The ballad of Marcia Powell

Meet Marcia Powell. Not much of a looker, is she? Marcia was a local prostitute. Marcia also had some serious mental problems.

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Because of her career choice, Marcia found herself in jail last May. In case you've never been in Phoenix in May, it can get rather hot. On this particular day, May 19th, 2010, it got up to 107°F.

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At 11:00 AM on May 19th, Marcia told prison officials that she felt suicidal. The prison officials then did a curious thing - they locked Marcia in an outdoor cage to await being taken to a psychiatric facility.

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The cage is normally used as a discipline tool for inmates who are outside and refuse to go back to their cells. Rather than confront said inmates, prison officials try to somehow lure the prisoner into one of these, and then "wait him/her out". It is hoped that the isolation and outside conditions will adjust the prisoner's attitude.

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The prison's policy is to only allow a prisoner a maximum of 2 hours in these outside cages. On May 19, Marcia was kept there for four hours. She repeatedly asked for some water, and accounts vary as to whether she was given any. Marcia also asked to be allowed to go to the restroom, but was refused. Consequently, she defecated in the cage. One of the officers noted that she had soiled herself, but left her there anyway. Investigators later found feces underneath her fingernails and all over her back.

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A prison sergeant saw Powell lose consciousness, but never reported that to supervisors, despite the fact that Powell said she was having trouble breathing.

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After two hours, Marcia asked to be returned to her cell indoors. The request was denied. After four hours, Marcia Powell was dead.

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The Department of Corrections recommended that seven corrections officers on duty that day be charged with negligent homicide. Yesterday, the Maricopa County Attorney's office decided not to do so. Do you think I'm making this up or exaggerating the story? You can read the Arizona Republic's article about it here.

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So a woman is dead because she engaged in the oldest profession and told someone she felt suicidal. And a slew of goons who stupidly and/or callously caused her death are walking around Phoenix today with smirks on their faces.

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The lesson here is this - if you run afoul of the law in Arizona, you better have lots of money t0 hire some good lawyers to get you out. If you're poor, female, with mental issues and without resources, the prison officials can basically kill you in a most foul and painful way, and get away with it.

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Rest in peace, Marcia Powell. Even if nobody else gives a sh*t about what happened to you, I do.