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San Quentin Rehabilitation Center (SQ), formerly known as San Quentin State Prison, is a
California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) is the penal law enforcement agency of the government of California responsible for the operation of the California state prison and parole systems. Its headquarters are in Sacra ...
state prison for men, located north of
San Francisco San Francisco, officially the City and County of San Francisco, is a commercial, Financial District, San Francisco, financial, and Culture of San Francisco, cultural center of Northern California. With a population of 827,526 residents as of ...
in the unincorporated place of San Quentin in
Marin County Marin County ( ) is a county located in the northwestern part of the San Francisco Bay Area of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 262,231. Its county seat and largest city is San Rafael. Marin County is ac ...
. Established in 1852, and opening in 1854, San Quentin is the oldest
prison A prison, also known as a jail, gaol, penitentiary, detention center, correction center, correctional facility, or remand center, is a facility where Prisoner, people are Imprisonment, imprisoned under the authority of the State (polity), state ...
in
California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...
. The state's only
death row Death row, also known as condemned row, is a place in a prison that houses inmates awaiting execution after being convicted of a capital crime and sentenced to death. The term is also used figuratively to describe the state of awaiting executio ...
for male inmates, the largest in the United States, was located at the prison. Its
gas chamber A gas chamber is an apparatus for killing humans or animals with gas, consisting of a sealed chamber into which a poisonous or asphyxiant gas is introduced. Poisonous agents used include hydrogen cyanide and carbon monoxide. History Donatie ...
has not been used since 1993, and its
lethal injection Lethal injection is the practice of injecting one or more drugs into a person (typically a barbiturate, paralytic, and potassium) for the express purpose of causing death. The main application for this procedure is capital punishment, but t ...
chamber was last used in
2006 2006 was designated as the International Year of Deserts and Desertification. Events January * January 1– 4 – Russia temporarily cuts shipment of natural gas to Ukraine during a price dispute. * January 12 – A stampede during t ...
. The prison has been featured on film, radio drama, video, podcast, and television; is the subject of many books; has hosted concerts; and has housed many notorious inmates.


Facilities

The correctional complex sits on Point San Quentin, which consists of on the north side of
San Francisco Bay San Francisco Bay (Chochenyo language, Chochenyo: 'ommu) is a large tidal estuary in the United States, U.S. state of California, and gives its name to the San Francisco Bay Area. It is dominated by the cities of San Francisco, California, San ...
. The prison complex itself occupies , valued in a 2001 study at between $129 million and $664 million. As of July 31, 2022, San Quentin was incarcerating people at 105% of its design capacity, with 3,239 occupants.


Death row

Men condemned to death in California were, in general, formerly held at San Quentin. Most of the former death row population, with some exceptions, have been moved to general population in other California institutions as of May 28, 2024. These transfers have been arranged to comply with Proposition 66 and are being managed by the Condemned Inmate Transfer Program of the
California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) is the penal law enforcement agency of the government of California responsible for the operation of the California state prison and parole systems. Its headquarters are in Sacra ...
. Of the 598 condemned inmates in California as of February 5, 2025, only 9 remained at San Quentin, with the last 9 inmates expected to also be transferred after completing needed medical or psychiatric care. Despite the transfers, the condemned inmates remain under sentence of death at their new institutions. Condemned women are held at Central California Women's Facility in Chowchilla. As of December 2015, San Quentin held almost 700 male inmates in its Condemned Unit, or "death row".St. John, Paige.
A rare peek at San Quentin's death row, and conversations with inmates awaiting their fates as political battles swirl
." ''
Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' is an American Newspaper#Daily, daily newspaper that began publishing in Los Angeles, California, in 1881. Based in the Greater Los Angeles city of El Segundo, California, El Segundo since 2018, it is the List of new ...
''. December 29, 2015. Retrieved on March 22, 2016.
As of 2001, San Quentin's death row was described as "the largest in the Western Hemisphere"; as of 2005, it was called "the most populous execution antechamber in the United States." The states of Florida and Texas had fewer death row inmates in 2008 (397 and 451 respectively) than San Quentin. The death row at San Quentin was divided into three sections: the quiet "North-Segregation" or "North-Seg", built in 1934, for prisoners who "don't cause trouble"; the "East Block", a "crumbling, leaky maze of a place built in 1927"; and the "Adjustment Center" for the "worst of the worst". Most of the prison's death row inmates resided in the East Block. The fourth floor of the North Block was the prison's first death row facility, but additional death row space opened after executions resumed in the U.S. in 1978. The adjustment center received solid doors, preventing "gunning-down" or attacking persons with bodily waste. it housed 81 death row inmates and four non-death row inmates.St. John, Paige.
A revealing look at California's death row
." ''
Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' is an American Newspaper#Daily, daily newspaper that began publishing in Los Angeles, California, in 1881. Based in the Greater Los Angeles city of El Segundo, California, El Segundo since 2018, it is the List of new ...
''. January 5, 2016. Retrieved on March 22, 2016.
A dedicated psychiatric facility serves the prisoners. A converted shower bay in the East Block hosted religious services. Many prison programs available for most inmates were unavailable for death row inmates. Although $395 million was allocated in the 20082009 state budget for new death row facilities at San Quentin, in December 2008 two legislators introduced bills to eliminate the funding.Egelko, Bob
2 lawmakers team up to oppose new Death Row.
''San Francisco Chronicle'', December 17, 2008. Accessed January 13, 2009.
The state had planned to build a new death row facility, but
Governor A governor is an politician, administrative leader and head of a polity or Region#Political regions, political region, in some cases, such as governor-general, governors-general, as the head of a state's official representative. Depending on the ...
Jerry Brown Edmund Gerald Brown Jr. (born April 7, 1938) is an American lawyer, author, and politician who served as the 34th and 39th governor of California from 1975 to 1983 and 2011 to 2019. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic P ...
canceled those plans in 2011. In 2015 Brown asked the Legislature for funds for a new death row as the current death row facilities were becoming filled. At the time the non-death row prison population was decreasing, opening room for death row inmates. the San Quentin death row had a capacity of 715 prisoners.


Executions

All executions in California (male and female) take place at San Quentin.Legislative Counsel of California
Penal Code section 3600-3607
. Accessed January 13, 2009. "The judgment of death shall be executed within the walls of the California State Prison at San Quentin." and "Upon the affirmance of her appeal, the female person sentenced to death shall thereafter be delivered to the warden of the California state prison designated by the department for the execution of the death penalty, ..
The execution chamber is located in a one-story addition close to the East Block. Women executed in California are transported to San Quentin by bus before being executed. The methods for execution at San Quentin have changed over time. Prior to 1893, the counties executed convicts. Between 1893 and 1937, 215 people were executed at San Quentin by
hanging Hanging is killing a person by suspending them from the neck with a noose or ligature strangulation, ligature. Hanging has been a standard method of capital punishment since the Middle Ages, and has been the primary execution method in numerou ...
, after which 196 prisoners died in the gas chamber. The gas chamber was constructed by inmates in 1937. In 1995, the use of gas for execution was ruled "cruel and unusual punishment", which led to executions inside the gas chamber by lethal injection. Between 1996 and 2006, eleven people were executed at San Quentin by lethal injection. In April 2007, staff of the
California Legislative Analyst's Office The Legislative Analyst's Office (LAO), located in Sacramento, California, is a nonpartisan government agency that has provided fiscal and policy advice to the California Legislature since 1941. Sometimes referred to as the "eyes and ears" of ...
discovered that a new execution chamber was being built at San Quentin; legislators subsequently "accuse the governor of hiding the project from the Legislature and the public." The old lethal injection facility had included an injection room of and a single viewing area; the facility that was being built included an injection chamber of and three viewing areas for family, victim, and press. Governor
Arnold Schwarzenegger Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger (born July30, 1947) is an Austrian and American actor, businessman, former politician, and former professional bodybuilder, known for his roles in high-profile action films. Governorship of Arnold Schwarzenegger, ...
stopped construction of the facility the next week. The legislature later approved $180,000 to finish the project, and the facility was completed. In addition to state executions, three federal executions have been carried out at San Quentin. Samuel Richard Shockley and Miran Edgar Thompson had been incarcerated at
Alcatraz Island Alcatraz Island () is a small island about 1.25 miles offshore from San Francisco in San Francisco Bay, California, near the Golden Gate, Golden Gate Strait. The island was developed in the mid-19th century with facilities for a Alcatraz Isla ...
federal penitentiary and were executed on December 3, 1948, for the murder of two prison guards during the Battle of Alcatraz.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=x_9JAAAAIBAJ&pg=3652,1017239 Carlos Romero Ochoa had murdered a federal immigration officer after he was caught smuggling illegal immigrants across the border near
El Centro, California El Centro ( Spanish for "The Center") is a city and county seat of Imperial County, California, United States. El Centro is the most populous city in the Imperial Valley, the east anchor of the Southern California Border Region, and the core ...
. He was executed at San Quentin's gas chamber on December 10, 1948. On March 13, 2019, after Governor
Gavin Newsom Gavin Christopher Newsom ( ; born October 10, 1967) is an American politician and businessman serving since 2019 as the 40th governor of California. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, he served from 2011 to 201 ...
ordered a moratorium on the state's death penalty, the state withdrew its current lethal injection protocol, and San Quentin dismantled and indefinitely closed its gas and lethal injection execution chambers.


Programs

*Prison to Employment Connection, A Better Way Out - Prison to Employment Connection is offered to inmates at San Quentin State Prison who are close to their release dates or have a scheduled Parole Board Hearing. After successfully completing a rigorous 14-week employment readiness program, inmates are invited to an Employer Day. Potential employers (PEC Partners) come to the prison to interview inmates, review their resumes, and offer guidance and support for potential employment upon release. * VVGSQ – Vietnam Veterans Group San Quentin – Although the group had been meeting for some time, the name officially began on April 7, 1987. In 1988 they started the annual Christmas Toy giveaway, giving toys to visiting children. In 1989 they began the annual scholarship fund for high school seniors. They spend their time raising money and since 1987 have given over $80,000 to the community. * The Last Mile started in 2011 under Chris Redlitz (entrepreneur and venture capital) initiative. The program aims to give resources and mentorship to inmates to help them find their way into tech startup entrepreneurship and reduce the rate of
recidivism Recidivism (; from 'recurring', derived from 'again' and 'to fall') is the act of a person repeating an undesirable behavior after they have experienced negative consequences of that behavior, or have been trained to Extinction (psycholo ...
. * The San Quentin Drama Workshop began at the prison in 1958 after a performance of ''
Waiting for Godot ''Waiting for Godot'' ( or ) is a 1953 play by Irish writer and playwright Samuel Beckett, in which the two main characters, Vladimir (Waiting for Godot), Vladimir (Didi) and Estragon (Gogo), engage in a variety of discussions and encounters w ...
'' the previous year. * The San Quentin SQUIRES ("San Quentin Utilization of Inmate Resources, Experiences, and Studies") program, which began in 1964, is reported to be the "oldest juvenile awareness program in the United States."Lewis, Roy V
Scared Straight – California style: evaluation of the San Quentin Squires Program.
''Criminal Justice and Behavior'', vol. 10, no. 2, June 1983, pages 209–226.
It involves inmates at the prison interacting with troubled youths for the purpose of deterring them from crime, and was the subject of a 1978 documentary film '' Squires of San Quentin''. In 1983, a randomized controlled study was published that found that the program produced no overall reduction in delinquency. The program was still functional as of 2008. * Since the 1920s, San Quentin inmates have been allowed to play
baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball sport played between two team sport, teams of nine players each, taking turns batting (baseball), batting and Fielding (baseball), fielding. The game occurs over the course of several Pitch ...
.Kosa, Frank
Prison baseball team gives inmates a focus beyond their cells.
''Christian Science Monitor'', July 2, 2008.
Starting in 1994 inmates have played against players from outside the prison.
June 20, 2006. Accessed January 2, 2009.
The games occur twice a week through the summer.Souders, Travis
San Quentin baseball offers local team, inmates perspective.
''Chico Enterprise-Record'', August 10, 2008. Accessed January 2, 2009.
Originally the Pirates, the team of prisoners is called the "Giants" in honor of the
San Francisco Giants The San Francisco Giants are an American professional baseball team based in San Francisco. The Giants compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League West, West Div ...
, who donated uniforms to the team. A second team called the Athletics was later started, named after the
Oakland Athletics The Oakland Athletics (frequently referred to as the Oakland A's) were an American Major League Baseball (MLB) team based in Oakland, California from 1968 to 2024. The Athletics were a member club of the American League (AL) American League We ...
. The team of outside players is called the "Willing". The umpires and fans are inmates, but the coaches on the field are volunteers. Although some people question the appropriateness of baseball games being held at the prison, officials believe "organized sports is a way to keep inmates occupied and perhaps teach a few lessons on getting along with others." These games were detailed in a '' Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel'' episode on June 20, 2006, and in several other documentaries. * San Quentin has the only on-site college degree-granting program in California's entire prison system, which began in 1996 and which is currently run by the Mount Tamalpais College. *No More Tears Program, co-founded by incarcerated men at San Quentin. This program is committed to stopping the violence in the community and changing the mindset. This program stays alive through donations, volunteers, and CDCR who come into the prison and become involved in the workshops with the incarcerated men: Changing the mindset, Response to Violence, Employability, Fixin' da Hood. All inmates and volunteers are working toward achieving the program's mission: stopping the tears of loved ones and family by being committed to stopping the youth from committing acts of violence. * The California Reentry Program at San Quentin, begun in 2003, "helps inmates re-enter society after they serve their sentences." * The '' San Quentin News'' is the only inmate-produced newspaper in California and one of the few in the world.


History

Though numerous towns and localities in the area are named after Roman Catholic
saints In Christian belief, a saint is a person who is recognized as having an exceptional degree of holiness, likeness, or closeness to God. However, the use of the term ''saint'' depends on the context and denomination. In Anglican, Oriental Orth ...
, and "San Quintín" is Spanish for " Saint Quentin", the prison was not named after the saint. The land on which it is situated, Point Quentin, is named after a Coast Miwok warrior named Quentín, fighting under Chief Marin, who was taken prisoner at that place. In 1851, California's first prison opened; it was a 268-ton wooden ship named the ''Waban'', anchored in San Francisco Bay and outfitted to hold 30 inmates. Some of the ''Waban's'' timber remains a part of the new hospital structure inside the prison. After a series of speculative land transactions and a legislative scandal, inmates who were housed on the'' Waban'' constructed San Quentin which opened its first cell block, nicknamed "the Stones", in 1854. Before being retired altogether, this initial unit would come to be used as a
dungeon A dungeon is a room or cell in which prisoners are held, especially underground. Dungeons are generally associated with medieval castles, though their association with torture probably derives more from the Renaissance period. An oubliette (fr ...
after newer additions were constructed atop it. The Stones, however, survive to this day and is thought to be California's oldest surviving public work. Clinton Duffy was the warden from 1940 to 1952. He had fresh insights informing the reorganization of the prison structure and reformation of prison management. Prior to Duffy, San Quentin had gone through years of violence, inhumane punishments and civil rights abuses against prisoners. The previous warden was forced to resign. Duffy had the offending prison guards fired and added a librarian, psychiatrists, and several surgeons at San Quentin. Duffy's press agent publicized sweeping reforms. San Quentin remained a brutal prison where prisoners continued to be beaten to death. The use of
torture Torture is the deliberate infliction of severe pain or suffering on a person for reasons including corporal punishment, punishment, forced confession, extracting a confession, interrogational torture, interrogation for information, or intimid ...
as an approved method of interrogation at San Quentin was banned in 1944.Reed, Dan. "Killer Location May Doom San Quentin Prison." ''San Jose Mercury News''. August 20, 2001. In 1941, the first prison meeting of
Alcoholics Anonymous Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is a global, peer-led Mutual aid, mutual-aid fellowship focused on an abstinence-based recovery model from alcoholism through its spiritually inclined twelve-step program. AA's Twelve Traditions, besides emphasizing anon ...
took place at San Quentin; in commemoration of this, the 25-millionth copy of the AA Big Book was presented to Jill Brown, of San Quentin, at the International Convention of Alcoholics Anonymous in
Toronto, Ontario Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...
, Canada. In 1947, Warden Duffy recruited Herman Spector to work as assistant warden at San Quentin. Spector turned down the invitation to be assistant warden and chose instead to become senior librarian if he could institute his theories on reading as a program to encourage pro-social behavior. By 1955, Spector was being interviewed in library journals and suggesting the prison library could contribute significantly to rehabilitation. The dining hall of the prison is adorned by six sepia-toned murals depicting California history. They were painted by Alfredo Santos, one-time convicted heroin dealer and successful artist, during his 1953–1955 incarceration. The murals were painted with a thinned, raw sienna oil paint directly to plaster as he was denied use of other colors to paint with. Between 1992 and 1997, a " boot camp" was held at the prison that was intended to "rehabilitat first-time, nonviolent offenders"; the program was discontinued because it did not reduce recidivism or save money. A 2005 court-ordered report found that the prison was "old, antiquated, dirty, poorly staffed, poorly maintained with inadequate medical space and equipment and overcrowded." Later that year, the warden was fired for "threaten ngdisciplinary action against a doctor who spoke with attorneys about problems with health care delivery at the prison." By 2007, a new trauma center had opened at the prison and a new $175 million medical complex was planned. In 2020, the prison became the center of a
COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. In January 2020, the disease spread worldwide, resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic. The symptoms of COVID‑19 can vary but often include fever ...
outbreak, after a group of prisoners were transferred to San Quentin from the California Institution for Men in
Chino, California Chino ( ; Spanish for "Curly") is a city in the western end of San Bernardino County, California, United States, with Los Angeles County to its west and Orange County to its south in the Southern California region. Chino's surroundings ha ...
. Initial reports suggested that San Quentin officials were told that the new inmates had all tested negative; however, few had been tested at all. By June 22, at least 350 inmates and staff had tested positive, in what a federal judge called a "significant failure" of policy. In March 2023, California governor Gavin Newsom announced a "historic transformation" of the then-called San Quentin State Prison as part of a project to improve public safety through a greater focus on rehabilitation and education. As part of the project, the prison was renamed San Quentin Rehabilitation Center and an advisory group of rehabilitation and public safety experts was formed to advise the efforts.


Notable inmates


Current

* Vincent Brothers (born 1962): convicted in the shooting and stabbing of five members of his family, including three children. Sentenced to death in 2007. * Joseph Danks (born 1962): "Koreatown Slasher" who murdered six homeless men in Los Angeles in 1987. Sentenced to death in 1993 for strangling his cellmate in California Correctional Institution in Tehachapi. * Bruce Davis (born 1942): member of the Manson family convicted of the murder of Donald "Shorty" Shea and sentenced to life in 1974. * Richard Allen Davis (born 1954): convicted of kidnapping and murdering Polly Klaas. Sentenced to death in 1996. * Skylar Deleon (born 1979): former child actor and triple murderer responsible for the deaths of Thomas and Jackie Hawks. Sentenced to death in 2009. One of Deleon's accomplices, John Fitzgerald Kennedy, was also sentenced to death in 2009. * Jon Dunkle (born 1960): convicted of murdering three young boys in Belmont. Sentenced to death in 1990. * Wayne Adam Ford (born 1961): convicted of killing four women in 1997 and 1998. Sentenced to death in 2006. * Billy Ray Waldon (born 1952): murderer and rapist who killed three people. Sentenced to death in 1987.


Former

*Jeffrey Aguilar: (born 1985) was convicted and sentenced to death for the murder of Oxnard business owner, Gurmohinder Singh. On a Saturday morning in August 2008, Singh, known for his check cashing and mini mart businesses, was robbed and fatally shot outside the US Bank on Oxnard Blvd. At the time of the incident, Singh was carrying $100,000 in cash. Aguilar, a known gang member, was linked to the crime through an ATM photo taken at the murder scene. Two days after the incident, he was involved in a shootout with Oxnard Police but escaped. He was captured later in Carpinteria, California. Aguilar's eligibility for the death penalty was based on committing the murder during a robbery while lying in wait and was sentenced to death in 2013. * Isauro Aguirre (born 1980): tortured and killed girlfriend's 8-year-old son Gabriel Fernandez along with his girlfriend Pearl Fernandez. Aguirre was sentenced to death and Fernandez to life in prison in 2018. The case was the subject of the
Netflix Netflix is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service. The service primarily distributes original and acquired films and television shows from various genres, and it is available internationally in multiple lang ...
series '' The Trials of Gabriel Fernandez''. *
Rodney Alcala Rodney James Alcala (born Rodrigo Jacques Alcala; August 23, 1943 – July 24, 2021), also known as John Berger and John Burger, was an American serial killer and convicted sex offender who was Capital punishment in California, sentenced to death ...
: serial killer sentenced to death. He was later transferred to Corcoran State Prison where he died. * William Dale Archerd: murdered three family members by injecting them with insulin. Sentenced to death but commuted to life in prison. Died from pneumonia in California Medical Facility in 1977. *Alejandro Avila (born 1971): the rapist and murderer of 5-year-old Samantha Runnion. Sentenced to death in 2005. *
Bobby Beausoleil Robert Kenneth Beausoleil (born November 6, 1947) is an American murderer and associate of Charles Manson and members of his communal Manson Family. He was convicted and sentenced to death for the July 27, 1969, fatal stabbing of Gary Hinman ...
: a former associate of the Charles Manson "
Family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...
" currently serving a life sentence in prison. * Charles Bolles: alias Black Bart, an American Old West outlaw. * Richard Delmer Boyer (born 1958): convicted for stabbing an elderly couple to death while high on alcohol and drugs. Claimed to have been partly influenced by a scene in '' Halloween II''. Sentenced to death in 1984. * Luis Bracamontes (born 1970): illegal immigrant who shot and killed two Sacramento police officers and injured a civilian and a third officer. Sentenced to death in 2018. * William Bradford: murdered a barmaid and a 15-year-old girl and may have killed as many as 20 women. Died from natural causes in California Medical Facility in 2008. * Albert Greenwood Brown (born 1954): convicted rapist and child molester who raped and murdered a teen girl in 1980. Sentenced to death in 1982. * Brandon Browner (born 1984): former NFL player found guilty of attempted murder, currently serving eight-year sentence. * Edward Bunker: FBI most wanted fugitive who reformed and became an author (he wrote a novel set in San Quentin) and actor. Was sentenced at age 17, the youngest inmate at the time. * Rodolfo Cadena: influential member of the Mexican Mafia. Murdered by members of the
Nuestra Familia Nuestra Familia ( Spanish for ''"our family"'') is a criminal organization of Mexican American (Chicano) prison gangs with origins in Northern California. While members of the Norteños gang are considered to be foot soldiers of Nuestra Familia, ...
in California Institution for Men in 1972. * David Carpenter (born 1930): the "Trailside Killer". Sentenced to death in 1984 and 1988. Carpenter is the oldest inmate currently. * Curtis Carroll (born 1968): Murderer turned financial adviser whose insights into investing and trading stock have earned the nickname "Wall Street". * Dean Carter (born 1955): serial killer convicted of murdering four women. Sentenced to death in 1985. * Steven David Catlin (born 1944): serial killer who poisoned two wives and his mother. Sentenced to death in 1990. * Eldridge Cleaver: member of the
Black Panther Party The Black Panther Party (originally the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense) was a Marxism–Leninism, Marxist–Leninist and Black Power movement, black power political organization founded by college students Bobby Seale and Huey P. Newto ...
, was an inmate between 1958 and 1963. * Kevin Cooper (born 1958): convicted for the hatchet and knife massacre of the Ryen family. Sentenced to death in 1985. * Joseph Cosey: conman and criminal forger. *
Henry Cowell Henry Dixon Cowell (; March 11, 1897 – December 10, 1965) was an American composer, writer, pianist, publisher, teacher Marchioni, Tonimarie (2012)"Henry Cowell: A Life Stranger Than Fiction" ''The Juilliard Journal''. Retrieved 19 June 2022.C ...
: composer, served four years (1936-1940) for homosexual acts with a minor. * Tiequon Cox (born 1965): sentenced to death in 1986 for the 1984 murders of four relatives of the former defensive back NFL player Kermit Alexander. He was involved in an escape attempt in 2000. * Louis Craine: serial killer who killed at least 4 women. Died from AIDS complications in hospital in 1989. *Jonathan Daniel D'Arcy (born 1962): a janitor from Buena Park, was convicted of first-degree murder in the February 2, 1993 burning death of Karen Marie Laborde, a 42-year-old mother of two who identified D'Arcy as her assailant before she died. D'Arcy was sentenced to death in Orange County on April 11, 1997. * Scott Dyleski: murdered attorney Daniel Horowitz's wife when he was 16 years old. Was held in San Quentin for several months before being transferred. * Sonny Enraca (born 1972): gang member who shot and killed ''
Boyz n the Hood ''Boyz n the Hood'' is a 1991 American coming-of-age hood crime drama film written and directed by John Singleton in his feature directorial debut. It stars Cuba Gooding Jr., Ice Cube (in his film debut), Morris Chestnut, and Laurence Fis ...
'' actor Dedrick D. Gobert during an altercation. Sentenced to death in 1996. * Pedro Espinoza (born 1989):
18th Street gang The 18th Street Gang, also known as , , , or simply in North America, is a multi-ethnic (largely Central American and Culture of Mexico, Mexican) street gang in Los Angeles. It is one of the largest street gangs in Los Angeles, with around 30 ...
member who murdered Jamiel Shaw II. Sentenced to death in 2013. * John Famalaro (born 1957): sentenced to death on September 6, 1997, for the kidnap, rape, and murder of 23-year-old Denise Anette Huber, from Newport Beach, California, in 1991. Famalaro abducted and murdered Denise on June 3, 1991. He was caught in July 1994 when police found her body in an icebox where he had kept her for three years. * Richard Farley (born 1948): perpetrator of the Sunnyvale ESL shooting. Sentenced to death in 1992. * Rickie Lee Fowler (born 1984): convicted of setting the Old Fire that caused the deaths of five people. Sentenced to death in 2012. * John Linley Frazier: mass murderer and religious fanatic. Sentenced to death in 1971 but commuted to life in prison. Committed suicide by hanging in Mule Creek State Prison in 2009. * Gerald Gallego: serial killer and rapist who kidnapped young girls to keep as sex slaves before killing them with his wife as an accomplice. Was initially sentenced to death in San Quentin but was transferred to Nevada State Prison in 1984 to be executed for murders committed in that state. Died from cancer in Nevada Prison in 2002. * Alex García: boxer and former gang member who stabbed a rival to death. * Michael Gargiulo (born 1976): serial killer who killed at least three women. Sentenced to death in 2021. * Willie Earl Green: wrongfully convicted of murder and exonerated. * Griffith J. Griffith: industrialist who shot his wife through the eye. * Steve "Clem" Grogan: a former associate of the Charles Manson "
Family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...
". Released in 1985. * Jose Guerrero (born 1973): serial killer who killed at least three women from 1995 to 1998. Sentenced to death in 2009. *
Merle Haggard Merle Ronald Haggard (April 6, 1937 – April 6, 2016) was an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, and fiddler. Widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential figures in country music, he was a central pioneer of the Bakersfield ...
: singer who spent time in San Quentin from 1958 to 1960. * Billy Ray Hamilton: hitman who murdered three witnesses for Clarence Ray Allen in 1980. Died of natural causes in hospital in 2007. * Charles Ray Hatcher: serial killer who murdered two young boys in the Bay Area. Released in 1977. * Larry Hazlett (born 1948): convicted of the 1978 rape and murder of 20-year-old Rosamond beauty queen Tana Woolley. Sentenced to death in 2004. * Glenn Helzer (born 1970): founder of the Children of Thunder cult, alongside his brother Justin Helzer and his girlfriend Dawn Godman, who murdered five people in 2000. Sentenced to death in 2005. Justin hanged himself in 2013. * Ivan Hill (born 1961): serial killer who killed at least nine women from 1979 to 1994. Sentenced to death in 2007. * Robert Hohenberger: suspected serial killer who served three years for kidnapping two girls in 1971. * Eric Houston (born 1972): perpetrator of the Lindhurst school shooting spree that left three students and a teacher dead. Sentenced to death in 1993. The subject of the made-for-television movie '' Detention: The Siege at Johnson High''. * Ryan Hoyt (born 1979): associate of Jesse James Hollywood, convicted of the murder of Nicholas Markowitz. Sentenced to death in 2003. * Michael Hughes (born 1956): serial killer who killed at least seven women from 1986 to 1993. Sentenced to death in 1998. * Michael Wayne Hunter: former death row prisoner and writer who murdered his father and stepmother. Death sentence commuted to life in prison and currently incarcerated in Pleasant Valley State Prison. * Jang In-hwan: Korean independence activist who assassinated former American diplomat Durham Stevens in 1908. * Emrys John, Tyrone Miller, and Kesaun Sykes: former marines convicted of torturing and murdering Jan Pawel and Quiana Jenkins Pietrzak in 2008. All three were sentenced to death while a fourth accomplice, Kevin Cox, was sentenced to life in prison. * Tomoya Kawakita: Japanese-American dual citizen convicted of treason for aiding Japan during
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
. Tomoya Kawakita appealed his conviction to the United States Supreme Court in Kawakita v. United States. Originally held in San Quentin for his upcoming execution before his death sentence was commuted to life in prison. * Roger Kibbe: serial killer who admitted to seven murders in Northern California. Killed at Mule Creek State Prison in 2021. * Randy Kraft (born 1945): serial killer who was convicted of 16 murders and suspected of 51 others. Sentenced to death in 1989. *
Chol Soo Lee Chol Soo Lee (August 15, 1952 – December 2, 2014) was a Korean American immigrant who was wrongfully convicted for the 1973 murder of Yip Yee Tak, a Chinatown, San Francisco, San Francisco Chinatown gang leader, and sentenced to life in prison. ...
: wrongly convicted of murdering a gang boss and sentenced to life in prison. Was sentenced to death for killing an inmate during a fight but was released in 1983 with help from the Free Chol Soo Lee Defense Committee. * John Irving Lewis (born 1971): a member of the Gang of Four who were convicted in the Puente Hills Mall Murders in the summer of 1991. * Gunner Lindberg (born 1975): stabbed a Vietnamese man to death in a racially motivated attack. Sentenced to death in 1996. * Bruce Lisker: wrongly convicted in the 1983 murder of his mother, Dorka, when he was 17. Exonerated and released from prison in 2009, at age 44. * Russ Little: member of the Symbionese Liberation Army accused of, but eventually acquitted of, the murder of educator Marcus Foster. Released and moved to
Hawaii Hawaii ( ; ) is an island U.S. state, state of the United States, in the Pacific Ocean about southwest of the U.S. mainland. One of the two Non-contiguous United States, non-contiguous U.S. states (along with Alaska), it is the only sta ...
. * Franklin Lynch (born 1955): convicted serial killer and robber who is suspected in the murders of 13 elderly women in the
East Bay The East Bay is the eastern region of the San Francisco Bay Area and includes cities along the eastern shores of San Francisco Bay and San Pablo Bay. The region has grown to include inland communities in Alameda and Contra Costa counties. Wi ...
during the summer of 1987. He was only charged for 3 murders and was sentenced to death in 1992. * Dorothy Mackaye, #440960, a woman, served less than ten months of a one- to three-year sentence in 1928Gene Coughlin, "Tragedies of the Stage", ''Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph'' (September 12, 1948), p. ''American Weekly'', p. 7. * Kelvin Malone: convicted spree killer who murdered several people in California and Missouri. He was sentenced to death in both states and was extradited to Missouri in 1999 where he was executed. *
Charles Manson Charles Milles Manson (; November 12, 1934 – November 19, 2017) was an American criminal, cult leader, and musician who led the Manson Family, a cult based in California in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Some cult members committed a Manson ...
: leader of the Manson family. Transferred to multiple prisons during his life. Died from cancer in hospital on November 19, 2017. * Jarvis Jay Masters (born 1962): convicted and sentenced to death for participating in the murder of Corrections Officer Hal Burchfield. Sentenced to death in 1990. * Timothy Joseph McGhee (born 1973): Toonerville Rifa 13 member believed to have shot at least 12 people between 1997 and 2001 and attempted to kill two LAPD officers in an ambush. Sentenced to death in 2009. * Charles "Chase" Merritt (born 1957): murdered the McStay family for financial gain. Sentenced to death in 2020. * Andrew Mickel (born 1979): shot a police officer to death at a gas station. Sentenced to death in 2006. * S. S. Millard: controversial filmmaker. * Barry Mills: leader of the
Aryan Brotherhood The Aryan Brotherhood (AB or The Brand) is a neo-Nazi prison gang and an organized crime syndicate that is based in the United States and has an estimated 15,000–20,000 members both inside and outside prisons. The Southern Poverty Law Center ...
, incarcerated during the 1970s for armed robbery. Died in ADX Florence in 2018. * Jim Mitchell, prominent in the
strip club A strip club (also known as a strip joint, striptease bar, peeler bar, gentlemen's club, among others) is a venue where strippers provide adult entertainment, predominantly in the form of striptease and other erotic dances including lap dances. St ...
and pornography businesses in San Francisco, spent 1994–1997 in San Quentin for murdering his brother Artie. * Thomas Mooney: political activist and labor leader who was wrongly accused of the San Francisco Preparedness Day Bombing of 1916. Originally sentenced to death and then life in prison before being pardoned in 1939. * Michael Morales (born 1959): convicted for the brutal murder of Terri Winchell. Sentenced to death in 1983. *
Frank Morgan Francis Phillip Wuppermann (June 1, 1890 – September 18, 1949), known professionally as Frank Morgan, was an American character actor. He was best known for his appearances in films starting in the silent era in 1916, and then numerous sound ...
: saxophonist and heroin addict who formed an ensemble with
Art Pepper Arthur Edward Pepper Jr. (September 1, 1925 – June 15, 1982) was an American jazz musician, most known as an alto saxophonist. He occasionally performed and recorded on tenor saxophone, clarinet (his first instrument) and bass clarinet. Active ...
. * Joe "Pegleg" Morgan: influential and first white member of the Mexican Mafia. Died from cancer in Corcoran State Prison in 1993. * Ed Morrell, accomplice to the Evans-Sontag rail robbery gang; spent five years in solitary confinement; known as the "Dungeon Man" of San Quentin; pardoned in 1908 and became a well-known advocate of
prison reform Prison reform is the attempt to improve conditions inside prisons, improve the effectiveness of a penal system, reduce recidivism or implement alternatives to incarceration. It also focuses on ensuring the reinstatement of those whose lives are ...
. * Wallace Fard Muhammad: founder of the
Nation of Islam The Nation of Islam (NOI) is a religious organization founded in the United States by Wallace Fard Muhammad in 1930. A centralized and hierarchical organization, the NOI is committed to black nationalism and focuses its attention on the Afr ...
. * Joseph Naso (born 1934): serial killer who raped and murdered at least six women. Sentenced to death in 2013. * Earle Nelson: serial killer and necrophile who raped and murdered at least 21 women and an infant boy in the 1920s. Spent time in San Quentin for breaking and entering as a teenager. *
Charles Ng Charles Chi-tat Ng (born Ng Chi-tat) ( zh, t=吳志達, j=ng4 zi3 daat6; born 24 December 1960) is a Hong Kong-born convicted serial killer who committed numerous crimes in the United States. He is believed to have raped, tortured, and murder ...
(born 1960): serial killer who tortured and murdered 11 people with Leonard Lake (died by suicide by
cyanide In chemistry, cyanide () is an inorganic chemical compound that contains a functional group. This group, known as the cyano group, consists of a carbon atom triple-bonded to a nitrogen atom. Ionic cyanides contain the cyanide anion . This a ...
after arrest in 1985). Finally, Ng was extradited from Canada to the United States, and sentenced to death in February 1999. * Michael "Irish" O'Farrell:
Hells Angels The Hells Angels Motorcycle Club (HAMC) is an international outlaw motorcycle club founded in California whose members typically ride Harley-Davidson motorcycles. In the United States and Canada, the Hells Angels are incorporated as the Hells ...
leader * Raymond Lee Oyler (born 1971): convicted of setting the Esperanza Fire that claimed the lives of five firemen. Sentenced to death in 2009. * Gerald Parker (born 1955): serial killer and rapist who killed at least six women and an unborn baby. Sentenced to death in 1999. *
Art Pepper Arthur Edward Pepper Jr. (September 1, 1925 – June 15, 1982) was an American jazz musician, most known as an alto saxophonist. He occasionally performed and recorded on tenor saxophone, clarinet (his first instrument) and bass clarinet. Active ...
: saxophonist and heroin addict who formed an ensemble with
Frank Morgan Francis Phillip Wuppermann (June 1, 1890 – September 18, 1949), known professionally as Frank Morgan, was an American character actor. He was best known for his appearances in films starting in the silent era in 1916, and then numerous sound ...
. * Scott Peterson (born 1972): convicted of the murder of his pregnant wife Laci Peterson and their unborn child, Conner, in a much-publicized trial. Sentenced to death in 2005, resentenced to life without parole in 2021. * Gregory Powell: kidnapped two policemen and shot one of them dead in the Onion Field Murder. Sentenced to death but commuted to life in prison. Died from cancer in California Medical Facility in 2012. * Alfredo Prieto: serial killer and gang member who raped and shot five people in Southern California in 1990. Was transferred to Virginia and executed there for a double murder in 2015. * Cleophus Prince Jr. (born 1967): serial killer who raped and murdered six women in San Diego in 1990. Sentenced to death in 1993. *
Richard Ramirez Ricardo Leyva Muñoz Ramirez (; February 29, 1960 – June 7, 2013), better known as Richard Ramirez, was an American serial killer and sex offender whose killing spree occurred in Greater Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area in the ...
: serial killer known as "The Night Stalker", convicted of killing 13 people. Sentenced to death in 1989. Died of lymphoma in hospital in 2013. * David Allen Raley (born 1961): security guard who kidnapped and tortured two teenage girls, killing one of them. Sentenced to death in 1988. *
Hans Reiser Hans Thomas Reiser (born December 19, 1963) is an American computer programmer, entrepreneur, and convicted murderer. In April 2008, Reiser was convicted of the first-degree murder of his wife, Nina Reiser, who disappeared in September 2006. He ...
: developer of the
ReiserFS ReiserFS is a general-purpose, journaling file system initially designed and implemented by a team at Namesys led by Hans Reiser and licensed under GPLv2. Introduced in version 2.4.1 of the Linux kernel, it was the first journaling file syst ...
file system and convicted for the murder of his wife, sentenced to 15 years to life in 2008. He is currently at Mule Creek State Prison. * Joe Remiro (born 1947): member of the Symbionese Liberation Army who murdered educator Marcus Foster in 1973. Incarcerated in Pelican Bay State Prison. * Abe Ruef: San Francisco political boss, for bribery. * Ramon Salcido (born 1961): convicted in 1989 of seven murders, including six relatives and his boss. Sentenced to death in 1990. * San Quentin Six: six inmates who participated in a riot during an escape attempt in 1971 that resulted in the deaths of six people. Fleeta Drumgo was shot dead after he was released in 1979 and Hugo Pinell was stabbed to death during a riot in 2015 after spending 45 years in solitary confinement. * Vincent Sanchez (born 1973): the "Simi Valley Rapist". Serial rapist convicted of 75 counts including a first degree murder charge, felony kidnapping, burglary, rape, and other sex offense charges against numerous victims. Sentenced to death in 2003. * Sanyika Shakur: Member of the
Crips The Crips are a primarily African-American alliance of street gangs that are based in the coastal regions of Southern California. Founded in Los Angeles, California, in 1969, mainly by Raymond Washington and Stanley Williams, the Crips ...
and author. Spent 36 months in San Quentin. * Glen Sherley: musician who spent time in San Quentin in the 1960s. * Wesley Shermantine (born 1966): one half of the Speed Freak Killers serial killer duo, believed to have killed as many as 70 people. Sentenced to death in 2001. His accomplice, Loren Herzog, committed suicide in 2012. *
Thomas Silverstein Thomas Edward Silverstein (born Thomas Edward Conway; February 4, 1952 – May 11, 2019) was an American criminal who spent the last 42 years of his life in prison after being convicted of four separate murders while imprisoned for armed robbery, ...
: leader of the
Aryan Brotherhood The Aryan Brotherhood (AB or The Brand) is a neo-Nazi prison gang and an organized crime syndicate that is based in the United States and has an estimated 15,000–20,000 members both inside and outside prisons. The Southern Poverty Law Center ...
, incarcerated during the 1970s for armed robbery. Died in ADX Florence in 2019. * Mitchell Sims (born 1960): convicted May 20, 1987, of the hotel-room murder of
Domino's Pizza Domino's Pizza, Inc., commonly referred to as Domino's, is an American multinational pizza restaurant chain founded in 1960 and led by CEO Russell Weiner. The corporation is Delaware General Corporation Law, Delaware-domiciled and headquartered ...
deliveryman John Harrington in Glendale; also sentenced to death in South Carolina for the murders of two Domino's employees in that state. Sentenced to death in 1987. * Lawrence Singleton: raped and cut the forearms off a teenage girl before leaving her for dead. Was controversially released after serving eight years and was forced to live on the grounds of San Quentin in a trailer while on parole. Murdered a woman in Florida and died in North Florida Reception Center in 2001. *
Sirhan Sirhan Sirhan Bishara Sirhan (; ; born March 19, 1944) is a Palestinian-Jordanian man who assassinated Senator Robert F. Kennedy, a younger brother of American president John F. Kennedy and a candidate for the Democratic nomination in the 1968 U ...
: assassin of Robert F. Kennedy, sent to death row at San Quentin in May 1969. After the California Supreme Court struck down the death penalty as cruel and unusual punishment, Sirhan was transferred to
Correctional Training Facility Correctional Training Facility (CTF), commonly referenced as Soledad State Prison, is a state prison located on U.S. Route 101 in California, U.S. Route 101, north of Soledad, California, adjacent to Salinas Valley State Prison. Facilities Th ...
. He is currently at Donovan State Prison. * Cary Stayner (born 1961): serial killer convicted of killing four women in
Yosemite Yosemite National Park ( ) is a national park of the United States in California. It is bordered on the southeast by Sierra National Forest and on the northwest by Stanislaus National Forest. The park is managed by the National Park Service ...
. Sentenced to death in 2002. * William Suff (born 1950): serial killer convicted of murdering 12 women in Riverside County. Sentenced to death in 1995. * Regis Deon Thomas (born 1970): convicted of the murders of three people including two Compton Police officers. Sentenced to death in 1995. *
Danny Trejo Danny Trejo (, ; born May 16, 1944) is an American actor. Known for his Danny Trejo filmography, large body of work as a character actor, films in which he has appeared in have grossed over $3.7 billion worldwide. A native of Los Angeles, Tr ...
: actor—inmate between 1965 and 1968. * Chester Turner (born 1966): serial killer convicted of murdering 14 women in Los Angeles between 1987 and 1998. Sentenced to death in 2007. * John Pence Wagner: prison evangelist-inmate between 1966 and 1972. writer of the poem featured on the rear cover of the 1971 album "Guilty!" by
Jimmy Witherspoon James Witherspoon (August 8, 1920 – September 18, 1997) was an American jump blues and jazz singer. Early life, family and education Witherspoon was born in Gurdon, Arkansas. His father was a railroad worker who sang in local choirs, an ...
and
Eric Burdon Eric Victor Burdon (born 11 May 1941) is an English singer and songwriter. He was previously the lead vocalist of the rhythm and blues, R&B and Rock music, rock band The Animals and the funk band War (band), War. He is regarded as one of the Br ...
. Died from cancer in 1999. * Darnell Keith Washington (born 1988): convicted of killing a woman during a home invasion. Sentenced to death in 2016. *
Tex Watson Charles Denton "Tex" Watson (born December 2, 1945) is an American mass murderer who was a central member of the "Manson Family" led by Charles Manson. Watson is often described as the tactical ringleader of the Tate-LaBianca murders on August ...
: a former associate of the Charles Manson "
Family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...
" currently serving a life sentence in prison. * Ward Weaver Jr. (born 1947): father of convicted murderer Ward Weaver III, who shot and killed two teenagers. Sentenced to death in 1985. * Marcus Wesson (born 1946): convicted of killing nine of his family members. Sentenced to death in 2005. * David Westerfield (born 1952): convicted of kidnapping and killing seven-year-old Danielle van Dam. Sentenced to death in 2003. * Anthony Wimberly: serial killer arrested for grand theft auto. Currently incarcerated in Mule Creek State Prison. * Earlonne Woods: convicted of attempted armed robbery. Most known for his work in co-creating and co-hosting the award-winning podcast, Ear Hustle along with Nigel Poor. His sentence was commuted by Governor Jerry Brown on November 30, 2018. * Daniel Wozniak (born 1984): convicted of murdering and dismembering Samuel Herr and then murdering Julie Kibuishi in a plot to steal money to fund his wedding. Sentenced to death in 2016.


Deaths in prison

* Stuart Alexander: convicted in the 2000 shooting deaths of three
USDA The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is an United States federal executive departments, executive department of the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government that aims to meet the needs of commerc ...
meat officials he claimed were harassing him. Sentenced to death in 2004. Died from a pulmonary embolism on December 27, 2005. *
Robert Biehler Robert Leroy Biehler (August 5, 1934 – January 10, 1993) was an American serial killer who killed four people in various neighborhoods of Los Angeles, California from 1966 to 1974, either to cover up previous crimes or as part of contract murde ...
: serial killer responsible for four murders in Los Angeles. Died from cancer on January 10, 1993. * Lawrence Bittaker: serial killer convicted of torturing and murdering five teenage girls. Found dead in his cell on December 13, 2019 * Richard Chase: "vampire killer", in 1979 sentenced to death in gas chamber for murdering six people. Committed suicide by drug overdose on December 26, 1980. * Doug Clark: serial killer and necrophile who killed six women with a female accomplice. Sentenced to death in 1983. Died of natural causes on October 11, 2023. *
Robert Wayne Danielson Robert Wayne Danielson, Jr. (August 25, 1946 – September 7, 1995) was an American serial killer who robbed and murdered six people in the Western United States between December 1981 and November 1982, particularly at camp sites or secluded park ...
: serial killer who was sentenced to death for two murders that occurred in
Mendocino County Mendocino County (; ''Mendocino'', Spanish language, Spanish for "of Antonio de Mendoza, Mendoza") is a County (United States), county located on the North Coast (California), North Coast of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 United S ...
. Committed suicide by hanging on September 7, 1995. * Mack Ray Edwards: child sex abuser/serial killer who buried bodies under freeways on which he worked. Committed suicide by hanging in prison cell on October 30, 1971. * Lonnie David Franklin, Jr.: convicted of ten murders and one attempted murder in Los Angeles, California. The attacker was dubbed the "Grim Sleeper" because he appeared to have taken a 14-year break from his crimes from 1988 to 2002. Found dead in his cell on March 28, 2020. * Phillip Carl Jablonski: convicted of killing five women. Found dead in his cell on December 27, 2019. * George Jackson (activist), George Jackson: co-founder of the Black Guerrilla Family and one of the Soledad Brothers. Shot to death during an San Quentin Six, escape attempt on August 21, 1971. * Anthony McKnight: serial killer, rapist, and kidnapper sentenced to death for the murders of five women in 1985. Found dead in his cell on October 17, 2019. * James Mitose: martial artist convicted of murder. Died from diabetes complications on March 26, 1981. * J. C. X. Simon: member of a group of Black Muslims who committed racially motivated murders in San Francisco in the 1970s known as the Zebra murders. Found dead in his cell on March 12, 2015. * Morris Solomon, Jr.: serial killer convicted of murdering six women in Sacramento, California, Sacramento. Sentenced to death in 1992. Died on August 1, 2024. * Mark Squires: sex offender convicted of assaulting minors in Riverside County. Found dead in his cell on September 17, 2024, with a homicide investigation pending. * Anthony Sully: serial killer and former police officer convicted of murdering six people in Burlingame, California, Burlingame in 1983. Sentenced to death in 1986. Died of natural causes on September 8, 2023. * Andrew Urdiales, serial killer who killed eight women. Committed suicide on November 2, 2018. * Brandon Wilson: convicted in the 1998 slashing death of nine-year-old Matthew Cecchi. Sentenced to death in 1999. Committed suicide on November 17, 2011. * Leung Ying: mass murder who killed 11 people on a farm with a rifle and hatchet. Sentenced to death and committed suicide in his cell two weeks before his execution.


COVID-19 related deaths

In 2020, 12 death row inmates at San Quentin died in the span of less than two months after a
COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. In January 2020, the disease spread worldwide, resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic. The symptoms of COVID‑19 can vary but often include fever ...
outbreak. All of the inmates were hospitalized before their deaths. * Richard Eugene Stitely, 71, died on June 24, 2020. * Joseph S. Cordova, 75, died on July 1, 2020. * Scott Erskine, 57, and Manuel Machado Alvarez, 59, both died on July 3, 2020. * Dewayne Michael Carey, 59, died on July 4, 2020. * David John Reed, 60, died on July 7, 2020. * Jeffrey Jay Hawkins, 64, died on July 15, 2020. * Troy Adam Ashmus, 58, died on July 20, 2020. * John Michael Beames, 67, died on July 21, 2020. * Johnny Avila Jr., 62, died on July 26, 2020. * Orlando Gene Romero, 48, died on August 2, 2020. * Pedro Arias, 58, died on August 9, 2020.


Executed

* Theodore Durrant: convicted of murdering two women in San Francisco. Executed by hanging on January 7, 1898. * Willie Louis: son of Ah Louis, convicted of the murder of Murder of Gon Ying Louis, Gon Ying Louis. Executed by hanging on December 16, 1912. * Louis Fortine: convicted of murdering his employer, Peter M. Furrer, and Furrer's wife and infant. Executed by hanging on July 21, 1916. * Mose Gibson: convicted of murdering a man but confessed to seven total murders before his death. Executed by hanging on September 24, 1920. * William Edward Hickman: convicted of kidnapping, mutilating, and murdering 12-year-old Marion Parker, died by hanging on October 19, 1928. * Gordon Stewart Northcott: convicted of killing three boys in the Wineville Chicken Coop Murders, executed by hanging on October 2, 1930. * Ed Davis (criminal), Ed Davis: bank robber who killed a warden during an escape attempt from Folsom State Prison. Executed by gas chamber on December 16, 1938. * William Johansen: serial killer who murdered three women, including his wife, in New York and California between 1933 and 1940; executed by gas chamber on September 5, 1941. * Juanita Spinelli: first woman executed in San Quentin's gas chamber on November 22, 1941. * Rattlesnake James, Raymond "Rattlesnake James" Lisenba: convicted of killing his wife, he was the last man to be executed by hanging in California on May 1, 1942. * Sam Shockley and Miran Edgar Thompson: convicted of killing a guard in the 1946 Battle of Alcatraz escape attempt, executed together in the gas chamber on December 3, 1948. * Louise Peete: convicted murderer, executed in the gas chamber on April 11, 1947. * Billy Cook (criminal), Billy Cook: murderer of Carl Mosser, his wife Thelma, their three small children and motorist Robert Dewey. He died in the gas chamber on December 12, 1952. * Lloyd Gomez: convicted serial killer who murdered nine homeless men, executed in the gas chamber on October 16, 1953. * Barbara Graham: convicted murderer, executed in the gas chamber on June 3, 1955. * Burton Abbott: convicted of the rape and murder of a teenage girl; executed in the gas chamber on March 15, 1957. * Vender Duncan: convicted of raping and murdering two elderly women, executed in the gas chamber on May 29, 1959. * Harvey Glatman: convicted of raping and strangling two women, he died in the gas chamber on September 18, 1959. * Caryl Chessman: convicted rapist, was given the death penalty in 1948 and executed on May 2, 1960. The last man executed in California for a sexual offense that did not also involve murder. * Henry Busch (serial killer), Henry Busch: convicted serial killer who murdered three women and planned to murder a fourth. Executed by gas chamber on June 6, 1962. * Elizabeth Ann Duncan: convicted of hiring two men to kill her daughter-in-law, executed by gas chamber on August 8, 1962. Fourth and last woman to be executed in San Quentin. * Aaron Mitchell (murderer), Aaron Mitchell: convicted of shooting a Sacramento police officer, executed by gas chamber on April 12, 1967. * Robert Alton Harris: convicted of murdering two boys after serving time for manslaughter, died in the gas chamber on April 21, 1992. * David Mason (murderer), David Mason: convicted serial killer, he was the last man to be executed in the gas chamber on August 24, 1993. * William Bonin: convicted serial killer, the "Freeway Killer" (one of three men to have the same nickname) became the first person in California history to be executed by lethal injection on February 23, 1996. * Keith Daniel Williams: convicted triple murderer, executed by lethal injection on May 3, 1996. * Thomas Martin Thompson: convicted of the 1981 killing of Ginger Fleischli, executed by lethal injection on July 14, 1998. * Jaturun Siripongs: convicted of two 1981 murders, executed by lethal injection on February 9, 1999. * Manny Babbitt: convicted murderer who died by lethal injection on May 4, 1999. * Darrell Keith Rich: convicted serial killer, executed by lethal injection on March 15, 2000. * Robert Lee Massie: convicted murderer, executed by lethal injection on March 27, 2001. * Stephen Wayne Anderson: contract killer and serial killer, executed by lethal injection on January 29, 2002. * Donald Beardslee: convicted serial killer, executed by lethal injection on January 19, 2005. * Stanley Williams, Stanley "Tookie" Williams: convicted spree killer, co-founder and early leader of the
Crips The Crips are a primarily African-American alliance of street gangs that are based in the coastal regions of Southern California. Founded in Los Angeles, California, in 1969, mainly by Raymond Washington and Stanley Williams, the Crips ...
street gang. Author (several Stanley Williams#Books by Williams, children's books about his experience at San Quentin) and cause célèbre. Executed by lethal injection on December 13, 2005. * Clarence Ray Allen: convicted for ordering the killing of three people. At age 76, he was the oldest person ever executed in California (by lethal injection on January 17, 2006) and the last in the entire state of California.Doyle, Jim, Bob Egelko, and Stacy Finz
Ailing killer executed at age 76. Condemned for 3 slayings, Allen is oldest ever put to death in state.
''San Francisco Chronicle'', January 17, 2006. Accessed January 4, 2009.


Administration

* Leo Stanley (1886 – 1976), American surgeon who served as the Chief Surgeon from 1913 to 1951.


In media


Television

*San Quentin is on the rotation of prisons featured on MSNBC's show ''Lockup (TV series), Lockup'', a TV documentary series on life in prison. *San Quentin appears in various overhead shots on The CW's shows The Flash (2014 TV series), ''The Flash'' and Arrow (TV series), ''Arrow'', serving as Iron Heights Penitentiary. *San Quentin is featured in the 2008 BBC Two special ''Louis Theroux: Behind Bars''. *Miles, one of the main characters in Starz's ''Blindspotting (TV series), Blindspotting'', is incarcerated at San Quentin.


Performances and music videos

*Country music singer Johnny Cash performed at San Quentin at least twice in his career. The first was in 1958, which included among its audience members a young and incarcerated
Merle Haggard Merle Ronald Haggard (April 6, 1937 – April 6, 2016) was an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, and fiddler. Widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential figures in country music, he was a central pioneer of the Bakersfield ...
. Upon his release from prison, Haggard was inspired to pursue music in part because of that concert. Eleven years later, on February 24, 1969, Cash played another live concert for the prison inmates. The 1969 concert was released as an album ''At San Quentin'' and as a television documentary ''Johnny Cash in San Quentin'' (filmed by Granada Television). "A Boy Named Sue", taken from the concert, was Cash's only Billboard Hot 100, ''Billboard'' Hot 100 top ten hit, peaking at number two, and winning the 1970 Grammy Award for Best Male Country Vocal Performance. During the concert, the song "San Quentin", about an inmate's loathing for the prison, received such an enthusiastic response that Cash immediately played an encore. *In 1990, B. B. King recorded ''Live at San Quentin (B.B. King album), Live at San Quentin'' in the prison; it won a Grammy Award for Best Traditional Blues Album in 1991. *On November 19, 1957, San Francisco Actors Workshop put on a performance of ''
Waiting for Godot ''Waiting for Godot'' ( or ) is a 1953 play by Irish writer and playwright Samuel Beckett, in which the two main characters, Vladimir (Waiting for Godot), Vladimir (Didi) and Estragon (Gogo), engage in a variety of discussions and encounters w ...
'', despite concerns the audience of 1,400 prisoners would not understand the play, it received a standing ovation and would inspire inmates to perform the play *In 2003, heavy metal band Metallica filmed the music video for their song "St. Anger (song), St. Anger" from the St. Anger, album of the same name in San Quentin, which featured many of the prison inmates and security staff, and also included then-new bassist Robert Trujillo for the first time since being inducted into the band. Parts of the filming of the "St. Anger" video and behind the scenes were included in the group's ''Metallica: Some Kind of Monster, Some Kind of Monster'' film in 2004. *On September 7, 2022, the hard rock band Nickelback released a song named "San Quentin (song), San Quentin".


Film

*The 1933 film ''Ladies They Talk About'' featured Barbara Stanwyck as an inmate. *The 1937 film ''San Quentin (1937 film), San Quentin'' featured Pat O'Brien (actor), Pat O'Brien as the captain of the yard and Humphrey Bogart as an inmate. *William Beaudine directed the film ''Men of San Quentin'' (1942). *Humphrey Bogart played a character who escapes from San Quentin in the 1947 film, ''Dark Passage''. *The 1954 film ''Duffy of San Quentin'' tells the story of Clinton Duffy, who was warden of San Quentin between 1940 and 1952. *In 1968, the prison scenes in Woody Allen's film ''Take the Money and Run (film), Take the Money and Run'' were shot in San Quentin. *In the 1993 film ''Blood In Blood Out'', which shows main character Miklo Velka imprisoned in San Quentin. * Quentin, the main villain in the 1997 film ''Cube (1997 film), Cube'', is named after the prison. *In the 1999 film ''10 Things I Hate About You'', it is rumored that Patrick Verona, a character played by Heath Ledger, spent a year in San Quentin. *The 2013 film ''Fruitvale Station'' used the prison, in which real life character Oscar Grant did time, as a filming location for a flashback scene. Actual prisoners served as extras. *In the 2015 film Ant-Man (film), ''Ant-Man'', the main character Ant-Man (Scott Lang), Scott Lang / Ant-Man is imprisoned then released from San Quentin for burglary. *In the 2015 ''Get Hard'', Will Ferrell's character James King is sent to San Quentin for six months on federal tax fraud charges. *In the 2018 film Venom (2018 film), ''Venom'' and its 2021 sequel ''Venom: Let There Be Carnage'', where the serial killer Cletus Kasady is imprisoned. Eddie Brock visits him to conduct the first of a series of interviews in the post-credits scene.


Fiction, literature and publications

Gang-pulp author Margie Harris wrote a story on San Quentin for the short-lived pulp magazine ''Prison Stories''. The story, titled "Big House Boomerang", appeared in the March 1931 issue. It used San Quentin's brutal jute mill as its setting. Harris' knowledge of the prison came from her days as a newspaper reporter in the Bay Area, and her acquaintance with famous San Quentin prisoner Ed Morrell.Locke, John; editor. ''City of Numbered Men: The Best of Prison Stories'', Off-Trail Publications, 2010. . The 1915 novel ''The Star Rover'' by Jack London was based in San Quentin. A framing story is told in the first person by Darrell Standing, a university professor serving life imprisonment in San Quentin State Prison for murder. Prison officials try to break his spirit by means of a torture device called "the jacket", a canvas jacket which can be tightly laced so as to compress the whole body, inducing angina. Standing discovers how to withstand the torture by entering a kind of trance state, in which he walks among the stars and experiences portions of past lives.


Podcasts

*'' Ear Hustle'' is a podcast created by Earlonne Woods and artist Nigel Poor. The podcast interviews inmates at San Quentin about life on the inside.


See also

* San Quentin Six: the six inmates who were accused of participating in the August 21, 1971 Prison escape, escape attempt that left six people dead. * :Films set in San Quentin State Prison, Films set in San Quentin State Prison * The Last Mile (prison rehabilitation program)


References


Further reading

* Ashcroft, Lionel "San Quentin Prison, Its Early History and Origins" in ''Marin County Historical Society Magazine'', Vol XVII Spring 1993 * Bonner, John C. ''Hang tough: San Quentin''. Minneapolis: Bethany Fellowship, 1968. * Bookspan, Shelley. ''A Germ of Goodness: The California State Prison System 1851–1944''. University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln 1991 * Braly, Malcolm. ''False starts: a memoir of San Quentin and other prisons''. Boston: Little, Brown, 1976. . * Burke, Dennis. ''Doing time: finding hope at San Quentin''. New York: Paulist Press, 2008. . * Davidson, R. Theodore. ''Chicano prisoners; the key to San Quentin''. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1974. . * Duffy, Clinton T., and Dean Southern Jennings. ''The San Quentin story''. Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1950. * Lamott, Kenneth Church. ''Chronicles of San Quentin; the biography of a prison''. New York: D. McKay Co., 1961. * Leibert, Julius A., and Emily Kingsbery. ''Behind bars; what a chaplain saw in Alcatraz, Folsom, and San Quentin''. Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1965. * Leshne, Carla. "San Quentin Prison: The Origins of the California Corrections System" FoundS
San Quentin Prison: The Origins of the California "Corrections" System - FoundSF
* Liberatore, Paul. ''The road to hell: the true story of George Jackson, Stephen Bingham, and the San Quentin Massacre''. New York: Atlantic Monthly Press, 1996. . * Nichols, Nancy Ann, James Delahunty, and Alan Hammond Nichols. ''San Quentin inside the walls''. San Quentin, CA: San Quentin Museum Press, 1991. . * Owen, Barbara A. ''The reproduction of social control: a study of prison workers at San Quentin''. New York: Praeger, 1988. . * Tannenbaum, Judith. ''Disguised as a poem: my years teaching poetry at San Quentin''. Boston: Northeastern University Press, 2000. .


External links

*California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation
News
Accessed 6 January 2008.
California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Official website
*Canadian Coalition Against the Death Penalty

*Clark, Richard

Accessed 6 January 2008. *Online Archive of California
Views of San Quentin Prison and Events, ca. 1925–1935.

''San Quentin News''
California's only inmate-produced newspaper.


San Quentin T.R.U.S.T.
to "motivate, educate, prepare and assist men in prison" *Urban Strategies Council

* San Quentin New
Sanquentinblog.com
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