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| Inmates Deny White Supremacy Syndicate Charges |
| By KOLD-TV |
| Published: 03/22/2004 |
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The Pima County (Ariz.) Sheriff's Department arrested five inmates on charges of threats and intimidation, and working with a syndicate. In this case, the department said it was a white supremacist syndicate. Out of these five inmates, two attacked corrections officers. But while these inmates admit to their crimes, they say the charges are all wrong. "I don't deny assaulting that officer, I mean, I wouldn't even say I was trying to assault him. I would say I was trying to do more. I tried to take this officer's life, but he was pretty lucky and got away with it," said 21-year-old inmate Dennis Levis. "I did it, I don't deny I did it, and I have no problem being held responsible for my actions," said 26-year-old inmate Keith Phillips. Both inmates will tell you they did attack corrections officers at the Pima County Jail in January. But they both will also tell you it had nothing to do with white supremacy, or any sort of organization or syndicate promoting it. But the Pima County Sheriff's Department says there are syndicates among the inmates in both the jail and prison system, and they must be broken up. "To see that everything is handled correctly at the systems, or the jail, or the prisons, so that no one gets injured," said Deputy Dawn Barkman. "But if it gets out of control, and there's no control over these individuals, then you can see where this is going to lead to. It's going to become a very big issue and people are going to get injured seriously." The official charges for each of the five inmates are two counts of syndicate, participating in criminal activity; four counts of syndicate, assisting in criminal activity; and five counts of threats and intimidation. Both Phillips and Levis say race, or any group, played no role in their attacks on corrections officers. Each one said they attacked an officer for other personal issues with that officer. |
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