Dr Kent’s Blog

 

 

Folks, I am going to try to recall and tell this story in brief.  My spelling may not be quite right; feel free to advise me of any errors.  But, this story’s got to be told.

 

Officer Brent Lumley’s death appears to have involved decisions by Charles Ryan.  I’ll let you, the reader, decide whether or not Charles Ryan might have been negligent.

 

Here is a link to the HTML version of the Arizona Supreme Court record of the conviction of Leroy D. Cropper:

 

http://74.125.47.132/search?q=cache:pjo5BBguhoQJ:www.supreme.state.az.us/opin/pdf2003/cr_00_0544_ap.pdf+lumley+ADOC&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=2&gl=us

 

This is the section to which I call your attention:

 

¶4

Cropper needed to find a way out of his cell. An inmate

is able to leave a locked cell if a fellow inmate “spins the lock”

to his cell door. This lock picking procedure, performed manually

on the cell door lock from outside the cell, bypasses the control

room’s electronic lock command.

 

However, it does not describe exactly how Cropper’s lock was spun.  But the reported written record rarely tells the truth:

 

An inmate could do it himself from inside of his cell rigging it to unlock at the pull of a string!

 

Deputy Warden Ron Odom at Perryville’s San Juan Unit became so distraught over the loss of one of his beloved officer’s that he suffered a massive heart attack shortly after the murder and passed away.  Ron Odom was loved by all who worked with him at San Juan.  Odom ran a tight ship based upon “mutual inclusivity.”  Some described it as “family.” 

 

There was rumor of a waiting list of 400 officers who wanted to work for Mr. Odom because he took such good care of his employees.  It was unheard of in ADOC and nothing like it exists today.  ADOC administrators could learn from the magnificent model Mr. Ron Odom provided.

 

Why did Ron have a heart attack?  The stress was too much for him.  Ron knew Lumley’s death could have & should have been prevented.  Who was the culprit?  And how?

 

Over the course of a year, DW Odom wrote ADOC Central Office requesting repairs to the cell locks in his unit due to his concern for the safety of his officers.  Every three (3) months like clockwork, he’d receive a denial of his request for new locks [urgent security matters] because ADOC didn’t have the money.

 

Who wrote the letters?  Who signed those denials?

 

Chuck Ryan!

 

According to my informant, Charles Ryan signed off on at least three (3) letters denying DW Odom’s request for locks to protect his officers!

 

Why?

 

Because ADOC didn’t have the money! 

 

Nevertheless, right after Lumley’s murder, which could have been prevented by installing locks that could not be “turned,” ADOC found even more money and installed secure locks & new doors at almost double the original estimate!

 

AND

 

At the cost of Officer Brent Lumley’s life!