Today, Arizona Department of Corrections Director Charles Ryan announced his retirement. Alessandra Soler, Executive Director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona, made the following statement.
"In May, the ACLU of Arizona's Campaign for Smart Justice called for Gov. Ducey to fire Chuck Ryan. As Director of the Arizona Department of Corrections, Chuck Ryan failed to abide by court orders in the class-action lawsuit, Parsons v. Ryan. As a result of his continued noncompliance, hundreds of people have needlessley suffered, and other have died in Arizona prisons.
"The culture of dehumanization and cruelty in the Department of Corrections cannot be solved simply with Ryan's overdue resignation. We demand Gov. Ducey conduct a public search for a new director that incorporates the feedback and participation from key stakeholders, including those directly impacted by the prison system."
