TommyLee Dean

TommyLee Dean has been in and out of prison since 1989. The present sentence, being served, began in 2007. It was during this latest bout of extensive time when he took a deep look within himself and decided that something needed to change. Whether fulfilling some childhood need to be an authentic tough guy thug to the point of retirement or simply maturing, TommyLee redirected his life choices. Through that redirection, writing was found to be cleansing and therapeutic. Always a fan of horror and extreme things, it was obvious what his writing passion would be. Not to pigeonhole and restrict these developing talents, TommyLee decided to dabble at other forms of writing, and positions in the literary world, than that of splatterpunk horror writer one of which is being an editor for Messenger Quarterly, a prison newspaper produced through a collaboration between CDOC and Mercury Mountain Media, which can be found at unboundauthors.org. And, some of his other forms can be found right here at destination-freedom.org.

Books by TommyLee Dean

Brain Pulp

Colorado prison inmate Tommy Lee Dean opens up on his life and overly active imagination in sinister poetry, short stories and essays that come straight from the pulp of his brain

His Name Pronounced Lucifer

You see, everyone tells you how pretty you are, because you are! And you’re used to this; probably even feed off of it some.  However, the sad thing is, due to this fine quality of beauty signifying you as a goddess, people look to please you.  Therefore, people, being what they are, report to the craftiness of their species as to dupe the pretty goddess into wanting to keep them in her presence.  This they do because they enjoy gazing upon the beauty radiated — the beauty of this goddess walking amongst mere mortals.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Malik Washington is an investigative journalist, U.S. Army veteran, and CEO of Destination Freedom Media Group, which he co-founded with Gale Washington. Destination Freedom Media Group, an independent nonprofit newsroom dedicated to accountability reporting at the intersection of civil rights, public integrity, disability justice, structural accountability within American institutions, and community survival.

He previously served as Editor-in-Chief of the San Francisco Bay View National Black Newspaper (2020–2021) and has been a published journalist for over 14 years.

With journalist Maura Corkery, he is co-author of The Unquiet Resignation, an investigative series on the San Francisco Unified School District produced in partnership with The Davis Vanguard.

His “Price of Being Poor” series — also produced in partnership with The Davis Vanguard — is the most sustained recent accounting of privatized public housing in San Francisco  documenting the conditions at Alice Griffith Apartments that culminated in San Francisco’s first-of-its-kind code-enforcement settlement of August 26, 2026.

His work focuses on government power, criminal justice, environmental justice, and the human consequences of policy decisions too often insulated from public scrutiny. Washington’s reporting amplifies the voices of impacted communities while insisting on documentary evidence, transparency, and the unvarnished truth—especially when institutions demand silence.

His work appears on platforms such as Muck Rack, examining the intersection of justice, governance, and community.

You can reach him via email: mwashington2059@gmail.com or call him at (719) 715-9592.

Suggestions or leads on stories are always welcome.

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