Hello to everyone,

Well, as I am continuously encouraged by my family to express my thoughts and feelings in this blog, I felt compelled to share what has recently happened and how my days have drastically changed…

Two weeks ago I received some devastating news from the prison’s administration. Apparently, the administration had decided to remove me from the NEADS Service Dog Program.

Imagine my surprise when just the day before I was told by the program’s liaison that the NEADS Trainer had decided that since I was one of the senior handlers and I had done so well with Dancer, she wanted to bring me an 8 week-old puppy to train. I was ecstatic. With Dancer’s recent graduation just a couple of weeks earlier, I was eager to get started training a new puppy right away. Further, getting a new puppy is an honor that is usually only granted to the most dedicated and skilled handlers. The fact that the NEADS Trainer had chosen to give me a new puppy was a great distinction. Imagine my surprise when, alternatively, the very next day the prison’s administration decided to remove me from the program.

I was heartbroken. I can’t even put into words how terrible I felt. Everything that gave my life meaning behind these walls was just taken from me. Being in prison for twenty years as an innocent man is difficult enough; removing me from the NEADS Program was like yanking a life preserver from a drowning man.

Needless to say, my days have changed drastically. I was moved from the dog unit to a more restrictive unit. I now seldom, if ever, come into contact with the dogs I’ve grown to love. Now, rather than spending my days training and working with dogs, I spend up to 17 hours a day locked in a two-man cell. I went from helping disabled people, to a mundane and meaningless existence.

The two years I spent in the NEADS Program meant a lot to me. It gave my days purpose while allowing me to give back to my community. I am grateful that I was able to train three service dogs that were placed with disabled children. I know that those dogs changed the lives of those children. I am proud of that. There is a saying in prison: “Nothing that is good lasts.” Knowing that, I cherished every day that I had with the dogs. And I was thankful for the opportunity.

I still have much to be thankful for. And I am. I have an amazing support system. I have many friends and family that love and support me. I have an amazing legal team fighting every day to bring me home. And I have hope for a future outside of prison. It’s a lot. It’s more than most. I will stay strong and I will stay optimistic. I will not let this terrible place change who I am in my heart. But I cannot hide the truth: I am devastated and heartbroken. But, I am strong. I’ll get through this. And I always remember… every day that I survive in this place brings me One Day Closer.

PLEASE NOTE: We, Brian’s family and friends, believe Brian’s sudden removal from the NEADS Program was retaliation by the prison’s administrators and a direct result of Brian cooperating with the reporter from “Boston Magazine.” Prior to Brian’s interview, he was warned not to do the interview. Specifically, during an interrogation about the interview he was told that his position in the NEADS Program could be at risk. Prison administration at MCI-Concord attempted to stop the interview; however, the reporter went over the administrator’s head and had that decision overruled by the Department of Correction’s Central office. Then, just two weeks after the article was released online, the MCI-Concord prison administration arbitrarily and punitively removed Brian from the NEADS Service Dog Program. Prison administrators have refused to provide any explanation to Brian, written or otherwise other than it was an “administrative decision.”

                Brian has met or exceeded all NEADS program expectations. At the prison he has and continues to be disciplinary report free. He has received positive work, housing, and program evaluations. This action was punitive and clearly retaliatory.

                After being removed from the program he was asked by the NEADS liaison to attend the meet and greet/graduation ceremony on March 1^st.  It was the first graduation in nearly a year. Although he did not want to attend and be further upset by the situation, Brian attended as the only handler from the program graduating a dog. He did not mention this incident when he spoke at the ceremony. He did not correct Dancer’s new owner who wished him continued success with his next dog. He barely kept himself together but he did it. He carried himself with maturity and spoke with integrity. He represented the NEADS Program responsibly. He did the right thing.

                In our support of Brian, we are contacting Thomas Turco, Undersecretary of Criminal Justice at the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security-the agency that oversees the Department of Correction. We are asking him, “If it is the mission of the Department of Correction to protect public safety through providing inmates with programming, why then did the administration at MCI-Concord arbitrarily remove Brian Peixoto from a program where he was training service dogs for disabled people in our communities?”

                Support for Brian’s innocence grows every day and for that we are grateful. Folks have always asked what they can do to help to support Brian. We ask that you contact Undersecretary Turco directly as we are (above.) Massachusetts residents can reach out to local state legislators via email and request that they contact Mr. Turco. Our hope is that an inquiry from the Undersecretary will prompt officials at MCI Concord to reconsider their decision to remove Brian, and also that he will be reinstated and allowed to return to training service dogs.

                While we are always One Day Closer, we are asking that you assist in our efforts to make it so that Brian spends these days doing what he is great at and what he plans to do with his life once free – training service dogs for people with special needs.

                Thank you for your continued support.