Arkansas Man’s Legacy Highlights Department of Corrections Oversight After Death
Fort Smith, AR — Rolf Kaestel, who spent 40 years imprisoned for a 1981 toy gun robbery and later became a crucial whistleblower in the Arkansas prison blood scandal, continues to capture attention even after his death on February 25, 2024. His passing due to cirrhosis and liver cancer followed a brief period of clemency granted by former Governor Asa Hutchinson.
In a bizarre twist, over a year after Kaestel’s death, parole officer Angelo Townsend visited Kaestel’s former Sherwood residence, seeking to find him. The current residents, surprised by Townsend’s inquiry, informed him that Kaestel had died. Gayla Hooten, a former paralegal and Kaestel’s friend, recounted the awkward exchange, noting that she had previously notified the Arkansas Department of Corrections of Kaestel’s death.
Kaestel, a pivotal figure in exposing a scandal that resulted in over 3,000 deaths and tens of thousands of HIV and hepatitis C infections from contaminated plasma sold to the U.K., had become a media focal point in Arkansas. Kelly Duda, a filmmaker and friend, became involved in seeking transparency regarding the Department of Corrections’ handling of Kaestel’s legacy. He filed Freedom of Information Act requests to understand why the department appeared unaware of Kaestel’s status.
Duda expressed skepticism regarding the department’s lack of awareness, highlighting Kaestel’s prominence in local media and the public ceremony held in his honor shortly before his death. Despite attempts to clarify the situation, Duda described ADC’s responses as evasive, raising questions about their operational transparency.
As Arkansas grapples with the implications of its past, Kaestel’s story serves as a reminder of the enduring impacts of systemic failures within its correctional system.
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