USP Tucson sent Keith Alan Raniere to the Special Housing Unit because he was in a fight. on or about July 25.
It is unknown how the fight started or who was to blame. It did not last long. In fact, there may have been only one blow landed. According to our sources, an inmate sucker punched him shortly after the TNT Rich and Shameless episode The Heiress and the Sex Cult aired and was shown on TV sets in the prison.
I was a consulting producer of the one-hour episode, and it featured Raniere and his relationship with Clare Bronfman.
This incident prompted John Tighe to write a post about the SHU and Raniere’s potential fate.
Tighe suggested Raniere could be transferred from Tucson due to his various actions, including suing the prison.
This in turn prompted Bangkok to write about Tighe’s post, the prisons, and Raniere’s ability to defend himself.
By Bangkok
Thanks for sharing, John.
Always interesting to hear how things are inside American’s horrible prisons.
But I disagree that Keith will be found at fault (for this fight) or that he’ll be transferred away from Tucson.
Keith is a pussy, and there’s no way he started that fight.
At MDC, Frank reported inmates picked on Keith on multiple occasions, without him ever fighting back.
More likely, the dude who punched him will be found at fault and transferred.
Artist conception of Pea Onyu
As an aside — Pea Onyu once talked about Keith’s legendary judo skills helping him in prison fights.
However… Keith’s ‘judo champion’ title isn’t helping him in prison fights.
Keith was “East Coast Judo Champion” at age 12, he says. LOL.
For those who don’t know — 12 year olds don’t compete in ‘real’ judo (they’re not allowed to do submission holds, arm locks, chokes, dangerous throws, etc).
Keith defeats an opponent.
Keith training in his dojo.
In real judo, you can break your opponent’s arm (via arm locks) or choke them unconscious during a match, and it’s perfectly within the rules (assuming they don’t first ‘submit’ by tapping out). But 12 year olds are too young to do any of that.
Also… There are several dangerous ‘throws’ which 12 year olds aren’t yet allowed to do.
12 year olds don’t practice REAL judo, it’s more of a modified ‘kiddie’ judo.
Also, 12 year olds only compete against other 11 or 12 year olds in competition, not against adults. It’s a special ‘kiddie’ division, with different age limits (i.e., 9-10, 11-12, etc).
Also, most 12 year olds compete at the white/yellow belt level (or possibly orange) —– which is basically just a ‘beginner’ level.
At every local judo competition, there are many winners from various ‘kiddie’ divisions and different age groups.
Therefore… Keith is among thousands of other kids who’ve won local judo competitions on the East Coast — while competing against other kiddies in the lower divisions (using ‘kiddie judo’, not real judo).
It’s hardly an accomplishment to brag about as an adult.
I wonder if Isaac Edwards would agree with this assessment.
Frank, can you ask Isaac Edwards to comment on Keith’s judo claims? Or am I asking too much of you?
Keith Raniere [left] said he won the East Coast Judo Championship when he was 11.
Keith Raniere’s website biography, as it appeared in 2011, at the now-defunct KeithRaniere.com
A screenshot of Keith’s bio on KeithRaniere.com in 2005
Bangkok, I do not need to ask Isaac. In his 2005 bio, on keithraniere.com, it clearly states: “At the age of eleven, he was an Eastern Coast Judo Champion.”
In his 2011 bio, also on keithraniere.com, it states: “Applying this skill to athletics, Keith Raniere excelled in judo and was an East Coast Judo Champion at age eleven.”
From what the plain language of the bios state, Raniere won two different championships, the Eastern Coast Judo Champion and the East Coast Judo Champion within the same year – 1971.
Raniere was 51 when the second bio was published. He was a leader of a company with a 12 point mission statement that talked about changing the world.
It is inconceivable that Raniere would mention a mere children’s tournament as a major accomplishment.
If you look at all his other accomplishments in his bio – they are all in the context of advanced accomplishments. For instance, he played “piano at a concert level by age 12.”
Winning a simple tournament with kids his own age – at yellow or white belt level – is not something a grown man would cite as a major accomplishment.
Keith Raniere competed against adult men like these men, according to his bio.
The bigger they are, the harder they fall, is a motto Keith Raniere believed in.
Playing concert level piano at age 12 is not like playing with the skills of other 12 year olds.
No, it is Carnegie Hall ready.
This prodigy astounded everyone with his preteen skills. And, if he says he was East Coast and Eastern Coast Judo Champion – it means he fought against adults and put them in submission holds, and threw them around like so many rag dolls. And if needed, he could choke out or knock an opponent unconscious.
It means he defeated men – not children.
You’re all washed up Bangkok, and you know it.
