Arizona Prison Watch (retired): Special Management Unit: Prisoner suicide at ASPC Eyman

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

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Special Management Unit: Prisoner suicide at ASPC Eyman

Not many people will think this fellow is a big loss, given his convictions. But his suicide is an indicator of a huge problem with the ADC: namely, that their prisoners are killing themselves at an astounding rate. I could be wrong - I'll check my stats later and correct myself if I am - but it seems as if ASPC-Eyman is especially bad...so much for the ADC's "special management" capabilities.

If I was a judge, I'd refuse to send anyone else to prison in this state until the DOJ investigates all these suicides.

(The following notice is from ADC News Releases for November 1, 2010)

------------------------------

ARIZONA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS

JANICE K. BREWER
GOVERNOR

CHARLES L. RYAN
DIRECTOR

1601 W. JEFFERSON
PHOENIX, ARIZONA 85007
(602) 542-3133
www.azcorrections.gov

NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release

For more information contact:
Barrett Marson
bmarson@azcorrections.gov
Bill Lamoreaux
blamorea@azcorrections.gov

Nov. 1, 2010
Inmate Death Notification

Florence, Ariz. - Inmate James Galloway, 54, ADC #233906, was found unresponsive in his cell on October 26. He was pronounced dead by the emergency medical responders just after midnight Tuesday from an apparent suicide.

Galloway, sentenced out of Maricopa County, was serving 18 life sentences for multiple counts of sexual conduct with a minor. He came to ADC Sept. 10, 2008, and was held at the Special Management Unit of ASPC-Eyman.

The death is under investigation by the department.

2 comments:

Unknown said...: I use to be incarcerated in ADC 10 + year's suicide does happen from time to time but murder from gaurds and inmates are more likely to happen than suicide.
( Sex offender). 18 counts I would say justice is served. That's my opinion.; December 9, 2018 at 12:15 AM
Unknown said...: I use to be i
ncarcerated in ADC 10 + year's suicide does happen from time to time but murder from gaurds and inmates are more likely to happen than suicide.
( Sex offender). 18 counts I would say justice is served. That's my opinion.; December 9, 2018 at 12:15 AM

Arizona Prison Watch (retired)

Retiring Arizona Prison Watch...

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Thursday, November 4, 2010

Special Management Unit: Prisoner suicide at ASPC Eyman

2 comments:

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