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Influential Arizona citizen journalist Dennis Gilman dead at 67
Gilman won recognition for documenting the activities of far-right figures like former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio.
Dennis Gilman,
an independent videographer in Phoenix who for years advocated for the
poor and undocumented in his videos, was found dead Saturday in his home
in Globe. He was 67.
Peggy Plews, a longtime friend of Gilman's, told Phoenix New Times that she discovered his body after he had been out of contact for several days. Also an accomplished musician, Gilman apparently died on his couch, with his guitar nearby. Plews said Gilman was "completely blue" and looked like he'd been "jamming out and had a heart attack."
Plews said she reported the death to the Globe Police Department and police were at his home when she left with Gilman's dog, Hunter. A Globe police sergeant confirmed Gilman's demise to New Times via phone, saying that the death was apparently from natural causes.
A passionate, unapologetic enemy of those who oppressed the downtrodden, Gilman lived for many years in a modest home in Scottsdale, working as an alarm technician by day. In his off hours, he used his video equipment and his own money to tirelessly document the misdeeds of local law enforcement officials and right-wing politicians, such as Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas and Arizona Senate President Russell Pearce, the author of Arizona's infamous anti-immigrant law, Senate Bill 1070.
Peggy Plews, a longtime friend of Gilman's, told Phoenix New Times that she discovered his body after he had been out of contact for several days. Also an accomplished musician, Gilman apparently died on his couch, with his guitar nearby. Plews said Gilman was "completely blue" and looked like he'd been "jamming out and had a heart attack."
Plews said she reported the death to the Globe Police Department and police were at his home when she left with Gilman's dog, Hunter. A Globe police sergeant confirmed Gilman's demise to New Times via phone, saying that the death was apparently from natural causes.
A passionate, unapologetic enemy of those who oppressed the downtrodden, Gilman lived for many years in a modest home in Scottsdale, working as an alarm technician by day. In his off hours, he used his video equipment and his own money to tirelessly document the misdeeds of local law enforcement officials and right-wing politicians, such as Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas and Arizona Senate President Russell Pearce, the author of Arizona's infamous anti-immigrant law, Senate Bill 1070.
- An occasional contributor to Phoenix New Times, Gilman covered both pro- and anti-immigrant protests at the Arizona Capitol and elsewhere in the Valley. He was often taunted by right-wing haters and sometimes assaulted by them. He posted his videos to his YouTube channel, @Humanleague002, which has nearly 3,000 subscribers.
- "He was a videographer for the people," said Phoenix human rights activist and friend Sal Reza. "We lost one of the most influential individuals who used his videos to expose the injustices that were going on at the time of Arpaio . . . some went viral and were seen worldwide. He helped bring down Arpaio."
- Randy Parraz, co-founder and president of Citizens for a Better Arizona, an activist group that opposed both Arpaio and Pearce, said via text that he was "deeply saddened" by news of Gilman's passing.
‘Videographer for the people’
Some of his best work documented pro-immigrant activism at the border, bird-dogged Arpaio's anti-immigrant sweeps of Latino communities, detailed deaths in Arpaio's jails and helped reveal the personal and political connections between homicidal neo-Nazi baby-killer J.T. Ready and Arizona nativist Russell Pearce.- In capturing video of Pearce applauding a speech by Ready at the Arizona Capitol, Gilman arguably did more to expose Pearce's racist affiliations and ideological corruption than any "professional journalist" in Arizona or elsewhere. . .
Alongside others who "stood up" to Arpaio, Gilman's work was highlighted
in a 2012 New York Times opinion piece by Lawrence Downes. "He takes
his camera everywhere, from Phoenix to Washington," Downes wrote. "His
many videos are on YouTube, helping to illuminate the evidence in the
case against the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office."
Gilman's next of kin could not be reached for this article, which will be updated later with further information regarding any memorial services."
Gilman's next of kin could not be reached for this article, which will be updated later with further information regarding any memorial services."
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