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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Thursday, March 17, 2011

MCSO Brutality Watch: Gerster Court Records.


Gerster's Pre-trial Conference (March 11, 2011).
Maricopa County Superior Court: Central Court House.
W. Jefferson / 3rd Ave. Phoenix, AZ


Below are the links to Kevin Gerster's Maricopa County Superior Court records. You can find similar court records on other folks by following these links:

AZ Supreme Court (includes records on-line from county courts across the state)

Marciopa County Superior Court


2 Counts of unauthorized access to criminal records F6 (I thought they had a computer tampering count on here as well, but I don't know what happened to it. His buddy used the information Gerster gave him to attack his ex-girlfriend and a former jail prisoner she was dating. He must have known what that guy would do with the address; that should make him an accomplice to two more assaults - both with a deadly weapon).


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http://www.superiorcourt.maricopa.gov/docket/CriminalCourtCases/caseInfo.asp?caseNumber=CR2010-008065

3 counts of aggravated assault (F6) on William Franklin Hughes III, a prisoner in the Maricopa County Lower Buckeye Jail's mental health unit. Hughes was in on non-violent charges (which are being handled as felonies as serious as this one), and appeared to be having some kind of manic episode at the time - in his mug shot he looks deleriously happy. He never would have been assaulted if the MCSO investigated their own crimes as enthusiastically - even diligently - as they chase down undocumented children.


Charges should have been filed under ARS 136-623, the law that is supposed to protect vulnerable adults with mental disabilities from this kind of abuse - there's no reason it shouldn't apply to those in the custody of police, especially pre-trial detainees. Under that statute, the guards who held those prisoners while they were being assaulted, and the ones who didn't report Gerster themselves would be getting prosecuted for class 6 felonies, and Gerster and Keesee would be facing F2s on each count. With these charges, they're starting close to the bottom of the negotiating scale - which is why we should be on them about the plea deal.



***We have yet to see if charges are going to be brought against the other uniformed goon seen brutalizing Hughes on youtube, Alan Keesee. As far as I know, he's still on paid administrative leave from the MCSO. I think they hope it will all blow over soon. Help me make sure it doesn't. Call the MCAO at (602) 506-3411 ***


http://www.superiorcourt.maricopa.gov/docket/CriminalCourtCases/caseInfo.asp?caseNumber=CR2010-008073


2 counts of aggravated assault (F6) on Michael Flores, another prisoner in Arpaio's dungeons from June 2011. He broke this poor guy's jaw while he was strapped naked in 4-point restraints to a table in a maximum security solitary cell - hardly a threat to anyone. He was just an annoyance and sport for the night to Gerster, who no doubt verbally abused and humiliated him to no end as well. Flores didn't even get medical treatment until he was released five days later. I think that gives him two pretty solid civil rights cases against the Sheriff's Department.


This attack alone should put Gerster in prison longer than Anant Tripati has already served for fraudulent schemes, in my book (He made the mistake of insulting the prosecutor and every judge in the state, unfortunately, so they stacked his sentences - they're all intent on burying him in prison, but the judge who heard Gerster's case last week smiled and wished him "good luck"...


Here are the links to the minutes:

Case Number Def Id Name Entry Date Judicial Officer Name

CR2010008062
(001) GERSTER, KEVIN MICHAEL 03/11/2011 COMMISSIONER LISA M. ROBERTS View Minute Entry

CR2010008065
(001) GERSTER, KEVIN MICHAEL 03/11/2011 COMMISSIONER LISA M. ROBERTS View Minute Entry

CR2010008073
(001) GERSTER, KEVIN MICHAEL 03/11/2011 COMMISSIONER LISA M. ROBERTS View Minute Entry

CR2010008062
(001) GERSTER, KEVIN MICHAEL 02/15/2011 HONORABLE MARIA DEL MAR VERDIN View Minute Entry

CR2010008065
(001) GERSTER, KEVIN MICHAEL 02/15/2011 HONORABLE MARIA DEL MAR VERDIN View Minute Entry

CR2010008073
(001) GERSTER, KEVIN MICHAEL 02/15/2011 HONORABLE MARIA DEL MAR VERDIN View Minute Entry

CR2010008062
(001) GERSTER, KEVIN MICHAEL 02/10/2011 COMMISSIONER LISA M. ROBERTS View Minute Entry

CR2010008065
(001) GERSTER, KEVIN MICHAEL 02/10/2011 COMMISSIONER LISA M. ROBERTS View Minute Entry

CR2010008073
(001) GERSTER, KEVIN MICHAEL 02/10/2011 COMMISSIONER LISA M. ROBERTS View Minute Entry

CR2010008062
(001) GERSTER, KEVIN MICHAEL 12/23/2010 COMMISSIONER STEVEN P. LYNCH View Minute Entry

CR2010008065
(001) GERSTER, KEVIN MICHAEL 12/23/2010 COMMISSIONER STEVEN P. LYNCH View Minute Entry

CR2010008073
(001) GERSTER, KEVIN MICHAEL 12/23/2010 COMMISSIONER STEVEN P. LYNCH View Minute Entry

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