Another COVID Outbreak hits San Quentin, Despite High Vaccination Rates Among Incarcerated People
JOE KUKURA A somewhat low vaccination rate among prison guards has produced a predictable result, as San Quentin State Prison, and all California state prisons, are in full lockdown. The Marin County correctional facility San Quentin State Prison was severely affected by COVID-19 outbreaks in the early summer of 2020, when nearly a third of inmates caught the virus, […]
Judge Rules CDCR Inflicted Cruel and Unusual Punishment on San Quentin Incarcerated People During Massive COVID Outbreak
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) — A judge has ruled California prison officials inflicted cruel and unusual punishment on inmates at San Quentin State Prison as a massive COVID-19 outbreak infected more that 2,600 prisoners and staff in the summer of 2020. Marin County Superior Court Judge Geoffrey Howard made a final ruling in the case against the […]
Long Time Editor of San Quentin Newspaper Savors Freedom After 23 Years
Richard “Bonaru” Richardson stood in the front yard of an Oakland house, pondering the row of bars that wrapped around the property — knowing that for the first time in more than two decades he could step beyond these bars anytime he wanted. Just a few weeks before, Richardson was ensconced in the bars and […]
#StopSanQuentinOutbreak Graphic Timeline
During this one-year anniversary of the prison transfer that led to the horrendous COVID-19 outbreak at San Quentin State Prison, artist Orlando Smith (currently incarcerated at SQ) illustrated this timeline tracking the outbreak at San Quentin and statewide organizing in response calling for urgent releases. Orlando Smith is an illustrated journalist, whose work has been […]
Interfaith Movement for Human Rights Vigil
On May 30th 2020, Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity (IM4HI) hosted a vigil to commemorate the one-year anniversary since the transfer from CIM to San Quentin that led to the horrific COVID-19 outbreak. Loved ones, formerly incarcerated community members, and faith leaders to call for releases and to remember the over 200 incarcerated people across […]
California Prison Transfer Led to Dozens of Deaths and Endangered Thousands – State Watchdog
February 2, 2021 Abene Clayton Covid crisis report from office of the inspector general finds concerns of healthcare staff over May transfer were ignored. A hastily executed transfer of nearly 200 people in California’s prison system set off a public health disaster that endangered the lives of thousands of prisoners and staff and led to […]
California Prison Officials Goofed and Dozens of Incarcerated People Died
February 9, 2021 Mercury News A big mistake by California prison officials spread COVID-19 and resulted in dozens of deaths, both inmates and one staff member. Gov. Gavin Newsom has unilaterally decided to eliminate California’s death penalty for capital crimes even though it remains in the law. Newsom declared a moratorium on executing any of the […]
“They Want to Do Me In”: The Incarcerated Person Who Fought COVID Overcrowding
February 8, 2021Kevin Sawyer, Filter Magazine In May, as COVID-19 loomed over incarcerated people across the country, Ivan Von Staich filed an administrative grievance to transfer out of the notoriously overcrowded 168-year-old San Quentin State Prison. In October, as a result, an appeals court ordered San Quentin to reduce its prison population by 50 percent. […]
San Quentin prison is fined $421,880 over deadly COVID-19 conditions; 28 incarcerated people and an officer died
February 5, 2021Richard Winton, LA Times San Quentin State Prison is facing the largest single penalty in the state over workplace safety violations for failing to prevent the spread of COVID-19, resulting in the deaths of 28 inmates and one correctional officer and a total of 2,200 confirmed cases. California’s oldest penitentiary was slapped with […]