The s San Quentin State Prison (SQ) is a California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation state prison for men, located north of San Francisco in the unincorporated town of San Quentin in Marin County. ), Early penal institutions around the world focused on incarceration and punishment. You feel connection, love and shalom when youre around each other., Alix Wall is a contributing editor to J. Or do I want to humanize and treat this person like we care? A lone inmate at San Quentin Prison writing letter in mess hall, 1947. From the first days of California statehood, the fledgling government wrestled with how to handle those who broke the law. The blacks are over here. For the first time since the death penalty was put on pause in the state, reporters on Tuesday got an in-depth look at the cold concrete corridors, locked cells and shackled inmates on Californias ever-growing Death Row. It gives them a lot of power, she says. U.S. District Judge Jeremy Fogel of San Jose ruled in February 2006 that the states lethal-protocol was badly flawed. Loren Eric Crain, attending his first-ever seder, was one of those at my table who described himself as a Messianic Jew. SEIGENTHALER (voice-over): When an inmate arrives at San Quentin, he quickly learns that he needs to find a gang or a group with whom he can affiliate himself. The majority of the 699 condemned men currently housed at San Quentin are in what started as overflow housing in East Block. The incarcerated men's responses have to be the core, she says. Get the latest from KCRW in your inbox 3x a week. I used to be a member of Hare Krishna back in the old days. Subscribe to Inside Story to receive exclusive behind-the-scene looks at our best stories, as well as author profiles and other insights.. On Monday, Dec. 14, the same day that Americans first began receiving COVID-19 vaccinations, dozens of San Quentin prisoners lumbered onto buses, their . Copy: Content and programming copyright 2005 MSNBC. When asked about the fact that many Americans believe that prison should be a place for punishment and not second chances, McKinney mentioned that even most violent offenders are eventually returning home. You get on the bus with them and everything. I feel just fine. Its all grown out of the Shabbat service, and its so sweet and beautiful, Shleffar said. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. Love words? UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Theyll put me in a cell and then theyll put like a gun killer next door, right? Can CAs most notorious prison become modern rehab center? Attending the seder for the first time was Oak Smith, the acting warden of San Quentin. After years of debate, state officials say they are planning to spend $220 million to renovate the death row facility. Theyre examining their connections to the the lives of inmates who came before them. SEIGENTHALER: John Gladson is a veteran officer at San Quentin with 19 years of experience observing yard politics. However, San Quentin is not starting from square one. Everybody is a correctional officer, so if somebody escapes, theyre really not going to run here. While inside, he discovered a love of writing and became a contributor to The Marshall Project, Wall City Magazine and the San Quentin News, among other publications.New York is the chairman of the Society of Professional Journalists San Quentin satellite chapter; in 2015, he co-founded Prison Renaissance; and in 2020, he founded . I dont have to worry about seeing cars coming down the road. Notorious stagecoach robbers such as Charles Black Bart Boles and Dick Fellows served time at San Quentin State Prison. Theyre treating us like animals! he shouted. Today 670 condemned inmates - including wife-killer Scott Peterson - are on the prisons chilling death row. Theyre going to run somewhere else. The temperature is pretty hot, so theyre soldiers. The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation reviewed its protocols on lethal injections and built a new, roomy death chamber at the prison in 2008 with brightly lit viewing rooms. The state's only death row for male inmates, the largest in the United States, is located at th Read all, Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations. 12) I left my key inside my room. James Johnston, appointed warden of Folsom Prison, told the governor he had no experience. The Belt buckle of Officer Marc Wood during a tour of death row at San Quentin State Prison on Tuesday December 29, 2015, in San Quentin, Calif. A guard on the catwalk above the cells of the condemned in East Block on death row at San Quentin State Prison on Tuesday December 29, 2015, in San Quentin, Calif. Douglas Clark, 67 in prison for mass murder in 1980 is seen inside his cell during a tour of the Adjustment Center of death row at San Quentin State Prison on Tuesday December 29, 2015, in San Quentin, Calif. Raymond Lewis, on death row for a 2000 murder is seen inside his cell during a tour of East Block of death row at San Quentin State Prison on Tuesday December 29, 2015, in San Quentin, Calif. I dont need medication. Many of the prisoners spoke openly about their cases and have closely followed the states unresolved laws on capital punishment. 13) He had a good rummage inside the sofa. GLADSON: The northern Hispanics is our main gang here in San Quentin, and its because theyre better organized. A look at the hard life inside San Quentins Death Row. They canthey got your back or whatever. Nearby homes similar to 258 Quentin Dr have recently sold between $200K to $447K at an average of $170 per square foot. She is also the founder of the Illuminoshi: The Not-So-Secret Society of Bay Area Jewish Food Professionals and is writer/producer of a documentary-in-progress called "The Lonely Child. I am a strategic thinker that enjoys collaborating to effectively reach . Covid contagion Last year the prison was accused of letting Covid-19 run rampant throughout the . And one guy will stand out in front while the other guys go to the bathroom and then they will switch off. SEIGENTHALER: For inmate Ray Lincoln, doing time at San Quentin is much more emotional. After the 2016 moratorium on executions, the biggest danger to death row inmates now is suicide. The buildings near death row at San Quentin State Prison on Tuesday December 29, 2015, in San Quentin, Calif. East Block on death row at San Quentin State Prison on Tuesday December 29, 2015, in San Quentin, Calif. Condemned prisoner Sean Vines is seen inside his cell during a tour of East Block of death row at San Quentin State Prison on Tuesday December 29, 2015, in San Quentin, Calif. Prison guards at the Adjustment Center of death row at San Quentin State Prison on Tuesday December 29, 2015, in San Quentin, Calif. A clock is seen outdoors of the East Block exercise area of death row at San Quentin State Prison on Tuesday December 29, 2015, in San Quentin, Calif. Such an overhaul would require overcoming gangs, racial divides, and structural inequality that runs much deeper in the U.S. than Scandinavia. He referred to it as this little spot on this big earth, where sleep the convict dead. View the earlier story about Moores life. Freedom Seder, Sacramento Kings' Domantas Sabonis is joining Team Jewish, Holocaust survivor behind Kleinfeld bridal empire dies at 99, At 90, this Holocaust survivor zips around S.F. And, basically, thats about the only friends I got are birds. Tell them about the cold food and the dirty trays! other prisoners called out from their cells. SEIGENTHALER: Charles Pelham is completely a short eight-month sentence for a parole violation. He was honorably discharged in Monterey in 1848 and went to work in the mines in Calaveras County. When you're able to decode the situations and circumstances that even brought you to prison you're able to have that aha moment and say, Oh, I understand. When you know better, you [can] do better.. He has given a voice to victims in some of the regions biggest tragedies, carefully putting himself in challenging situations to make sure their stories are told. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Using your vibes and looking at the motions and the actions of people from a distance. The negatives came to the attention of San Quentin's public . It was built by inmates who slept on a prison ship called the Waban at night and worked on. His Jan. 17, 2006, death by lethal injection came about a month after the state put to death 51-year-old Stanley Tookie Williams, the former Crips gang founder. State prisons department spokeswoman Terry Thornton said: Theyre meant to do a great deal of damage.. I didn't see any uniforms. Next door to the East Block, in San Quentins North Segregation, the more privileged of the condemned are housed. Yoo's team secured unusual access to shoot inside the facility, and the results are remarkably intimate . UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Im doing the same Ive done every day. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: dying. SUSAN DOWNS, PRISON PSYCHIATRIST: You have to wear a vest, because there was one psychiatrist, they tried to kill her. Meet Draftnick Ric Serritella at Hub Football Camp in San Diego 4/16/2023 This is not a legal transcript for purposes of litigation. Peterson declined to speak with reporters and turned his back to photographers Tuesday. But theyve taken that little area there because nobody else wants it, because it has an open bathroom. JAMES WAYNE, PRISONER: Youre going to watch your back period, like you do on the streets regardless. In Danny Trejos latest cookbook, tasty tales and mocktails abound, Inside Californias gigantic new smog lab, Controversial asphalt plant: Irvine officials want to spend big money to close it, Tough guy Danny Trejo wants you to eat well, care for others, Rock and roll originator Little Richard felt industry didnt fully recognize him, KCRWs 5 Songs to Hear This Week: Lounge-lizards, jazz-mystics, heart-wrenchers, San Francisco has low murder rate, despite Cash App founders fatal stabbing. Inside San Quentin's Death Row | KQED Newsroom 1.6M views 7 years ago RAW: Greg Kelley sit-down prison. On days with no exercise inmates will spend 24 hours a day alone in the cell. Smith told the group that he had worked in the prison system for years but had never witnessed someone sentenced to life go free before he came to San Quentin in 2015. The first incarcerated person at Californias state prison was Charles Currier. Theyll go over together. MILLER: I think birds is a good way of releasing a lot of tension and anger. The rapid spread of the virus inside San Quentin was predicted by a group of health experts who toured the the facility on June 13. 17, 2023. I reside in the overcrowded San Quentin State Prison, where COVID-19 ravaged and killed 28 prisoners and a [] So, when people come here, its nothing new to us, because weve been watching your back all your life. Business and community leaders have argued that such prime real estate would be better suited for housing developments or a public park, for example. San Quentin opened in July 1852, it is the oldest prison in California. He brings them to the band practices a few times a week. San Quentin Penitentiary in Northern California, home to thousands of incarcerated people, has been the subject of multiple investigations for abuse, neglect, and overcrowding. When the work day is over, most officers head for the gates en route to their homes. Lewis was sentenced to die for beating a woman to death with a 2-by-4 in 1988. On my first day here, I had to sign the paperwork to let this lifer out, Smith said, and he has seen numerous others leave since then. DOWNS: Because you get all these thoughts rushing at your head. Later that year, the state acquired the Waban, a ship abandoned by its crew during the Gold Rush. So I asked the warden if it was OK if we moved in. SEIGENTHALER: This is the mental health unit at San Quentins infirmary. Is it time to make the switch? They consider themselves Jewish and follow Jewish practices but believe that Jesus is the messiah. The yard is in San Quentin Prison. ), Read the earlier story about rehabilitation efforts, Read the earlier story about technological advances. People often think we should be insular, he said. Youre always prepared. East block prisoner and killer Raymond Lewis, 41, said: To me, this is worse than death. There are more than 600 waiting for execution there now, including convicted murderer Scott Peterson. We waited three years, but then we got it and here we are. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hi. You know, in order to keep the fire going, you have got to let it breathe. Photo: Eddie. . Perhaps the most infamous inmate at San Quentin is Scott Peterson. Because you never know what could happen. Copyright 2023 KGO-TV. Lack of steady pay and loose rules made the task nearly impossible. And you hold the can up here. RUGNAD: Where there are rules and regulations, and rightfully so, because theyre incarcerated, just the fact that they are able to yell as loud as they want to or clap their hands and stomp their feet, for that brief hour and a half, two hours, however long were here, theyre able to get some kind of release. Starting in 1893, 215 inmates were hanged at San Quentin. Prisoners at San Quentin weightlifting in prison yard during recreation period. Ukrainian Jews celebrate Passover amid new normal, Mayors, supervisors and a drag queen at S.F. He added: If [prisoners] dont assault staff when given the opportunity, they will be disciplined by other inmates here in the facility. 6 of 53 7 of 53 Douglas Clark, 67 in prison for mass murder in 1980 is seen inside his cell during a tour of the Adjustment Center of death row at San Quentin State Prison on Tuesday December 29 . Check out Bay Area safety tracker. So its just going to bejust wanted to check and see how youre doing today. Nate McKinney (far left) and other members of the Uncuffed team are photographed in San Quentin in 2019. You stay prepared. Transcription Copyright 2005 Voxant, Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Poorly trained staff, with unclear instructions and little oversight in the dimly lit former gas chamber, risked leaving dying inmates conscious and writhing in pain, violating the constitutional ban on cruel and unusual punishment, Fogel said. All of California's male death row inmates are located at San Quentin. Perhaps nowhere is the concept of the American villain clearer than inside the US prison system. 1,229 Sq. And theyre not going to let anybody take their space. User may not reproduce or redistribute the material except for users personal or internal use and, in such case, only one copy may be printed, nor shall user use any material for commercial purposes or in any fashion that may infringe upon MSNBC and Voxant, Inc.s copyright or other proprietary rights or interests in the material. Thats our report. They had jobs during the day quarrying stone to build San Quentins first cell block, established in 1852. And then the gun guy dont ever get out. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED. In yet another, a man is shown carving an ice sculpture. The View From Inside San Quentin State Prison By Adamu Chan | July 6, 2020 Slate Probably in the beginning of March, maybe the end of February, we started hearing about the virus. The pros and cons of electric vehicle purchases are getting murkier with coming changes to federal incentives. This world, with its lime green execution chamber looming in everyone's consciousness,. So, the white guys are pretty relaxed, even though, in reality, everybody is always looking. In 2008, San Quentin opened a new $853,000 death chamber at the prison - but it will never be used. CLEWIS: You never know which of your enemies is going to come in here. Transforming San Quentin into a Norwegian-style restorative environment would require overcoming gangs, racial divides, and structural inequality that runs deeper in the U.S. than Scandinavia. You know what Im saying? This has helped him to fine-tune his senses for predicting trouble. SEIGENTHALER: At San Quentin, getting any kind of release is a luxury for both officers and inmates alike. In his mind, there are people that [have] been serving decades in prison that could come home tonight, without any shift shock, and be productive members of society. P.O. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think, if you have outside activities, it helps a lot. San Quentin is the oldest and most notorious prison in California. In just three months, voters have the chance to abolish the death penalty in California or speed up the process. And Im already looking behind him. While inside, he was the managing editor of San Quentin News and co-founder of the Uncuffed podcast, which gave folks in prison a voice. Archive mapping allows them to talk about their own experiences and reflect on their upbringing, the nature of punishment, personal relationships, accountability, social codes and much more. To me, this is worse than death, 41-year-old Raymond Lewis said inside his cell in the prisons East Block, the five-tier, main Death Row cell block. M. ALVISO: I hear a lot of people say they dont want to move here because they never leave the prison. Donations from readers like you are essential to sustaining this work. Hey, homey? The now-feeble convicted child killer hid inside his dark cell while reporters walked by a stark change in behavior from his antagonistic courtroom theatrics that played out during his 1996 sentencing. If the yard goes silent, you know its all bad. The first true warden was Josiah Parker Ames in 1880, a veteran of the Mexican War. M. ALVISO: Its hard to live in the San Francisco Bay area. And things can happen here. The inmates who are housed here generally dont have the survival skills needed in prison. Nate McKinney from Hawthorne spent more than 20 years at San Quentin before paroling last year. And I lay on my bunk and at night I cry, because I wonder where I went wrong. Before I got arrested, my girlfriend used to chase the birds away. The man who murdered 12-year-old Polly Klaas, Richard Allen Davis, refused to speak with us even though he's been writing letters to the ABC7 I-Team's Dan Noyes for more than a year. So, when you come here, its just natural. As you see, its like a fire. You in the penalty. E-mail: esernoffsky@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @EvanSernoffsky. SEIGENTHALER: For those inmates who are sincere about reprogramming their lives, Richard gives them a song, a prayer, and a little bit of hope. 19 years of debate, state officials say they are planning to spend $ 220 million to renovate death. 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