Retiring Arizona Prison Watch...


This site was originally started in July 2009 as an independent endeavor to monitor conditions in Arizona's criminal justice system, as well as offer some critical analysis of the prison industrial complex from a prison abolitionist/anarchist's perspective. It was begun in the aftermath of the death of Marcia Powell, a 48 year old AZ state prisoner who was left in an outdoor cage in the desert sun for over four hours while on a 10-minute suicide watch. That was at ASPC-Perryville, in Goodyear, AZ, in May 2009.

Marcia, a seriously mentally ill woman with a meth habit sentenced to the minimum mandatory 27 months in prison for prostitution was already deemed by society as disposable. She was therefore easily ignored by numerous prison officers as she pleaded for water and relief from the sun for four hours. She was ultimately found collapsed in her own feces, with second degree burns on her body, her organs failing, and her body exceeding the 108 degrees the thermometer would record. 16 officers and staff were disciplined for her death, but no one was ever prosecuted for her homicide. Her story is here.

Marcia's death and this blog compelled me to work for the next 5 1/2 years to document and challenge the prison industrial complex in AZ, most specifically as manifested in the Arizona Department of Corrections. I corresponded with over 1,000 prisoners in that time, as well as many of their loved ones, offering all what resources I could find for fighting the AZ DOC themselves - most regarding their health or matters of personal safety.

I also began to work with the survivors of prison violence, as I often heard from the loved ones of the dead, and learned their stories. During that time I memorialized the Ghosts of Jan Brewer - state prisoners under her regime who were lost to neglect, suicide or violence - across the city's sidewalks in large chalk murals. Some of that art is here.

In November 2014 I left Phoenix abruptly to care for my family. By early 2015 I was no longer keeping up this blog site, save occasional posts about a young prisoner in solitary confinement in Arpaio's jail, Jessie B.

I'm deeply grateful to the prisoners who educated, confided in, and encouraged me throughout the years I did this work. My life has been made all the more rich and meaningful by their engagement.

I've linked to some posts about advocating for state prisoner health and safety to the right, as well as other resources for families and friends. If you are in need of additional assistance fighting the prison industrial complex in Arizona - or if you care to offer some aid to the cause - please contact the Phoenix Anarchist Black Cross at PO Box 7241 / Tempe, AZ 85281. collective@phoenixabc.org

until all are free -

MARGARET J PLEWS (June 1, 2015)
arizonaprisonwatch@gmail.com



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Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Shame on Pearce. How about Democracy?

Don't even know if I'll be in town, myself, but just got this Pearce Alert from his campaign and couldn't resist letting folks know about this event. You really must visit the website below - it's scary.

As I recall, it's basically about the secret software they use to help people email their lawmakers and get around the state programs that would divert mass mailings to spam. So, it gives one segment of the voting population access to their legislators while keeping the back door they use a secret from the rest of us (you have to pledge to uphold their values if you use their software to write your legislators, or else something bad might happen, I guess.). 
 
That doesn't seem very fair. Pearce is trumpeting something that any good representative of "The People" in a true democracy should be ashamed of exploiting.

"State Sovereignty", by the way, is code for White Supremacy - often used in the Jim Crow South that challenged federal civil rights mandates and such, among other things...

-------------- email from pearcealert@russellpearce.com--------------------------

Save this date!

December 9th 6:30 pm.
A Christmas Dinner fundraiser for http://www.lifelibertyfreedom.com/


Folks,

Many of you have heard me talk about a website called http://www.lifelibertyfreedom.com/. As you know Arizona has been leading the nation in conservative values and Life Liberty Freedom has been a big help to me in making Arizona a leader for other states to follow.

Right now we are fighting for our own State Sovereignty. The Federal Government is doing all it can to undermine our Sovereignty. It is with help from good folks like you that make all the difference and that is where Life Liberty Freedom comes in. They have a system that you can use for free to help make a difference. Click here to see the FREE service they provide or to join.

Right now the system is set up for the Arizona Legislature; however, other states have been asking Life Liberty Freedom to come to their state also so there citizens can help fight back against the Federal Government form undermining their State Sovereignty.

That is why I am writing you today. On December 9th at 6:30 PM Life Liberty Freedom will be hosting a Christmas dinner at the Gold Canyon Golf Resort to raise funds for expanding the website to include all 50 states.

Tickets are $25.00 per-person
RSVP By December 4th to 480-892-5154 or freedom@lifelibertyfreedom.com
December 9th
6:30 PM
Gold Canyon Golf Resort
6100 S. Kings Ranch Rd.
Gold Canyon, AZ 85118

Please consider attending.

For Faith … Family … Freedom … Country

Russell

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