and Her Accomplices
Settle Prison Sex Case
By: Burt Atlantic Parks
Marilyn Brooks, who was then the warden at the Cambridge
Springs prison for women near Erie in Northwestern
Pennsylvania, along with several other prison officials have been
compelled to make a sizable financial settlement for their parts
in a prison sex case.
Maria Rosado and Elizabeth Bradley (nee Mitchell) who were at the time prisoners in the state prison at Muncy near Williamsport in Lyoming County in North-Central Pennsylvania, were forced to engage in lesbian sexual acts by Richard Kissinger, Jr., a prison guard. This incident was only one among many sexual crimes by the staff at Pennsylvania's two women's prisons. When the victims reported the crimes, they were punished. Prison officials helped to cover-up the crimes and to protect the guard. No action was taken against guard Kissinger until he was charged for the crimes by the local DA, a year later. Then he was suspended. All that time prison officials protected him. Eventually, the guard was sentenced to almost five years in prison. MANY other prison guards should be prosecuted, but their bosses protect them. With the help of attorney Angus Love, the victims filed suit against the prison bosses who'd protected the criminal guard and helped cover-up his crimes. Paramount among the disreputable prison officials was Marilyn Brooks. She punished one of the victims for reporting the crimes. Brooks had the victim thrown into the prison hole on a charge that she was lying about the sexual incident. She kept the victim in the hole even after the guard was charged with the crime and had been suspended. Prison officials are far more foul than the prisoners they bully. Other prison officials were also involved in covering-up the sexual crimes and/or in protecting the criminal. Martin Dragovich and Donald Kelchner, both of whom served as superintendents of the Muncy woman's prison were sued and eventually had to settle. If nothing else, they failed to take robust action against the criminally perverse guard. Also sued were Shirley Moore and Diane Meshinski. At the time of the incidents, Moore was a so-called deputy superintendent of the prison. Meshinski was a so-called guard lieutenant. In some interpretations of the facts of the case, some or all of these officials might be considered accomplices because of their role in protecting the actual perpetrator, obstructing justice and covering-up. Regrettably, Jeffrey Beard, the boss of the whole Imprisonment Department couldn't be sued. He could have corrected the whole problem. As is his habit, Secretary Beard failed to act responsibly and ethically. He buried his head in the sand. The dud should be replaced by someone who has some idea of what integrity means. It took the victims over five years, but finally, the overwhelming weight of evidence compelled the infamous Department of Imprisonment to settle the case. By the time of the settlement, both victims had been released and were making lives for themselves, one in Middletown, the other in Lancaster, both in Central Pennsylvania. It's almost impossible to prosecute a legal case while imprisoned. All the courts and systems are stacked against the victim. A free person has a much easier time of it. We sincerely wish Miss Rosado and Mrs. Bradley the best of success in their lives. As for the prison officials, Brooks, Dragovich, Kelchner, Moore and Meshinski (and don't forget Beard), we strongly urge them to get out of the imprisonment racket. Make amends to your victims - all of them. There must be plenty!
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