​It’s no secret — not really — that Arizona Governor Jan Brewer’s son is seriously mentally ill. 

During her years in the state Legislature and as a member of the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors, she mentioned it often in passing, and earned a reputation as a big-hearted advocate for the mentally ill who often put her conservative politics aside to do right by one of Arizona’s most vulnerable populations.

But during her time as governor, she’s mentioned it less. She’s caved to political pressure and allowed vital services to the mentally ill to be cut.

And something funny’s going on with her son’s 20-year-old case. On January 9, 2009, in a very unusual move, his criminal case files were sealed. But New Times has obtained the police report behind the incident.

More on Ronald Brewer and the governor after the jump.

Ronald Brewer, 46, is not just mentally ill. He was deemed criminally insane in 1990, following a July 1989 arrest and subsequent indictment for the sexual assault and kidnapping of a Phoenix woman. According to a Phoenix Police Department report dated July 29, 1989, Brewer, then an unemployed 25-year-old, forced his way into a woman’s apartment on West Indian School Road and threatened to hurt her “real bad” if she didn’t engage in sexual acts, including performing fellatio.

According to a police interview with the victim, the entire ordeal lasted “approximately 20 minutes. During the assault, she feared for her life and thought the suspect was going to kill her if she did not cooperate.”  

Those details are not available for public inspection at county Superior Court — even though in a typical criminal case, they probably would be. On January 9, 2009, Superior Court Judge Pendleton Gaines sealed the entire case file at the request of Ronald Brewer’s attorney.

On December 1, 2008, President-Elect Barack Obama nominated then-Governor Janet Napolitano to be the head of Homeland Security. Her successor? Secretary of State Jan Brewer. Brewer assumed office as governor on January 21.

The timing is curious.

This marked the first time that Ronald Brewer’s entire file was sealed. Previously, his mental-health files were sealed, which is typical. Criminal cases are rarely sealed, and then, only parts of such a case would usually be kept from the public.

Phoenix Newspapers (a.k.a. the Arizona Republic)  filed a motion in July asking the judge to reconsider his January 2009 sealing order.

That motion also is under wraps. The court docket suggests that a ruling by the judge is pending.

The docket also strongly suggests that Ronald Brewer has several times over many years attempted to gain permanent release from his confinement at the state hospital in Phoenix, and has successfully won temporary release at various times.

But, as of now, he remains confined.

Last year — even as state budget cuts were affecting tens of thousands of Arizonans — ground was broken on a new building to house the forensics unit at the Arizona State Hospital. Governor Brewer reportedly was not in attendance on the grounds of the state hospital where her son is housed, but a member of her staff spoke, sources tell New Times.

5 Responses to “Was there a quid pro quo with AZ Gov. Brewer? Did someone promise not to unseal Gov. Brewer’s son’s criminal file in exchange for her killing the Presidential eligibility bill, which would’ve kept Obama off the ballot in 2012?”

1. Ed
   April 24th, 2011 @ 2:37 am

   The site is being messed with again..I had just logged on and kept getting a message that the site needed an extra key( what ever that is) and in the prompt box there was a google address to go to to do that.
   I had to refressh page , after several attempts of “X-ing” the prompt box.
   I guess the libs are getting REAL SCARED AGAIN..

2. Veritas
   April 24th, 2011 @ 4:27 am

   It is a question worth asking. It was so obvious that she had not done deep thinking about Eligibility when she gave her rationale for the veto. It made little sense. A Conflict of Interest would be one, albeit corrupt, rationale for vetoing a measure that would have protected American Sovereignty.

3. RJ
   April 24th, 2011 @ 6:23 am

   I am terrifically disappointed to see this type of journalism on this prestigious web site. Governor Brewer’s son should be as off limits for public scrutiny as Sarah Palin’s son, Trig, should be.

   There was immediate and appropriate outrage at the scurrilous attacks on Trig because of his mental disability. Where is the outrage at the attacks regarding Governor Brewer’s son!!

4. hippybiker
   April 24th, 2011 @ 11:34 am

   I wouldn’t put anything past that piece of trash infesting our White House, and his henchman Criminal Eric Holder. as a former resident of the Chicago area, I know who and what O-Bozo is and what he is capable of. He is pure scum of the lowest order.

5. Veritas
   April 24th, 2011 @ 6:13 pm

   RJ, to Dr Taitz’ credit, the point is NOT about Brewer’s son per se, but, rather about possible CONFLICT of INTEREST affecting national security and sovereignty.

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