tactical Support Unit didn't see my <b><a href="http://www.arizonaprisonwatch.org/2014/06/cowardice-at-aspc-eyman-tsu-officers.html">blog post about how disgraceful this kind of conduct is</a></b> from last week. Or maybe they did, and that's what set them off on Cook. Or perhaps they're just </span></i><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">jacked up on steroids or meth.</span></i><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
In any case, they're still behaving like bullies and cowards, as
evidenced by this most recent assault on prisoners - about 100 were
hurt, according to this source. </span></i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span></i><br /></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">This
is so unacceptable - but clearly it's the way Ryan likes his prisons to
be run. That, or the TSU at Eyman is just running amok - in which
case, Credio has lost all control out there.</span></i></span><br /> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b> </b></span></span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Really now - how much <b><a href="http://www.azcorrections.gov/adc/news/2014/060314_ASPC_EYMAN_GANG_INVESTIGATORS_COURAGE_AWARD.pdf">courage</a></b>
and skill does it take to beat up a bunch of helpless prisoners (probably stripped to their
boxer shorts) while you possess the sole authority to use violence, are
decked out in body armor, and are wielding canisters of pepper spray? </span></i><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">And
who are all these criminals supposed to learn non-violent conflict resolution
skills from when the officers act out like this all the time, anyway?</span></i><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> </span></i><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> </span></i></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">"My (loved one) is on the Cook unit in Florence's Eyman complex. Earlier this week--<span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1511168598" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Tuesday</span></span>,
I think--about 10 TSU officers came onto the yard and terrorized the
inmates, seemingly randomly. <span style="color: red;"><b>They broke one man's arm, smashed another's
guy's face in, broke someone's finger, did violence on a guy with a
prosthetic leg, etc.</b></span> They slammed my loved one onto the concrete and
gravel several times on his knees and hog-tied him and kept him
face down </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">in</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> the dirt like that for an hour. <span style="color: red;"><b>They called him faggot, and
much worse.</b></span> They randomly took people's property, too. For instance,
they smashed around his TV, then took it, his calculator, and other
items.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">My loved one said family members have complained to the warden. I'd like
to be connected to some of those folks so I could add my voice. Have you
heard about what happened, or do you happen to know where online I find
more info?"</span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span></i></span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">If
there are other families out there from Cook Unit, please contact me so
I can put you all in touch with each other. I'd also appreciate as many
accounts of this incident as possible so I can add it to my DOJ
complaint about the <b><a href="http://www.arizonaprisonwatch.org/2014/06/cowardice-at-aspc-eyman-tsu-officers.html">incident on Meadows - especially in light of the <span style="color: red;">hate speech</span> used, </a><a href="http://www.arizonaprisonwatch.org/2014/06/cowardice-at-aspc-eyman-tsu-officers.html">yet again</a>. </b></span></i><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Peggy Plews </span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">PO Box 20494 </span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">PHX AZ 85036 </span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: blue;"><u>arizonaprisonwatch@gmail.com </u></span></span></i></div>
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></i>Margaret Jean Plewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17604426254894186183noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1488330040445701465.post-18331295664069300632014-06-21T19:11:00.003-07:002014-06-21T19:11:41.657-07:00ASPC-Eyman/Meadows: DOC minimizes stabbing, rape of teacher, and duty to protect staff. <h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name">
</h3>
<div class="post-header">
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">What happened </span></i><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">to
this teacher at Eyman a few months back seems highly avoidable, but it
was also quite predictable. In fact, I wonder why it didn't happen
sooner. </span></i><br />
<br />
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">DOC staff and contract workers
have been saying that they aren't getting what they need to do their
jobs safely for a long time. Here's <b><a href="http://www.prisonabolitionist.com/2010/11/brewer-please-sack-chuck-ryan.html">one officers' union's 2011 letter of no confidence in Charles Ryan's leadership</a></b>...sadly, though, Jan still stands by her man. The
folks at<b><a href="http://www.arizonaprisonwatch.org/2014/02/suing-az-doc-judicial-watch-arizona.html"> Judicial Watch are also investigating the high incidence of staff assaults</a></b>
at the AZ DOC after receiving complaints from the unions about the
failure of the DOC to curb the violence or improve basic security measures. </span></i><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> </span></i><br />
<br />
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Moreover, the AZ DOC isn't
ever able to substantiate rape when it happens to prisoners, so they
don't have a lot of good experience preventing rape or helping the
victims of sexual assault. In fact, they tend to blame them and do
everything they can to punish and muzzle them if they try to hold
administration responsible for their negligence. It's no wonder that they're trying to do that here, too.</span></i><br />
<br />
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">The
consequences of a politic which prioritizes the rights of corporations to profit over basic human rights end up being felt
not only by prisoners, but by staff and community members as well, as this poor teacher found out.</span></i><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> The
misogyny and patriarchy pervasive throughout the department produced the typical administrative response to this woman's rape </span></i><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> - which is to deny and dismiss any responsibility the AZ DOC had to keeping her safer than they did.</span></i><br />
<br />
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">This
all really makes you wonder where the 1 $billion AZ DOC budget is going
to if these prisons are always short-staffed and prisoners are going
hungry, never getting the medical care they need, being taken off their
psychiatric meds and buried in isolation cells instead</span>,<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">
living in condemned facilities, and not being provided with meaningful
employment or rehabilitation opportunities - in fact, only 4% can access
any kind of substance abuse treatment in the course of a year.</span></i><br />
<br />
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Despite
claiming to have too few resources to invest in crime-reduction and
prevention strategies that work, like addictions treatment often does,
the </span></i><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">incarceration </span></i><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">industry is making a killing off charging the state a fortune for feeding prisoners
things not meant for human consumption, denying critical health care to
the seriously ill, under-staffing essential medical and security
positions, obstructing efforts by prisoners to grieve or sue, and simply
warehousing people in the least-constitutional settings and
circumstances they can get away with...and the DOC enables it all... </span></i><br />
<br />
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span></i><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> ----------------------</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<h1 id="a-header" itemprop="headline">
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/news/crime/teacher-left-sex-offender-arizona-prison-stabbed-raped-report-article-1.1835720"><span>Teacher left alone with sex offender at Arizona prison before she’s stabbed, raped: report </span></a></span></h1>
<i> </i>
<h2 id="a-subheader" itemprop="alternativeHeadline">
<i><span style="font-weight: normal;"></span></i></h2>
<div id="a-credits">
<b>New York Daily News </b></div>
<div content="2014-06-19T07:47:12" id="a-date-published">
<b>Thursday, June 19, 2014, 7:47 AM</b></div>
<br />
<b>THE ASSOCIATED PRESS</b><br />
<br />
PHOENIX — A teacher at an Arizona prison was alone in a room full of
sex offenders before being stabbed and sexually assaulted by a convicted
rapist, according to documents obtained by The Associated Press about
an attack that highlighted major security lapses at the facility.<br />
<br />
The attack occurred Jan. 30 at the Eyman prison’s Meadows Unit, which
houses about 1,300 rapists, child molesters and other sex offenders. The
teacher was administering a high school equivalency test to about a
half-dozen inmates in a classroom with no guard nearby and only a radio
to summon help. The Department of Corrections issued only a bare-bones
press release after the attack, but the AP pieced together what happened
based on interviews and investigatory reports obtained under the
Arizona Public Records Act.<br />
<br />
After the last of the other inmates left, Jacob Harvey asked the
teacher if she could open the bathroom and then attacked her, records
show. Harvey is accused of stabbing her in the head with a pen, forcing
her to the ground and raping her.<br />
<br />
The teacher told investigators that she screamed for help, but none
came. Afterward, Harvey tried to use her radio to call for help. It had
apparently been changed to a channel the unit’s guards didn’t use, so
Harvey let the woman use a phone, according to the reports.<br />
<br />
Carl ToersBijns, a former deputy warden at the prison, said the assault
highlights chronic understaffing and lax security policies that put
staff members at risk.<br />
<br />
“Here you’ve got a guy that commits a hell of a crime ... and he’s put
into an environment that actually gives him an opportunity to do his
criminality because of a lack of staffing,” said ToersBijns, who was
deputy warden at the Eyman prison in Florence until retiring in 2010 and
oversaw the Meadows Unit for 19 months.<br />
State prison officials, however, dismiss the concerns. They say the
assault at the prison about 60 miles southeast of Phoenix is a risk that
comes with the job of overseeing violent prison inmates.<br />
<br />
Harvey was in the first year of a 30-year sentence for raping a
Glendale woman in November 2011. Just 17 at the time, he had knocked on
the woman’s door in the middle of the day, asked for a drink of water,
then forced his way inside, where he repeatedly raped and beat her while
her 2-year-old child was in the apartment. He fled naked when the
woman’s roommate arrived home.<br />
<br />
He was arrested after DNA evidence connected him to the crime, and he pleaded guilty.<br />
<br />
Harvey was initially classified as a “Class 4” security risk, one notch
lower than the highest level. Six months later, despite violating
prison rules at least once, he was reclassified at a lower level.<br />
<br />
Department of Corrections spokesman Doug Nick said classrooms at
prisons across the state are having cameras installed.<b> But he said no
administrative investigation was launched because there was no need, and
no one was disciplined. He said all prisons are dangerous places and
staff are trained accordingly.</b><br />
<br />
“This is an assault that reflects the fact that inmates in our system
often act out violently, and it is the inmate suspect who is responsible
for this despicable act,” he said.<br />
<br />
Nick also said that not having a guard in classrooms or nearby “follows accepted corrections practices nationwide.”<br />
<br />
That’s not the case, said Carolyn Eggleston, a professor at California
State University, San Bernardino, who started her career as a prison
teacher in several states and now is director of the university’s
Correctional and Alternative Education Program.<br />
<br />
“I have to say, I don’t find that consistent with standards,” Eggleston
said. “In a sex offender unit, especially, they should be counting the
people leaving the classroom. They just should. And there should be
somebody, not in the class ... but there should be somebody in proximity
so they can help monitor that.”<br />
<br />
The woman, who was not critically injured, has filed a worker’s
compensation claim against the state and did not want to comment on
case. The AP does not usually identify sexual assault victims.<br />
<br />
Internal emails obtained by the AP show that prisons Director Charles
Ryan ordered all non-corrections officer staff at prisons statewide to
be issued pepper spray and trained in its use just days after the
attack. And an internal memo sent the day after the assault ordered
guards at a nearby prison to begin checking on civilian staff every
hour.<br />
<br />
Nick said the pepper-spray order was in the works before the assault.
And he said that, despite the internal memo from a major that ordered
hourly checks, the actual practice is unpredictable and more frequent,
with staggered checks three times an hour.<br />
<br />
ToersBijns, who is an advocate for prison safety and believes
understaffing has put state prison staff at risk, said multiple errors
likely led to the assault, including not having video cameras in the
classroom, a lack of checks on civilian staff and use of an outdated
classification system for inmates that led to a violent predator being
misidentified as a relatively low-level threat.<br />
<br />
After the attack, Harvey was calm when confronted in the classroom,
refused to talk to investigators and asked for a lawyer. He was charged
last month with sexual assault, kidnapping and assault with a deadly
weapon. A public defender was appointed, and he pleaded not guilty at
his arraignment. The public defender assigned to his case, Paula Cook,
declined to comment.<br />
<br />
Harvey was convicted in a prison administrative hearing of sexually
assaulting the staff member. Three weeks after the rape, he assaulted
another prison employee, although records don’t show any details. His
security classification was raised two levels, to the highest, nearly
three months after the teacher was assaulted.Margaret Jean Plewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17604426254894186183noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1488330040445701465.post-28160432533682355012014-06-11T10:35:00.000-07:002014-06-26T18:26:28.479-07:00AZ state prisoners and activists call for DOJ Investigation into rape and gang violence in AZ DOC.<div style="text-align: left;">
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">(EDITED to remove sensitive information on June 26, 2014) </span></i><br />
<br />
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">NOTE: This is my response to reading <b><a href="http://www.arizonaprisonwatch.org/2014/06/jan-brewer-to-ag-holder-on-prea.html">Jan Brewer's May 1, 2014 letter to US Attorney General Eric Holder</a></b> about Arizona's decision to refuse to comply with the Prison Rape Elimination Act. I actually finished and sent this on June 9, also posting it to the <b><a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/06/09/1305683/-Arizona-prisoners-and-activists-call-for-DOJ-Investigation-into-rape-and-gang-violence-in-AZ-DOC">Daily Kos</a></b>. </span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I encourage all prisoners, former prisoners, and families of those presently in the custody of the AZ Department of Corrections to contact Attorney General Holder, as well, with your personal stories related to your safety or that of a loved one in prison. <u>Now</u> is the time to strike - the feds need to be dragged into this by more than just me. </span></i><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">They
need to hear all of you calling them out to take some responsibility
for neglecting this mess. It's not like this is the first time they have
heard from me, anyway...</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Please send me a copy of what you write so I can post it here, too.</span></i><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">---------------- </span></i><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #cccccc;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 11px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">chalk art on sidewalk: margaret jean plews</span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #cccccc;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 11px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">photograph: PJ Starr (phoenix 2011)</span></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: right;">
<a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/gnS3tyJsiyP4rs1Td4R_Yhewyku3Vr_yHt-8-Axa8uHUfpOvUDANbI55PgG4JemQPBTeZyBRMT-bJMnd8_qRqUQVQMCQcQ2VVub1L4RwtFtmg9Wvtf8XgFSLhLxk3KuQTQ" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="FreeMarciaPowellchalk3small.jpg" border="0" height="202px;" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/gnS3tyJsiyP4rs1Td4R_Yhewyku3Vr_yHt-8-Axa8uHUfpOvUDANbI55PgG4JemQPBTeZyBRMT-bJMnd8_qRqUQVQMCQcQ2VVub1L4RwtFtmg9Wvtf8XgFSLhLxk3KuQTQ" style="border: medium none; transform: rotate(0rad);" width="279px;" /></a><span style="color: #cccccc;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Margaret Jean Plews</span></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: right;">
<span style="color: #cccccc;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://arizonaprisonwatch.org/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">ARIZONAPRISONWATCH.ORG</span></a></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.15; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: right;">
<span style="color: #cccccc;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">PO Box 20494</span></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: right;">
<span style="color: #cccccc;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Phoenix, AZ 85036</span></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: right;">
<span style="color: #cccccc;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">480-580-6807</span></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #cccccc;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">"Our
strategy should be not only to confront empire, but to lay siege to it.
To deprive it of oxygen. To shame it. To mock it. With our art, our
music, our literature, our stubbornness, our joy, our brilliance, our
sheer relentlessness, and our ability to tell our own stories..."</span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: #cccccc;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: right;">
<span style="color: #cccccc;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Georgia; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">- Arundhati Roy</span></span></span></div>
<br />
June 7, 2014<br />
<br />
The Honorable Eric H. Holder, Jr.<br />
Attorney General, US Department of Justice<br />
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW<br />
Washington, DC 20530-0001<br />
<br />
Dear Attorney General Holder;<br />
<br />
I am writing to provide a citizen’s rebuttal of <a href="http://www.arizonaprisonwatch.org/2014/06/jan-brewer-to-ag-holder-on-prea.html">Governor Jan Brewer’s statements of May 1, 2014 in her letter to you regarding the Prison Rape Elimination Act</a>,
which grossly misrepresented conditions in the state prison system
during her reign. I am also intending this letter to serve as a formal
request for a CRIPA Investigation into the pervasive patterns and
practices at the Arizona Department of Corrections that place prisoners
at exceptionally high risk for sexual victimization and complications
from unresolved trauma, especially women, the mentally and
otherwise-impaired, and LGBT prisoners.<br />
<br />
I am emailing this letter with relevant links embedded, but will also
be snail- mailing a copy to you with supporting documents (as well as
some of my artwork, memorializing the ghosts of Jan Brewer and Chuck
Ryan).<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
By way of introduction, I am the author/editor of the blog <a href="http://arizonaprisonwatch.org/">ARIZONAPRISONWATCH.ORG</a>, which I began writing five years ago after the <a href="http://freemarciapowell.blogspot.com/">death of prisoner Marcia Powell</a>
revealed disturbing practices and attitudes at the Arizona Department
of Corrections. My particular concern was the mentally ill women at
ASPC-Perryville, at first. I recognized in Marcia’s life story the same
elements of the numerous women I had come to know and love in my <a href="http://aaobserver.aadl.org/aaobserver/36212">many years working with people who were trying to survive while homeless, addicted and severely mentally ill in Ann Arbor</a>.
I also identified with her - I myself am a recovering alcoholic and
addict, and could have landed in prison under draconian drug war and
repeat-offender sentencing had I been caught at any number of things
earlier in my life, especially if it was in Arizona (what but a “repeat
offender” is an addict, anyway?). I also have bi-polar disorder and a
bad attitude when it comes to authority, and could have easily been in
Marcia’s cage that day myself.<br />
<br />
If you are unfamiliar with the case, Marcia was doing 27 months for a
$20 blow job she agreed to give an undercover Phoenix cop one fateful
day, and died in a cage in the Arizona sun in May of 2009, at
ASPC-Perryville. That was after an extended “suicide watch” in the 107
degree heat, during which time a prisoner is supposed to be checked on
every 10 minutes. After ignoring Marcia’s pleas for relief for four
hours (one guard walked away offering no aid knowing she had even
defecated on herself) - officers eventually noticed she had collapsed
from the elements with second degree burns on her body and her organs
failing; her core temperature at the hospital still exceeded the ability
of thermometers to read it, which only went as high as 108 degrees. Not
realizing she had a legal guardian and an adoptive mother, Ryan pulled
the plug on her life support before the stroke of midnight - she died
shortly thereafter.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy5UzZ9rzBddzHZFyyZE4ogXfw_-nwT95qj-aRin_uJQQdMvh3P4LYDaZ3w9LC2HNfYIEaqt6g0IGmxI-pXxdNScnpRGSGLMOR8Tl8Nhj0LWDXtBjo0z5yK-aevOQGkiCzE1AQOrGC8U-E/s1600/DOCstopkilling.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy5UzZ9rzBddzHZFyyZE4ogXfw_-nwT95qj-aRin_uJQQdMvh3P4LYDaZ3w9LC2HNfYIEaqt6g0IGmxI-pXxdNScnpRGSGLMOR8Tl8Nhj0LWDXtBjo0z5yK-aevOQGkiCzE1AQOrGC8U-E/s1600/DOCstopkilling.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: x-small;"> chalk art by margaret j plews photo by PJ Starr</span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>AZ DOC Central Office, Phoenix </b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>(Thanksgiving 2011)</b></span></div>
<br />
DOC officers never expected that Marcia Powell would die out there because <a href="http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/2009/09/25/20090925powell0925.html">they had just left another woman in that cage for 20 hours 3 days earlier</a>,
and she didn’t die. See, Marcia’s death was horrific, but it’s not
really shocking that it happened - the only wonder was that the DOC got
away with punishing prisoners in the heat that way for so long.<br />
<br />
That was less than five months into Charles Ryan’s tenure as Interim
Director at the Arizona Department of Corrections, but he had begun
disassembling the more rehabilitative and empowering programs his
predecessor had implemented and imposing new policies immediately upon
taking office. A former DW of Ryan’s <a href="https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B8WlYFefqjc5a2g5M0t4ejIyMDQ/edit">alleged to the AZ Attorney General</a>
that the change the new director made about how to house cellies
resulted in at least two homicides within the first 18 months of his
rise to power there. But Ryan had moved up through the ranks under the
more brutal directors whose bullying style of management he appears to
have emulated, and thus played a large role for decades in cultivating
the policies and ethos at the AZ DOC that are so deeply hostile towards
prisoners who exercise their right to not be subjected to cruel and
unusual punishment. That tendency to resolve issues with violence or the
threat of it trickles down from admin to officers to prisoner, and
eventually ignites the flames that can bring a prison to its knees.<br />
<br />
The good governor talked about Arizona’s “long traditions” of
protecting citizens in custody - wow, is she out of touch. She hasn’t
read Prof. Mona Lynch’s “<a href="http://www.sup.org/book.cgi?id=17521">SUNBELT JUSTICE</a>”
yet, about the trailblazing role the state has played in implementing
draconian sentencing and correctional practices over the past 3 decades -
the increase in criminalization for politics and profit that the rest
of the country has seen the folly of and begun to abandon.<br />
<br />
Its actually because of this state’s long tradition of depriving
prisoners both of their rights as well as the most basic tools they need
in order to fight for them that the AZ DOC is in such shameful
condition now. Arizona’s <a href="http://www.arizonaprisonwatch.org/2013/04/the-ghosts-of-jan-brewer-crime-victims.html">1990 constitutional amendment excluding prisoners from the definition of crime victim</a> (and related rights and resources), the <a href="http://www.law.cornell.edu/supct/html/94-1511.ZO.html">Lewis v Casey</a> decision in 1996 eliminating the right of prisoners to access a law library among other things, and the Clinton-era <a href="http://www.law.yale.edu/documents/pdf/Boston_PLRA_Treatise.pdf">Prison Litigation Reform Act</a> (<a href="http://www.lawcourts.org/LPBR/reviews/lynch1209.htm">heavily lobbied for by then DOC Director Terry Stewart</a>) were collectively devastating.<br />
<br />
I have volumes of letters that will lead you to both victims and
perpetrators of countless civil rights abuses precisely because the
grievance procedure on most yards is a sham and the <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8WlYFefqjc5bE02eC1WZGJtckU/edit?usp=sharing">DOC obstructs efforts by prisoners to file suit by creating obstacles</a> - especially for illiterate, Spanish-speaking, and mentally ill or developmentally disabled prisoners. In fact, the DOC has <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8WlYFefqjc5TjdHY0JKZTRjUlE/edit?usp=sharing">NO POLICIES translated into Spanish</a>,
despite nearly 20% of their population being foreign nationals, mostly
from Spanish-speaking countries. I’ve been recruiting people to do the
translations myself, as this is not a concern of the DOC’s so long as no
Spanish-speaking prisoners grieve the lack of Spanish-language
policies.<br />
<br />
This means that Spanish-speaking prisoners (and other
non-English-speakers) apparently need to rely on the skills of untrained
staff and fellow prisoners who happen to speak some dialect of Spanish
when they need to <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8WlYFefqjc5aFo0RXE4YWRPcjA/edit?usp=sharing">speak to medical</a>, for example, or appeal a disciplinary action, or grieve their housing assignment. Most just suffer their time in silence.<br />
<br />
If prisoners could fight abuse and neglect more effectively
themselves, the DOJ and ACLU wouldn’t have to do it for them, and you
know it as well as I do, Mr Holder. So does the AZ DOC - they put an
extraordinary amount of energy into preventing prisoners from learning
to articulate their grievances and use persuasion, negotiation and civil
law to effectively change their world. There’s a <a href="http://www.prisoncensorship.info/art/AZpetition3.pdf">prisoner petition</a>,
of sorts, going around that expresses well the barriers they encounter
on their way to the courts while trying to exhaust administrative
remedies, and offers some proposed solutions, as I recall. It is worth a
look by your people.<br />
<br />
As a result of a disempowered prisoner population (and, some argue, extremely weak correctional officers unions in AZ), the <a href="http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2010/01/17/20100117prisonfire0117.html">state prisons are fire traps</a>, and prisoners often complain they are in <a href="http://www.arizonaprisonwatch.org/2010/09/aspc-perryville-urgent-re-conditions-of.html">decaying facilities with mold growing freely in corners</a>, rats and roaches competing for space with the people, <a href="http://azprisonsurvivors.blogspot.com/2013/02/suing-arizona-parsons-v-ryan-should-be.html">feces and blood smeared on the wall in suicide watch cells</a>,
inoperable hot water heaters in the winter and non-existent air
conditioning in the summer, and scarcely enough food in the sack-lunch
“sedentary diets” given to those in detention, administrative
segregation and maximum security to keep them from starving to death.
More prisoners are fleeing the violence on the yards than are being
punished for perpetrating it.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
AZ DOC’s medical and psychiatric care is not just deplorable in its
negligence, it’s outright abusive, and the DOC has as much to do with
that as any of the other parties involved: <a href="http://azprisonsurvivors.blogspot.com/2013/02/suing-arizona-parsons-v-ryan-should-be.html">Parsons v Ryan</a> was filed
before the system was even privatized, after all. When I started
blogging on the prisons the only thing one could find about AZ DOC on
the internet was pretty much what the state wanted you to see. Now you
can easily Google “arizona prison health care” to see how much things
got worse when <a href="http://www.arizonaprisonwatch.org/2012/10/wexford-arizona-deliberate-indifference.html">Wexford</a> and <a href="http://www.arizonaprisonwatch.org/search?q=corizon+deliberate+indifference">Corizon</a>
came in to feed off of the sick and dying; Director Ryan has lost
control over the department’s squeaky clean public image, among other
things. His own well-funded propaganda machine is failing him, as are
all levels of management and administration, apparently.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_EcuNOPxiPkwXb7xQ6IfXcvALVJmlYDRhjJzuc4BzoHAOQ_CBFtTjLXLCI6FJNaajjP8HTN1dzVa6JZnyvPQinHq-N5PuCQfnoftzf3edJj1hfVi4hkOjetCoVXoPOVpfmgcOYM_0KnCW/s1600/SOSotherdeath.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_EcuNOPxiPkwXb7xQ6IfXcvALVJmlYDRhjJzuc4BzoHAOQ_CBFtTjLXLCI6FJNaajjP8HTN1dzVa6JZnyvPQinHq-N5PuCQfnoftzf3edJj1hfVi4hkOjetCoVXoPOVpfmgcOYM_0KnCW/s1600/SOSotherdeath.JPG" height="432" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b> THE FIREHOUSE, Phoenix AZ</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>40-foot sidewalk mural memorializing the ghosts of jan brewer...</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
I met with director Ryan and his classification staff in December of
2013, along with Dianne Post from the NAACP here, the primary author of a
<a href="http://www.arizonaprisonwatch.org/2013/10/az-docs-ryan-ignores-naacp-on-letter-re.html"> lengthy letter to him about gay and trans prisoner safety</a> based on my
correspondents. I don’t think he realized how much of what he and
his people had to say was disturbing to the outside observer; <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8WlYFefqjc5WmlXcFhBUEFxVjA/edit?usp=sharing">some of the documents from that meeting</a> - detailing how serious the need for safety is in the AZ DOC - are in the packet.<br />
<br />
According to the DOC, 75% of detention cells are full of guys who are
unacceptable to or just plain uncooperative with the racialized gangs
running the yards - those are the prisoners I hear the most from. The
guys pass my name and addy around the detention cells as they do the 805
dance from prison to prison, because I send them the info they need to
fight the DOC - stuff like the <a href="http://jailhouselaw.org/">Jailhouse Lawyers Handbook</a>. It costs me a
few hundred bucks a month in printing and postage to keep up with the
need for assistance...but, some people spend their time and money on
their gardens or pets or kids - I just happen to be a little eccentric
about helping the underdog. I think its a worthy investment, helping
people help themselves.<br />
<br />
Those prisoners filling the detention cells while fleeing the
violence are either seeking Protective Custody (PC) or being punished
for refusing their General Population (GP) housing assignments (with
“refusal to house” tickets ) after being denied PC. The guys complaining
about the assaults extortion and murders, in fact, are overwhelmingly
being denied PC and maxed out (ie their good time and privileges are
lost and their classification scores zoom up) on major disciplinary
tickets for not doing anything to hurt anyone, while the ones behind the
extortion, assaults and murders, drug trade and other evils are still
free to dominate the prison yards and dictate the culture - often
empowered by corrupt officers who want the gangs to help keep the
grievances down on the yard, or to keep the assaults just between
prisoners, or who just want to line their pockets to buy a new gun or
truck.<br />
<br />
I have read the <a href="http://www.clearinghouse.net/chDocs/public/PC-AZ-0009-0001.pdf">Does v Stewart</a>
proposed settlement, by the way, and am well-familiarized with DOC
policy - I can assure you that both the Does v Stewart agreement and the
<a href="http://www.azcorrections.gov/Policies/800/0805.pdf">DO805</a> policy are routinely being blatantly violated by administrative
staff at Central Office. I can say that with certainty after receiving
hundreds of letters from prisoners and half as many more calls from
family members over getting folks into safe housing since last winter. I
have ample evidence the DOC is denying PC to almost ALL prisoners who
seek it without the aid of an attorney or the very expensive assistance
of Donna Hamm from <a href="http://www.middlegroundprisonreform.org/">Middle Ground Prison Reform</a>.<br />
<br />
(She’s done a lot of good work, don’t get me wrong - she just costs a pretty penny.)<br />
<br />
Interestingly, Ms. Hamm, who charges a flat fee of $2500 to advocate
for PC housing for a prisoner, claims a 85- 90% success rate for her
clients, while about that same percentage of all PC requests each month
are denied, according to the DOC, leaving hundreds of guys in detention
each month awaiting the PC verdict. That alone should raise red flags
that the DOC isn’t really using any real criteria when they decide who
goes to PC and who goes back to the hole in the next GP yard to try
again(or get killed), other than that prisoner’s or their family’s
ability to litigate them.<br />
<br />
And they don’t do the mental health checks they’re required to do on
each guy who is turned down for PC to make sure he doesn’t kill himself
out of terror. They can’t possibly meet that demand - Corizon isnt even
meeting its minimum mental health care mandates. Thus, I believe guys
are still probably killing themselves in the wake of PC denials, like <a href="http://www.arizonaprisonwatch.org/2010/09/new-prisoner-suicide-at-florence.html">Rosario Rodriguez-Boroquez</a> did in the fall of 2010. A <a href="http://azprisonsurvivors.blogspot.com/2011/04/in-loving-memory-duron-cunningham-40.html">rape victim in the hole on the same MAX unit in Florence</a>
followed in his footsteps a week later. That second prisoner might have
been saved had the DOC debriefed affected prisoners, they way they do
with staff after suicides, homicides and traumatic deaths of prisoners
or staff; correctional “best practices” would suggest they should.<br />
<br />
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Over the course of the past 12 months I’ve corresponded with
approximately 35 gay and transgender prisoners alone, some of whom the
Navajo Nation’s Human Rights Commission and the NAACP of Maricopa County
have already contacted the DOJ about (and have heard nothing back). In
the fall of 2013 a collective of concerned community members convened
to study the data from my queer correspondents and <a href="http://www.arizonaprisonwatch.org/2013/10/az-docs-ryan-ignores-naacp-on-letter-re.html">draft a letter to Charles Ryan with concerns about the LGBT population</a> being routinely
denied PC by his staff when they seek it, even after reporting to the
DOC that they had been sexually assaulted or exploited, extorted or
beaten because of their sexual orientation or gender identity (the AZ
DOC houses transgender women on GP yards in all-male prisons, FYI). In
fact, right now there are several gay and transgender prisoners still in
GP who have been trying to get into PC for up to and over a year now,
unsuccessfully.<br />
<br />
Most recently, one gay prisoner who I had intervened personally for
to advocate that he receive PC was denied PC and subsequently raped by
his cellie, only to be denied PC again and placed in another GP yard. He
had initially sought PC because his crime was widely publicized and the
media indicated that his male lover was an accomplice - he was marked
man on the yards, no matter what prison they put him in, and they knew
it. That was not only deliberate indifference to his safety, I believe
endangering that vulnerable prisoner -repeatedly - was an act of malice
and spite in retaliation for my criticisms of the DOC’s staff who make
those decisions. And that, sir, is a federal crime, I believe, for a
state agent to do. Mr Ryan cannot be trusted to hold those staff
responsible for harming that victim, the only party to his rape - to my
knowledge - who sits in a detention cell tonight. My correspondence with
Director Ryan and his staff about that case is enclosed in the packet.<br />
<br />
Even though the victim in the above case had to be taken to a
hospital and rape kit was done, there’s no reason to think the
perpetrator will actually be held responsible or that further rapes will
be discouraged by how this one will be handled. According to the AZ
DOC’s current <a href="http://www.azcorrections.gov/adc/reports/2013_PREA_Annual_Report.pdf">PREA report as posted on their website</a>,
out of 54 alleged “inmate-on-inmate unwanted sexual acts” and 30
alleged “inmate-on-inmate abusive sexual contacts” (I think they mean
RAPE!) reported to them in 2012, absolutely none could be substantiated
by the DOC’s CIU. Either the entire DOC prisoner population lies about
rape and it never really happens in our state, or the DOC has no sincere
commitment to either preventing it or responding effectively to it when
it occurs.<br />
<br />
Why should anyone even report their sexual victimization to the DOC,
I’m asked? They end up being labeled as a snitch and sitting in the hole
for months on end seeking PC, while the perpetrator gets off scott free
to rape again. It’s especially disturbing to prisoners when the perp is
a gang leader or enforcer, too - which is too often the case,
particularly in re: the exploitation and abuse of transgender prisoners.
“PREA reporting” has become a sick joke at the AZ DOC - it only
stigmatizes the victim, who too often gets no counseling, nor are they
very often placed in protective custody or mental health programs beyond
the term of the rape investigation, even though research shows that
most prisoners are at exquisite risk for even further victimization and
deterioration of their mental status once they are raped the first time.<br />
<br />
In addition to the recent example of the prisoner who was
deliberately placed at risk by DOC staff with a bone to pick with me, I
know of one gay prisoner who was verbally abused expressly for being gay
after he reported rape (along the lines of you deserved it you fucking
fag), in an incident in which he ended up biting staff while being taken
down when he refused to sit on the floor to take more of the abuse. The
rape victim got an extra year and half added onto his sentence as a
result, and had to beg his judge to tell the DOC to place him in PC
before they finally relented and did so. I believe he was more
traumatized and harmed (by way of being charged with assaulting the
staff) by the DOC’s response to his rape report and request for PC than
he was by the actual sexual assault on him in the first place.. He is
more than willing to make a statement if you will interview him.<br />
<br />
I’m also wondering if the DOC ever reported the suicide of Forrest
Day as a potential PREA issue. She had reported to her sister before she
died that she was being sexually pressured/propositioned by an officer
which she found disturbing, but his identity wasn’t revealed to anyone
before she was found hanging in her cell, so he couldn’t be
investigated. It no doubt never would have been substantiated anyway -
you know how it is, when it comes down to the word of a prisoner against
a crooked cop: the bad guys in power always win. So, again, why bother
reporting rape in Arizona’s DOC even if PREA was implemented, the
prisoners want to know. What would be any different than it is now, in
practice, even if the DOC did say they were on board with the feds? The
culture is so misogynistic and transphobic that it will take not only
re-training, but years of just cleaning house - all those good old boys
of Chuck Ryan’s and Terry Stewart’s need to go in order to turn this
Titanic around.<br />
<br />
That isn’t about to happen if Jan Brewer is left to her own devices
here, though, because she has been unmoved by the needless tragic
deaths, the abysmal medical care, or the DOC’s brutal response to those
trying to simply flee the violence - and its not like I haven’t been
emailing her staff my blog posts all this time - they know, at least,
even if she doesnt. No matter what new atrocity is perpetrated on
prisoners at the AZ DOC, Jan stands by her man, and so is either
completely fooled by him and sheltered from public opinion, or she is
fully aware of all that I’ve told you about, and is flat out lying to
you in that May letter. If that’s the case, I’d like to know why they’re
so damned determined to keep the DOJ out of their prisons.<br />
<br />
Either way, be it due to ignorance or complicity with evil, Jan
Brewer has consistently failed to provide any leadership around
protecting prisoners - not even the children. She says that Arizona is a
“leader” in protecting our most vulnerable people, especially kids and
the mentally ill. After all, everything she’s done to improve mental
health care and child protection is going to be her legacy - which is
truly sad, because she hasnt done much on those fronts short of the
medicaid expansion, which was to save the hospitals from going under as
much as it was for the good of the poor here.<br />
<br />
I dont know if she recalls - or ever even knew - that the <a href="http://www.arizonaprisonwatch.org/2010/06/bullying-and-suicide-at-adobe-mountain.html">last kid to suicide at the Adobe Mountain Detention Center</a>
run by the AZ Department of Juvenile Corrections did so after some of
the other kids relentlessly bullied him for being gay and mentally ill.
It seems the staff didn’t know how to deal with either queer kids or
serious mental illness. I hope they do now. <a href="http://www.arizonaprisonwatch.org/2011/06/new-az-juvenile-corrections-director_14.html">Charles Flanagan</a>
who took over the AZDJC several years ago, has not invited nearly the
scrutiny of his department by me that Ryan has, so he might be doing something
right there - or at least not so horribly wrong as his former boss.
I’ll be terribly disappointed if he advised the Governor not to comply
with PREA as well, though.<br />
<br />
What I’m saying here is that Jan Brewer is either deliberately
whitewashing the prison picture here, or she just doesn’t know what
she’s talking about when it comes to prison rape, plain and simple. I
can verify myself that Chuck Ryan knows everything I’ve told you of and
more because most of what was reported to me along those lines I passed
on to him, personally. I have lots of emails documenting it all.<br />
<br />
The problem is that Ryan doesn’t tell the truth about any of this, either - he even <a href="http://azcapitoltimes.com/news/2013/06/12/inmate-advocates-question-claim-that-arizona-prisons-have-no-solitary-confinement/">insists to the legislature that there’s NO SOLITARY CONFINEMENT practiced at the AZ DOC</a>
(that’s just semantics, but the legs accept his answer as evidence that
the ACLU is hysterical and over-reacting) - so you can’t count on him
to give you an accurate assessment of whether or not the AZ DOC is doing
its job when it comes to protecting prisoners from violence,
exploitation, and rape.<br />
<br />
No, Mr. Holder, you really need to come talk to me and the families I
work with- not just have the FBI spy on me and my buddies in black.
Look at my files and analyze my data yourselves. Visit my
correspondents. Chat with former employees like former <a href="http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fazprisonsurvivors.blogspot.com%2F2012%2F06%2Ftoersbijns-to-twist-walking-arizonas.html&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNFzUq485-14e1j28DZfYzrH1ye-0A">Eyman DW Carl Toersbijns</a> or former <a href="http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.arizonaprisonwatch.org%2F2011%2F11%2Fformer-aspc-perryville-officer-gary.html&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNHUj3BudZmggqlJ3DJGJXyoNVj38Q">Perryville officer Gary Bullock</a>, former <a href="http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fazprisonsurvivors.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F09%2Fmurder-of-shannon-palmer-lewis.html&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNE4-6LIslsi0PHRSXbMI11iUNdncA">ASPC-Lewis Lieutenant Chuck Bauer</a>, former <a href="http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.arizonaprisonwatch.org%2F2014%2F05%2Fdeath-sentence-kpnxs-halloran-and.html&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNE1d6ggorQm833V5FcSq7OjTnqNYQ">Corizon employee, Teresa Short</a>, <a href="http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fazprisonsurvivors.blogspot.com%2F2013%2F07%2Faz-doc-central-office-help-wanted-ryan.html&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNENC9yet2XoQuskGrnV2xNGtbWRjQ">AZ State Representative Chad Campbell</a>,
who has called for Ryan’s resignation, or any number of other parties
to this disaster who I could introduce you to so you can verify mine and
the the prisoners’ accounts of prison conditions and the many assaults
on their safety - including sexual assaults and exploitation - in the
AZ DOC.<br />
<br />
While you’re at it, subpoena the records from the AZ Corrections and
Peace Officers Association - they had thousands of DOC employees sign
onto a <a href="http://www.arizonaprisonwatch.org/2010/11/brewer-please-sack-chuck-ryan.html">letter of no confidence in Chuck Ryan to Jan Brewer</a> not two years into his tenure. That letter alleged that, among other things:<br />
<br />
<b><i>“...There exists, within ADOC administration, a well-known
pattern of obstructing the disclosure of hazards in time to prevent
accidents, injury, illness, and deaths. Tragically, in these instances,
danger is not "imminent" - it is past, and too late to respond.
Employees are routinely ordered to falsify documents and when they
proactively seek to report identified hazards, they face punishment and
retaliation. Obtaining an accurate account of the range and extent of
violations will be difficult from records alone. It is unlikely that
ADOC will disclose information without well-planned intervention by
authorities.”</i></b><br />
<br />
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<br />
These are strikingly similar to the allegations that prisoners make,
which are often dismissed as “unsubstantiated”. The Governor completely
ignored the union’s letter, by the way, so its not the credibility of
the source that's really the issue - it’s simply a critique she doesn’t
want to hear.<br />
<br />
In addition to the letters I get from current AZ DOC prisoners, I’ve
reviewed hundreds of death reports since the the start of the current
administration. I call tell you that prisoners routinely die of both
indifference and outright abuse here, and Charles Ryan’s DOC sometimes
uses their Criminal Investigations Unit to cover up homicides they
didn’t feel like pursuing or listing for the feds as such. Like PC and SP. The AZ DOC’s inspector general’s office didn’t
even have the decency to tell PC's mother that his death was more
likely than not a homicide, instead of a suicide. They just left her
believing her child had taken his life. Fortunately, PC’s mom never
bought it and had her own autopsy done - which revealed that there was
plenty of evidence he was murdered the DOC never even bothered to look
at...<br />
<br />
I dont know if the CIU is corrupt or just has an irresponsible ethos
that has no regard for the survivors of victims of violence in their
custody. Maybe they are all just lazy - though I suspect the Ryan
administration calculated that they would be more liable to a mother
whose child was murdered instead of one whose child committed suicide in
custody, and decided that if she wasn’t going to sue over a suicide,
they better not tell her it was murder, or someone will start to dig...<br />
<br />
In any case, the DOC can’t be trusted to investigate themselves and
be forthright with their discoveries, and the ACLU is already busy with
the health care and psychiatric concerns, including the abuse of
solitary confinement for mentally ill prisoners. That’s why we need the
feds in on this matter of prisoner safety and prison rape now. Charles
Ryan’s Criminal Investigations Unit has no credibility with the
prisoners, the staff, or the advocates who know what’s going on in
there. Nor do his media and legislative liaisons - they outright lie to
the public and elected officials about the heinous behavior of their
employees and the corporate jackals who feed off the imprisoned
population. Just ask the journalists who have been covering the DOC
under Ryan’s tenure - like <a href="http://www.azcentral.com/12news/bios/free/20130129wendy-halloran-bio.html">KPNX’s Wendy Halloran</a>, who won an Emmy for pursuing the truth about the suicide of Tony Lester, or the <a href="http://archive.azcentral.com/news/ask/reporter/ortega/">AZ Republic’s Bob Ortega</a>,
who did a fantastic series on “Arizona’s Other Death Row” - that is,
the mainstream prison population, which he noticed was dying by suicide,
drug overdose, and homicide at unusually high rates after Ryan had been
in charge for awhile.<br />
<br />
I once had a contact at the DOJ’s Special Litigation Section - Aaron
Zisser. I even sent him all the death records my mother bought from the
AZ DOC for me to analyze. But I think Special Litigation abandoned AZ
awhile ago, perhaps thinking the ACLU et al have it covered. Not hardly.
And Ryan knows no one will hold him accountable for prison rape if the
feds don’t - just look at his annual reports. For the <a href="http://www.azcorrections.gov/adc/reports/adc_5yr_StrategicPlanFY15_FY19.pdf">past two years in the Five-Year Plans</a>,
Director Ryan has managed to invisibilize rape victims in his custody -
its not even an institutional goal to reduce the incidence of sexual
assaults in the prisons anymore, much less a priority.<br />
<br />
Do you understand where I’m coming from here, Mr Holder?<br />
<br />
(section edited out)<br />
<br />
By the way, Arizona’s sole Protection & Advocacy authority, the <a href="http://www.acdl.com/">AZ Center for Disability Law</a>, won’t help or visit or investigate abuse reports from SMI prisoners under any circumstances. It appears that they only joined <a href="http://azprisonsurvivors.blogspot.com/2013/02/suing-arizona-parsons-v-ryan-should-be.html">Parsons v Ryan</a>
in name because they were coerced into doing so. Now, they are the only
ones in this state with the authority to get into those prisons on
demand to see disabled individuals reporting abuse, and yet they
adamantly refuse to exercise it. Is that legal, for a P&A agency to
flat out discriminate against an entire population of disabled people
solely because the institution housing and abusing them is a prison or
jail, instead of a school or a nursing home? If they refuse to exercise
that authority, another agency should be identified that will do so, and
should be funded to do so. That’s got to be unconstitutional.<br />
<br />
Along those lines, I want to quote from a letter I received from the
women’s prison just yesterday - this is from (a prisoner) on Death Row,
in a building where other maximum security prisoners - like the mentally
ill - are held as well. She (wrote)
despite risking retaliation from the state because she is so troubled by
what she’s hearing and is afraid the women who cry and plead all day
and night are too mentally impaired, traumatized, and intimidated to
know how to get help themselves via the grievance process and courts…<br />
<i><br />
“They have watch cells below us and I’m very concerned about our
mentally ill being pepper-sprayed and drug around naked by male guards
and videoed by male guards over the simplest issue. They yell at the
mentally ill, scare them. then when they don’t comply (usually strip
out) they spray them. They are forced to strip out 3-4 times a day with
male guards walking all over. I hear some of them crying “I don’t want
to get naked”. I understand security, but not these measures on the
mentally ill…”</i><br />
<br />
That sounds like a violation of the agreement the DOC made with the
AZDOC some 15 or so years ago to keep a sexual harassment/abuse CRIPA
complaint from proceeding to trial, is it not? Let me remind you that I
myself have a major mood disorder and PTSD - is this the kind of
treatment I can expect as an American citizen in our women’s prisons,
should I ever find myself there?<br />
<br />
(She) also reports the male officers don’t announce themselves on
Lumley. That comes as no surprise - as indicated by the good governor’s
letter to you, the DOC doesn’t think it’s necessary for them to do so,
even though they are citing women for sexual offenses if they
accidentally expose themselves while changing, or toileting, or
showering. You know as well as I that most women in prison - especially
the severely mentally ill - are already traumatized. Best practices
would not say that security demands the male guards come through without
announcing themselves. Best practices in corrections now would look at <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3402099/">trauma-informed care</a>
more closely than the security aspect of that and say those women are
being routinely retraumatized and violated by the AZ DOC’s policies and
practices for no good penological reason. They are just not wanting to
make sure female staff are available at all times for the women
prisoners, though they are quite plentiful in the men’s prisons.<br />
<br />
Well, I’ve covered a lot of ground, and there still so much more. I
wish we could meet to discuss PREA and CRIPA matters further in person,
but I know you have a lot on your hands already, so please have the
appropriate staff contact me as soon as possible about this matter - I
and the prisoners are requesting a DOJ CRIPA Investigation into these
patterns and practices of violating prisoners civil rights, as well as
the Governor’s decision to not bother with PREA mandates anymore. At the
very least, you should call her out on that.<br />
<br />
Thank you so much for reading this through, Mr Holder, if you’ve made
it this far. I will be eagerly anticipating your reply. So will the
prisoners and their loved ones.<br />
<br />
Sincerely,<br />
<br />
Margaret Jean Plews
<!-- Blogger automated replacement: "https://images-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com/gadgets/proxy?url=http%3A%2F%2F1.bp.blogspot.com%2F-NQOUx04vh8s%2FU5evhZ1HSsI%2FAAAAAAAAC9o%2FgwCvo4oyU2s%2Fs1600%2FhelpwantedBEST%2B" with "https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBrj6IVWl1bRjIUsF6nPsxbUPl1bFKnu46J0tKQ6r-Ul3qedM2enzoC1Qm40SmrtGmc46A4SnAFUByueXVWxCNQwXuHVtXoY7cq7FEbfImqTtFTbvfYBK5Up778sF_dBxxq8Ky46IWFVSB/s1600/helpwantedBEST+" -->Margaret Jean Plewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17604426254894186183noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1488330040445701465.post-84650067168013119762014-06-09T23:33:00.003-07:002014-06-09T23:33:56.308-07:00Jan Brewer to AG Holder on PREA: Whitewash of prison rape.<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>Below is Governor Jan Brewer's letter to the US Attorney General, Eric Holder, explaining why she doesn't think Arizona should comply with the Federal Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA). I posted my own letter to Holder to the <b><a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/06/09/1305683/-Arizona-prisoners-and-activists-call-for-DOJ-Investigation-into-rape-and-gang-violence-in-AZ-DOC?showAll=yes">DAILY KOS today</a></b>...</i></span><br />
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<br />Margaret Jean Plewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17604426254894186183noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1488330040445701465.post-27368914469173234792014-06-05T20:07:00.003-07:002014-06-05T20:07:45.771-07:00ASPC-Eyman Suicide in Custody: Mark Moore, 57.<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>Sad to report there's been another suicide in the AZ DOC's supermax prison, ASPC-Eyman; that prison is a death trap for people prone to self-destruction. This one isn't the usual prisoner suicide, though - which has been male, young and facing life, on death row, or just about to be free, for the most part these past 5 years. This fellow had been at the AZ DOC since 1986, had a decent job, was only medium custody (which meant he had more privileges and programming opportunities then most guys I hear from have), and he apparently hadn't had any disciplinary write-ups in over a year. Yeah, he was in for life, but he'd made some kind of life in there and adapted to it...<b><a href="http://www.azcorrections.gov/Inmate_DataSearch/results_Minh.aspx?InmateNumber=039401&LastName=MOORE&FNMI=M&SearchType=SearchInet">look at his work record</a></b>.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i><b>Latest Supermax suicide victim, </b></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i><b>Mark Moore, 57</b></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>The only clue to something changing I can see on his <b><a href="http://www.azcorrections.gov/Inmate_DataSearch/results_Minh.aspx?InmateNumber=039401&LastName=MOORE&FNMI=M&SearchType=SearchInet">AIMS</a></b>, which is public info on the DOC website, is that he had just been re-classed a week ago, likely to a lower custody level. Based on letters I've gotten from other prisoners who were old-timers being re-classed, its possible he was told he'd be moved to another General Population yard, despite his apprehensions about being there given his history as a sex offender. But, given his history as a sex offender, I doubt the DOC would put him back in GP. I think they would be prohibited from it, in fact....except that that's not what he was doing time for, this time around. So they may well have told him he was not getting protective custody and would have to make it in GP. That probably kills more guys than any other single thing at the AZ DOC.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>Given the possibility that he was already in Protective Custody and remaining there, though, I wondered what else might have been going on to cause him to take his life. He didn't appear to be severely mentally ill, based on his steady employment history as a barber (they don't like giving the SMI guys scissors). Maybe he got a terminal diagnosis he couldn't deal with, or was sexually assaulted and the DOC didn't appropriately counsel him (all too often the case, the victim is put in the hole while the perpetrator remains free on the yard. The victim is then repeatedly humiliated by officers, especially those victims who are known to be gay, and moved from GP yard to GP Yard while begging to be placed in protective custody....). Both <b><a href="http://azprisonsurvivors.blogspot.com/2011/07/suicide-at-lewis-prison-jesse-cabonias.html">Jesse Cabonias</a></b> and <b><a href="http://azprisonsurvivors.blogspot.com/2011/04/in-loving-memory-duron-cunningham-40.html">Duron Cunningham</a></b> committed suicide in the wake of no or poor institutional response to their sexual victimization - those are just the two I know about, anyway.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>The standard psychiatric evaluations offered to Eyman prisoners by Corizon leave a lot to be desired, as you can see here. Basically, the medium security folks are <b><a href="http://www.arizonaprisonwatch.org/2014/01/corizon-healthscare-another-death-row.html">rounded up, chained to each other, and transported to a maximum security yard where they are then herded into a room together to have their telephonic appointment with the shrink</a></b>. Reports from prisoners are that these meetings have been held while they were still chained to other prisoners - the DOC flatly denies this. In any case, the prisoners only get a few minutes of doctor time and the experience they have to endure for the sake of it has discouraged many from seeking psychiatric care or continuing with treatment.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>In order to maximize profits - which is what the legislature wanted DOC to hire them to do, to make a profit at taxpayer and prisoner expense - Corizon has slashed staff time available to ill prisoners, and discontinued many psychiatric medications switching prisoners who were functioning well on one drug to older, less effective meds with more severe side effect profiles, which many prisoners understandably no longer wish to take. These are the drugs that pharmaceutical companies typically sell extremely cheap in developing countries for institutionalized people, because hardly anyone in the US uses them anymore due to the side effect profiles - some - even at low doses, can cause high rates of Tardive Dyskinesia, a serious neurological syndrome. <b><a href="http://azprisonsurvivors.blogspot.com/2013/06/corizons-deliberate-indifference.html">Here, in fact, is another letter of concern</a></b> from Donna Hamm to the DOC Director, Chuck Ryan, about psychiatric and health care at Eyman under Corizon.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>Similarly, to save money, Corizon discontinued a good many prisoners, if not all, from their pain management medications when they took over the medical care contract. Even many of those who managed to get their doctor to start them on another medication found they were ineffective for the diabetic neuropathy, or back pain, or bone cancer they were dealing with, and felt compelled to resort to heroin for pain management instead - far easier to get on a prison yard these days than a single tablet of Tylenol 3. Some, facing unbearable pain, day in and day out, with no compassion or relief from medical providers <b><a href="http://azprisonsurvivors.blogspot.com/2013/04/the-ghosts-of-jan-brewer-anthony-brown.html">who would just as soon let them die in agony</a></b>, might even choose to end their lives themselves, the one thing they have ultimate control over when all else is controlled by the state.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>Not all DOC medical staff are heartless or gutless, though - at least <b><a href="http://www.arizonaprisonwatch.org/2014/05/death-sentence-kpnxs-halloran-and.html">Teresa Short</a></b> walked away and came forward about the ethical dilemmas she experienced at Corizon over the past year, working in the intensive care unit at Tucson prison. And some legislators wonder why there's a class action suit complaining about the "free" medical care prisoners are so lucky to get - they think the ACLU has nothing better to do. The legislature's willingness to turn a blind eye is a large part of the problem at the AZ DOC</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>Anyway, my condolences go out to anyone who cared about this man - as well as to the survivors of his murder victim, for whom his suicide will bring up a lot of feelings, I would imagine. If anyone has any hard info about how and why he killed himself, I'm Peggy Plews - contact me at 480-580-6807 / <a href="mailto:arizonaprisonwatch@gmail.com">arizonaprisonwatch@gmail.com</a> or PO box 20494 PHX 85036.</i></span><br />
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<br />Margaret Jean Plewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17604426254894186183noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1488330040445701465.post-72347626421937625732014-06-03T17:04:00.004-07:002014-06-03T17:04:33.753-07:00AL JAZEERA's America Tonight: Another whistle blown on Corizon.<div style="text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGXiwiHYLphHCrJBhGlyLPoQEba-0CtIVGCCDq9L0d_1wkk0_7qtmKUow9Qj8AqMCx5Dp1qhyDSfN7VrhXEi1oRSiMNAEFd5BdS2WSQsUXvb9m7bnEUxrVKKoZNI_mL2pt7ZYmY5cXMQrj/s1600/CORIZONKILLS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGXiwiHYLphHCrJBhGlyLPoQEba-0CtIVGCCDq9L0d_1wkk0_7qtmKUow9Qj8AqMCx5Dp1qhyDSfN7VrhXEi1oRSiMNAEFd5BdS2WSQsUXvb9m7bnEUxrVKKoZNI_mL2pt7ZYmY5cXMQrj/s1600/CORIZONKILLS.jpg" height="320" width="256" /></a><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>Blessings to former Corizon employee and whistleblower Teresa Short. What she did here took both courage and compassion. How sad that it has become an extraordinary thing these days to simply do the right thing and tell the truth.</i></span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Thanks to Abby Leonard and Adam May at Al Jazeera America Tonight for this coverage last week, too. They've been super.</span></i><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Families, if you're advocating for an imprisoned loved one needing medical or mental health care, check out these posts below, and feel free to contact me: peggy plews 480-580-6807 / <a href="mailto:arizonaprisonwatch@gmail.com">arizonaprisonwatch@gmail.com.</a></span></i><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>Corizon and the AZ DOC: Prisoners & Families, Know Your Rights.</b><i> <b><a href="http://www.arizonaprisonwatch.org/2013/03/corizon-and-az-doc-prisoners-families.html">http://www.arizonaprisonwatch.org/2013/03/corizon-and-az-doc-prisoners-families.html</a></b></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><i> </i>Corizon's deliberate indifference: fighting back.
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b><i> <a href="http://www.arizonaprisonwatch.org/2013/05/corizons-deliberate-indifference.html">http://www.arizonaprisonwatch.org/2013/05/corizons-deliberate-indifference.html</a></i></b></span></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">A word of advice - if you need help and cant hire an attorney, you'll need to drag your AZ state legislators into it to get anywhere - start filling them in now, and make sure the DOC knows that you're cc'ing them on everything you have to write to Director Ryan in order to get your loved one taken care of. They can be found here: <span style="color: blue;"><b><a href="http://www.azleg.gov/alisStaticPages/HowToContactMember.asp">http://www.azleg.gov/alisStaticPages/HowToContactMember.asp</a></b></span> </span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><i>Please make sure your loved one in prison is doing the grievance process properly so they can sue these bastards if they still don't treat them right. Keep an eye on the <b><a href="http://www.azcorrections.gov/Z_dept_orders_1.aspx">DOC policy page</a></b>, too, so you can see when things change and send copies inside.</i></span><br />
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<a href="http://america.aljazeera.com/watch/shows/america-tonight/articles/2014/5/27/whistleblower-arizonainmatesaredyingfrominadequatehealthcare.html"><span style="font-size: small;">Whistleblower: Arizona inmates are dying from inadequate health care</span></a></h1>
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<b><i><span style="font-size: small;">An “America Tonight” investigation found dozens of cases of neglect in Arizona's privatized prison health care system</span></i></b><br />
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<b><i><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></i></b><i><b>Watch <a href="http://america.aljazeera.com/watch/shows/america-tonight/2014/5/do-arizona-prisonersgetadequatehealthcarepartone.html" target="_blank">parts one</a> and <a href="http://america.aljazeera.com/watch/shows/america-tonight/2014/5/do-arizona-prisonersgetadequatehealthcareparttwo.html" target="_blank">two</a> of Adam May's report.</b></i></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="date">May 28, 2014</span>
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<b>by
<span class="articleOpinion-byline"><a class="articleOpinion-byline--link" href="http://america.aljazeera.com/profiles/l/abigail-leonard.html" title="Abigail Leonard">Abigail Leonard</a></span>
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<span class="articleOpinion-byline"><a class="articleOpinion-byline--link" href="http://america.aljazeera.com/profiles/m/adam-may.html" title="Adam May">Adam May</a></span>
<span class="articleOpinion-contact"><span class="articleOpinion-twitter"><a class="articleOpinion-contact--link" href="http://www.twitter.com/adammaytv" target="_blank" title="@adammaytv">@adammaytv</a></span></span></b></span></div>
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SAFFORD, Ariz. — Regan Clarine found out
she was pregnant just two days before she was sentenced to two and a
half years behind bars for possessing a narcotic for sale. Giving birth
to her baby daughter<b> </b>while she was incarcerated at the <a href="http://www.azcorrections.gov/prisons/Prisca_Prisons_Perryvil.aspx">state prison complex</a> near (Phoenix) was an experience she says nearly killed them both.<br />
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Clarine says her first indication things were not right with her
health care was when she asked prison officials for an ultrasound. She
was worried she wasn't gaining enough weight, but they never gave her
one. Instead, Clarine said that after about nine months, prison doctors
sent her to the hospital to induce labor, but when the baby still didn’t
come, they performed a cesarean section against her wishes.<br />
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When Clarine went back to her cell, her C-section wound re-opened.<br />
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“It was big enough for me to put my fist in there,” she said. “It was the worst pain I’d ever been through in my life.”<br />
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Clarine said she alerted guards, but they refused to let her see a
doctor, leaving her on the prison yard with a gaping wound for two
weeks. When she finally saw medical staff, she said they told her that
she was lucky to be alive. They treated her with a wound vacuum. Then,
she said, they employed an antiquated medical treatment.<br />
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“They decided to use sugar … like McDonald’s
sugar,” she said. “They would open it and pour it inside [the wound] and
put gauze over and tape it up. And I had to do that for like three
weeks.”<br />
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Clarine’s story is one of dozens. Like many other states, Arizona
privatized its prison health care system two years ago. In a six-month
investigation, “America Tonight” found disturbing cases of inadequate
treatment, and evidence that <a href="http://www.wexfordhealth.com/Services">Wexford Health Sources</a>,
the first private company Arizona contracted to provide prison health
care, was aware that it was violating prisoners’ constitutional rights.<br />
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Arizona’s system is currently run by Corizon Health, the largest
private prison health care provider in the country. Now, for the first
time ever, one of its former employees is blowing the whistle about its
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Teresa Short was a patient care technician for Corizon, but lost her
job in late March for refusing to go to work while suffering from a case
of scabies she caught from a prisoner. Short said she thought it would
be unethical to treat patients while she was still contagious. She had
already infected a family member, she said, and feared her son could
contract it and bring it to his high school. According to Short, Corizon
and Arizona prison officials have been trying to cover up the outbreak,
which now includes the original prisoner and seven staff members. (<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/1173518-corizon-response.html" target="_blank">Read Corizon's response</a>.)<br />
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But the most persistent problem at Corizon, Short said, was staffing.<br />
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“We have a lot of dementia patients that take time in feeding,” she
said, “and because of the short staff we'd have to stand there for hours
to try to feed them and it was just not permitted.”<br />
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Sometimes, those patients would go unfed, she said. Others who were
incontinent would sit for hours in their own feces, she said. And still
others died.<br />
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Short described one dementia patient who had a vascular catheter in
his arm for dialysis treatments. He didn’t understand what it was and
kept playing with it, she said, so she repeatedly told senior staff he
needed additional supervision. Instead, they sent him back to his cell,
alone. At 5 a.m., she went in to check on him.<br />
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<img alt="Former Corizon patient care technician Teresa Short said some Arizona prisoners have died because there weren't enough medical staff on duty." class="cq-dd-image textImage-image" src="http://america.aljazeera.com/content/ajam/watch/shows/america-tonight/articles/2014/5/27/whistleblower-arizonainmatesaredyingfrominadequatehealthcare/_jcr_content/mainpar/textimage/image.img.png" height="200" width="320" />
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<figcaption class="textImage-figcaption">Former Corizon patient
care technician Teresa Short said some Arizona prisoners have died
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“[I] could smell blood before I even went
into the room,” she said. “And when I turned on his light, it looked
like somebody had been murdered. There was blood all over the room. I
screamed for help.”<br />
<br />
Short said the man had unplugged the catheter and quickly bled out.
If Corizon had employed more staff to monitor patients, she said, he
might still be alive.<br />
<br />
There are some numbers to back up Short’s claims. Since the state
privatized its prison health care, medical spending in prisons dropped
by $30 million and staffing levels plummeted, according to an October
report from the American Friends Services Committee, a Quaker social
justice organization. It also found a sharp spike in the number of
inmate deaths. In the first eight months of 2013, 50 people died in
Arizona Department of Corrections custody, compared with 37 deaths in
the previous two years combined.<br />
<br />
According to a 2012 lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties
Union, the health care in Arizona’s prisons now amounts to cruel and
unusual punishment, with prisoners at serious risk of "pain, amputation,
disfigurement and death.” The suit cites examples of Arizona health
officials telling prisoners to pray to be cured and drink energy shakes
to alleviate cancer symptoms.<br />
<br />
“People are often sent to prison for two-year, three-year sentences
that have turned into death sentences because of the absence of the
basic minimal care,” said Dan Pochoda, <a href="http://www.acluaz.org/about-us/acluaz-staff">legal director for the ACLU in Arizona</a>. He said in his 40-year career, he’s never seen a worse prison health care system.<br />
<br />
In an emailed statement, Corizon spokeswoman Susan Morgenstern said
that the company could not discuss individual cases because of privacy
laws, but that “the vast majority of our current staff levels exceed
contract requirements,” and that their care follows the guidelines of
the National Commission on Correctional Health Care and the American
Correctional Association.<br />
<br />
“Our goal is always to provide quality care while being good stewards and making the best use of public funds,” she wrote.<br />
<br />
“As for lawsuits, we treat hundreds of thousands of patients in
millions of healthcare encounters each year,” she added. “… The majority
of lawsuits are brought by inmates without an attorney representing
them and are dismissed or resolved prior to trial.” (<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/1173518-corizon-response.html">Read the company’s full statement.</a>)</div>
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'He had plans'</h2>
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<img alt="After his cancer, inmate Tony Brown's pain medication was switched from morphine to less-powerful Lortab." class="cq-dd-image textImage-image" src="http://america.aljazeera.com/content/ajam/watch/shows/america-tonight/articles/2014/5/27/whistleblower-arizonainmatesaredyingfrominadequatehealthcare/_jcr_content/mainpar/textimage_0/image.img.png" height="200" width="320" />
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<figcaption class="textImage-figcaption">After his cancer, inmate Tony Brown's pain medication was switched from morphine to less-powerful Lortab.</figcaption>
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Tony Brown is another inmate who died since
Arizona privatized its prison health care. He was serving a 10-year
sentence for aggravated assault and was due to be released last
September.<br />
<br />
“They were supposed to come down for Thanksgiving this year,” his
daughter Jenna Jumper said. “He never got to meet my husband and he
wasn't there when I got married, so they were going to come visit.”<br />
<br />
Brown was in remission from esophageal cancer, according to his
medical records, and had been prescribed morphine for the pain. But in
October 2012, the prison ran out of the drug. Medical staff switched him
to <a href="http://www.drugs.com/lortab.html" target="_blank">Lortab</a>, a weaker painkiller.<br />
<br />
In a video taken by prison guards and obtained by “America Tonight,”
Brown is seen just after he was put on the new medication, writhing in
pain while handcuffed to a gurney. His medical records show that guards
told nurses his condition was worsening and that he "needed to be
checked out." But there is no record of medical staff visiting his cell.<br />
<br />
In another video taken two days later, a prison chaplain checks on Brown at his wife’s request.<br />
<br />
“Inmate Brown, I spoke with your wife earlier today,” the chaplain is
heard saying. “Can you communicate with me please? I’d like to speak
with your wife later on. Is there something I can tell her?”<br />
<br />
Brown, face down on a bunk, barely moves and doesn’t respond. A guard
can be heard saying, “Is it me or does this just not feel right to
anybody else?”<br />
<br />
The guards started CPR and nurses came to assist, but 40 minutes passed before they realized no one had called an ambulance.<br />
<br />
He died in a hospital the next day. Two days later, his widow Jami Brown said she finally received a call back from <a href="http://www.wexfordhealth.com/Services">Wexford</a>, the private prison health care company in charge at the time.<br />
<br />
“My biggest thing is that if people would stop to realize that he did
have family,” his daughter said, “and that he did have a child and he
did have a wife and he had plans.”<br />
<br />
The official cause of death was listed as complications from cancer.
But Brown's family is suing Wexford, claiming he died from lack of
adequate medical care.<br />
<br />
In a statement, Wexford attorney Ed Hochuli said he couldn’t discuss
details of the case because of the lawsuit and health care privacy laws,
but wrote: "Based on the limited information we have at this time,
though, I am very confident Wexford Health and its employees acted
appropriately, and further investigation of this claim will demonstrate
and prove the lack of any wrongdoing or negligence by Wexford Health.”<br />
<br />
But there are signs that Wexford was aware of problems.<br />
<br />
“America Tonight” obtained a copy of a PowerPoint
presentation written by top Wexford executives for a meeting with the
Arizona governor's office in November 2012 – four months after the
company started providing care in the state. It warned that the care it
and the Department of Corrections were providing was "not compliant with
… requirements" and that "the current class action lawsuits are
accurate." It recommended an overall operational cleanup, staffing
reassessment and the appointment of a governor’s office liaison.<br />
<br />
The PowerPoint presentation also says that the department's
"transparency" policy with the media could "encourage negative press."<br />
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'A grain of sugar'</h2>
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<img alt="State Rep. John Kavanagh said Clarine’s story about being treated with sugar didn’t seem like a “true allegation,” adding that it “sounds ridiculous.”" class="cq-dd-image textImage-image" src="http://america.aljazeera.com/content/ajam/watch/shows/america-tonight/articles/2014/5/27/whistleblower-arizonainmatesaredyingfrominadequatehealthcare/_jcr_content/mainpar/textimage_1/image.img.png" height="125" width="200" />
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<figcaption class="textImage-figcaption">State Rep. John
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Prison officials deny any problems with
privatized care. Richard Pratt, the interim director of the health
services division of Arizona’s Department of Corrections, told “America
Tonight” that staffing levels since privatization were “basically the
same.”<br />
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“Corizon staffing levels have been coming up on a monthly basis to
the point even last month the hours that they were working with their
existing staff exceeded the contract requirements,” he said.<br />
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He also denied there was a scabies outbreak, as Teresa Short had charged.<br />
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But Pratt emphasized that privatizing health care wasn’t a decision made by the Department of Corrections.<br />
“It was legislated and mandated and it was the law,” he said. “So we were forced to do this.”<br />
<br />
Legislators who supported the privatization promised that it would
save taxpayers money, while maintaining adequate levels of care for
inmates. The majority of states have privatized prison health care,
rewarding private companies for keeping costs down.<br />
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“I mean, people die in prisons,” said <a href="http://www.azleg.gov/MembersPage.asp?Member_ID=27&Legislature=48&Session_ID=85" target="_blank">state Rep. John Kavanagh</a>,
who wrote the legislation that privatized the state’s prison health
care. “I receive a lot of handwritten notes from prisoners. I receive
emails from prison families with all sorts of allegations of crazy
behavior. And then, you call the prison people up and they usually have a
reasonable explanation for it.”<br />
<br />
Kavanagh said Clarine’s story about being treated with sugar didn’t
seem like a “true allegation,” adding that it “sounds ridiculous.”<br />
<br />
“You know prisoners have 24/7 to think up allegations and write
letters,” he said. “I'm not saying that some of them can't have a basis
in fact. But you got to take them with a grain of salt or in the case of
the hospital, with maybe a grain of sugar.”<br />
<br />
Kavanagh was also dismissive of the ACLU lawsuit. “I think most
people who get into [class-action lawsuits] wind up with nothing and the
lawyers walk away in limousines with their trunks full of cash,” he
said.</div>
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No bid, nothing</h2>
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<img alt="Richard Pratt, interim health services director for Arizona’s Department of Corrections, denies that there’s a scabies outbreak in prison and says that Corizon’s staffing levels have exceeded the requirements of the contract." class="cq-dd-image textImage-image" src="http://america.aljazeera.com/content/ajam/watch/shows/america-tonight/articles/2014/5/27/whistleblower-arizonainmatesaredyingfrominadequatehealthcare/_jcr_content/mainpar/textimage_2/image.img.png" height="125" width="200" />
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<figcaption class="textImage-figcaption">Richard Pratt, interim
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that there’s a scabies outbreak in prison and says that Corizon’s
staffing levels have exceeded the requirements of the contract.</figcaption>
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Before Tony Brown’s death, Wexford was
already coming under fire after a contract nurse exposed more than 100
inmates to hepatitis C by using dirty needles to deliver medication,
according to the Department of Corrections. Four months later, Arizona
severed ties with Wexford and awarded the three-year, $369 million
contract to Corizon, which has similar contracts in 28 states, according
to its website. But it has faced problems in many of them; in the last
five years, <a href="http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/10/02/3666091/florida-prison-healthcare-providers.html">Corizon has been sued for malpractice 660 times</a>.<br />
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<a href="http://www.azleg.gov/MembersPage.asp?Member_ID=44&Legislature=50&Session_ID=102">Arizona Democratic House Minority Leader Chad Campbell</a> said the Legislature didn't properly vet Corizon before signing the contract.<br />
<br />
“No bid. Nothing,” he said. “It was deemed an emergency situation by
Department of Corrections so they didn't have to go through the normal
process.”<br />
<br />
Campbell also noted that Corizon had just hired the former head of
the Department of Corrections, who was the mentor of the current head of
the department.<br />
<br />
That’s not the only tie that members of the state government have to
private prisons. Charles Coughlin, the former campaign strategist for
Gov. Jan Brewer, runs a lobbying firm called <a href="http://www.azhighground.com/" target="_blank">HighGround Public Affairs Consultants</a>, which represented one of the country’s largest private prison companies. <a href="http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/10/02/3666091/florida-prison-healthcare-providers.html">HighGround donated $5,000</a> to Jan PAC, Brewer's super PAC.<br />
<br />
Then in late March, Kavanagh allocated $900,000 in state funding to
the private prison company GEO Group Inc., even though the Department of
Corrections said it wasn’t needed, according to <a href="http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/politics/2014/03/29/arizona-private-prisons-may-get-extra-million/7047137/" target="_blank">the Arizona Republic</a>.<br />
<br />
“They're profiting on taxpayer dollars and to me, if I'm going to
hand out money to a private entity, I want to make sure it's being spent
wisely,” said Campbell, who is now calling for an investigation.<br />
<br />
The governor's office declined a request from “America Tonight” for
an interview and referred us back to Kavanagh, who said the allegations
that Brewer accepted bids because of personal relationships were
“baseless.”<br />
<br />
“I think they're propaganda,” he said. “I mean, people say to me I've
gotten campaign contributions from private-prison people. Well, yeah. I
got from a lobbyist who represents them but that lobbyist also
represents 40 other clients in different industries. It's smoke and
mirrors. It's a façade.”<br />
<br />
In the meantime, allegations of wrongdoing continue to mount. According to the <a href="http://afsc.org/sites/afsc.civicactions.net/files/documents/DeathYardsFINAL.pdf">American Friends Service Committee report</a>,
an inmate at the Whetstone Unit of the Arizona State Prison Complex
tested positive for tuberculosis in August. But Corizon did not test
other prisoners, even those who were doing community service outside the
complex.</div>
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A healthy baby</h2>
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Earlier this month, Regan Clarine completed
her sentence. “America Tonight” met her as she was released into the
waiting arms of her father, Paul.<br />
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<br />
“It’s one of the happiest days of our life,” he said. “Hopefully we’ll never have to do this again.”<br />
<br />
They drove to a nearby hotel to reunite with the rest of the family, including her 11-month-old daughter, Rylan.<br />
<br />
They’d met a handful of times on brief prison visits, but Rylan
didn’t recognize her mother. Still, Clarine was happy to see her so
healthy.<br />
<br />
She responded to Kavanagh’s allegation that she was probably making
up her story with a laugh, saying, “That’s crazy. I don’t think I could
even come up with something like that … Sugar?”<br />
<br />
To add insult to injury, her mother, Lori, said the prison has billed
her $2,000 for Rylan’s birth. She is disputing the charges but fears it
could hurt her credit if she doesn’t pay them. She says privatized
prison health care simply isn’t working.<br />
<br />
“You know, she got her just punishment,” Lori said. “But, oh my goodness, they're still human beings. Take care of them.”</div>
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Margaret Jean Plewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17604426254894186183noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1488330040445701465.post-48080471629888529542014-05-27T17:24:00.001-07:002015-01-29T20:00:01.837-08:00CORIZON at ASPC-Perryville: Deliberate indifference to our elders.<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I received the following letter from a woman at ASPC-Perryville who is
deeply concerned for a friend’s welfare, and hopes that publishing her
story will help improve the quality of care she gets from Corizon
staff and the AZ DOC. She’s one of few women I’m in touch with who really knows how to
fight back through the grievance process and civil rights suits. Thank you, Laura Medley. You rock!</span></i><br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSWiAcQ7xkl_odfntgiyyz54W8YmDvd4lMx0QeWWO-Rrz8-Af_bCbOs3eQGjtSZ3JTa_E1ScbbGt2L_sbgBYqY4uhY9i6pzAQ3V43vNCNTS6niubSu2DcpdzwA5s5dkkVkN2u-mVRBpgrU/s1600/keysdomonique.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSWiAcQ7xkl_odfntgiyyz54W8YmDvd4lMx0QeWWO-Rrz8-Af_bCbOs3eQGjtSZ3JTa_E1ScbbGt2L_sbgBYqY4uhY9i6pzAQ3V43vNCNTS6niubSu2DcpdzwA5s5dkkVkN2u-mVRBpgrU/s1600/keysdomonique.jpg" height="200" width="160" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"> prisoner Dominique Keys</span></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-size: x-small;">ASPC-Perryville</span></b></span></span></div>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">“In 2006, Dominique Keys developed osteomyleitis. This is an infection
of bone marrow and/or bone structures usually caused by a bacteria. For
months she had a fever up to 104 degrees, and AZ Department of
Corrections (DOC) medical told her nothing was wrong with her.<br /><br /><br />Without
her knowledge, this infection ate through the spinal vertebrae causing
two cervical fractures. For months medical left Dominique in her cell
partially paralyzed in her own urine and feces telling staff that there
was nothing wrong with her.<br /><br /><br />By January 2007, (medical) sent
Dominique to the hospital where the fractures were discovered. After
which Dr. Naftaly Attias performed a corpeltomy fusion at C 5-6, C4-7
with a steel cage. The doctor did not bother to tell Dominique that he
had accidentally drilled a hole through her spinal cord. In fact, she
didn’t find this out until 2012.<br /><br /><br />By 2013, after Corizon
assumed the control I wrote a letter to Corizon’s legal department.
Dominique was examined by a physician at St. Luke’s Hospital who stated
that the damage to her cervical spine was irrepairable and re-affirmed
that she still required a second surgery(A spinal rod). The surgical
consult was approved in December 2013, however, nothing has been done.<br /><br /><br />I
filed a medical malpractice case against Dr. Attias in Maricopa County
Superior Court (CV <a href="http://www.superiorcourt.maricopa.gov/docket/CivilCourtCases/index.asp">2012-017403</a>) I waived all of the motions and oral
arguments for Dominique. Even with a court order, it has taken months
just to get a copy of her medical records. Just short of a contempt
ruling.<br /><br /><br />ADOC did not want the release of these medical
records not only because of the spinal issues, but because of several
issues. In 2011, Dominique fell transferring from the toilet to her
wheelchair. You could clearly see a dislocation of her left shoulder and
medical refused to address the issue.<br /><br /><br />So, once again I wrote
a letter to Corizon’s legal department. Last November, St. Luke’s
hospital performed an MRI. All of the muscles tore, arthritis, and
healed improperly, rotator cuff blown out and she requires complete
joint replacement. Even with surgery, Dominique will never have full use
of her left arm and shoulder. 3 months later, medical claims that
they’re trying to find a doctor to perform the procedure.<br /><br /><br />Dominique
had cardiac issues. Specifically aneurysm on the carotid artery with
high blood pressure and several blocked arteries. After DOC was notified
that Dominique required cardiac surgery, it’s been several YEARS since
she has been seen by a cardiologist.<br /><br /><br />Dominique is a 70-year
old woman. With respect to her spine, intermittent paralysis and extreme
pain. These assholes wouldn’t even approve her with a wheelchair. Her
daughter bought her a wheelchair. She’s in agony with her shoulder. With
the cardiac, the pain has her blood pressure at stroke levels.<br /><br /><br />Nothing
is being done and essentially ADOC wants her to remain in a cell, shut
up and die! At this point, in considering adding Arizona as a party to
the Attias lawsuit just to obtain orders for medical treatments…”</span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> ------------------------</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />Dominique
apparently just returned to Perryville from the hospital on 5/11/14 - I
dont know what procedure she may have had there, but expect to hear
back from her friend soon.<br /><br />Please, readers, <b><a href="http://www.azgovernor.gov/Contact.asp">contact Governor Brewer’s office</a></b> and urge her to appoint an executive team to investigate
the privatization of the DOC’s health services - the performance of
these private companies has been criminal, for which they are making a
profit off of the tax dollars stolen from our schools to care for
prisoners - in fact, Corizon is being paid over $300,000 a day to deny
prisoners the essential care they need.</span></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Governor's Office</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Executive Tower</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">1700 West Washington Street</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Phoenix, AZ 85007</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">(602) 542-4331</span></span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /> You can also complain directly to Corizon about Dominique’s care at 1-855-276-5416<br /> or by E-MAIL: <a href="mailto:InmateHealthInquiry@corizonhealth.com">InmateHealthInquiry@corizonhealth.com</a></span></span></i><br />
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<b><i><span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">For
those of you who are also fighting for a loved one’s medical care at
the AZ DOC, please refer to these posts below, and call or email me if
you need help. Your loved ones MUST be filing grievances, not just more
HNRs, if they aren’t getting the care they need. Reach me, Peggy Plews
at 480-580-6807 or <a href="mailto:arizonaprisonwatch@gmail.com">arizonaprisonwatch@gmail.com</a>.<span class="sew6qyi6e3iqf3e"></span><span class="sew6qyi6e3iqf3e"></span></span></span></i></b><br />
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<b><a href="http://www.arizonaprisonwatch.org/2013/03/corizon-and-az-doc-prisoners-families.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">http://www.arizonaprisonwatch.org/2013/03/corizon-and-az-doc-prisoners-families.html</span></a></b></div>
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<b><a href="http://www.arizonaprisonwatch.org/2013/05/corizons-deliberate-indifference.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">http://www.arizonaprisonwatch.org/2013/05/corizons-deliberate-indifference.html</span></a></b></div>
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<b><a href="http://www.arizonaprisonwatch.org/2014/05/death-sentence-kpnxs-halloran-and.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: Georgia; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">http://www.arizonaprisonwatch.org/2014/05/death-sentence-kpnxs-halloran-and.html</span></a></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4GXe4krLiNCdtO1E6IN3b-lJH9C-_17mSqmlgwCIIZ7qeXlt8fBRftqYG-4BeQoXSxnMdoyS86Pil45HrCT8H0EgGLEbZd8A5kV6B5k46DNw_p7gPsH-piSan9lKHkSsYpRb-A7HPG538/s1600/FreeMarciaPowellchalk3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4GXe4krLiNCdtO1E6IN3b-lJH9C-_17mSqmlgwCIIZ7qeXlt8fBRftqYG-4BeQoXSxnMdoyS86Pil45HrCT8H0EgGLEbZd8A5kV6B5k46DNw_p7gPsH-piSan9lKHkSsYpRb-A7HPG538/s1600/FreeMarciaPowellchalk3.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><b><span style="font-size: x-small;">photo by PJ Starr / Chalk art by Margaret J Plews</span></b></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b><i>Phoenix, AZ (Thanksgiving 2011)</i></b></span></div>
Margaret Jean Plewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17604426254894186183noreply@blogger.com