The Sledgehammer Award goes to KJZZ Senior Field Correspondent Jimmy Jenkins for his ongoing work to shine a light on the happenings inside of Arizona’s prisons. Jenkins’ “deep sourcing and expert use of public records” have helped to inform the public about unsafe water and food, self-harm among inmates, dangerous work conditions faced by staff and more.
Jimmy’s nominator wrote that his reporting “has made it clear to many that our state institutions are either not willing to or capable of consistently guaranteeing the rights of prisoners. Until they are, reporting like his will continue to be invaluable.”
Thank you, Jimmy, for your tireless efforts to expose the truth.
The winners of this year’s Brick Wall Award are Rep. Mark Finchem of Oro Valley and former State Rep. Anthony Kern, of Glendale, for their refusal to turn over records about their involvement in anti-election activities leading to the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.
We’d like to take a moment to acknowledge our other sledgehammer nominees and their excellent work in 2020:
- Lorraine Longhi, former Scottsdale reporter for The Arizona Republic, for her work to uncover that the city prosecutor’s office had convicted multiple people of DUIs without first showing them evidence that could have exonerated them.
- Tucson Sentinel Editor Dylan Smith’s efforts to bring to light the in-custody deaths of two men that the Tucson Police Department had covered up for several months.
- The Arizona Republic reporters Robert Anglen, Anne Ryman and Lauren Castle for their work to uncover details of alleged harassment by former Maricopa County prosecutor Juan Martinez dating back to 1990.
Thank you for all your hard work in 2020 and beyond!