Life after California's death row: What happens when condemned inmates get a second chance

1 week ago 5

A antheral successful greenish azygous and acheronian vest has his manus connected the limb of a person, hands cuffed down him, walking into a compartment

SAN FRANCISCO — By property 46, Bob Williams had spent much than fractional his beingness successful isolation, waiting to dice connected San Quentin’s decease row.

Williams was 18 erstwhile helium raped and murdered 40-year-old Mary Breck astatine her Kern County location successful October 1994. The time before, helium had breached into Breck’s location and stolen her recognition cards. He returned — initially with the volition of giving the items back, helium said — but alternatively brutally assaulted and strangled Beck, leaving her gasping for aerial successful her chamber earlier helium went backmost to decorativeness the killing. He was convicted of first-degree execution and sentenced to death.

By that point, Williams had spent his younker cycling done juvenile hallway and foster homes. Sad arsenic it whitethorn sound, helium said, getting sent to San Quentin “was the champion happening that ever happened to me.”

“I went to situation with the thought of No. 1, uncovering God, and if I could find God, find immoderate benignant of forgiveness if it was available,” Williams said.

On decease row, helium built a beingness amid the dank cells of factual and robust stacked 5 stories high. He soaked up books connected doctrine and spirituality, uncovering solace successful the poem “Invictus.” He had travel to presumption with his decease sentence, the imaginable of lethal injection ever looming, erstwhile owed to governmental churns retired of his control, San Quentin’s decease enactment was itself declared astatine an end. Over the past 5 years, its cells person been systematically emptied and its condemned men dispersed to different prisons.

In the outpouring of 2022, Williams was uprooted from his solitary satellite and transferred to a situation successful San Diego County. There, for the archetypal clip successful decades, helium would devour with different men and locomotion among them successful the situation yard, feeling sunlight connected his face.

Narrow situation cells are stacked 5 stories precocious connected San Quentin's decease row.

Now 49, Williams is inactive condemned to die. But nether a bid of enforcement actions ordered by Gov. Gavin Newsom — his 2019 moratorium connected executions and his 2023 pronouncement that San Quentin would beryllium transformed into a exemplary for rehabilitation — it is improbable that immoderate of the 588 condemned prisoners successful California volition beryllium enactment to decease successful the adjacent future.

Newsom’s directive to dismantle decease enactment did not change the sentences for condemned men and women. But it did dramatically upend their lives. Hundreds of decease enactment inmates from San Quentin person been scattered among 2 twelve institutions crossed the state, portion the 18 condemned women who had been housed successful the isolated decease enactment astatine the Central California Women’s Facility successful Chowchilla were moved into wide colonisation lodging astatine the aforesaid prison.

The transfers ushered successful caller freedoms for the inmates, who connected decease enactment typically spent much than 20 hours a time successful azygous cells covered with metallic mesh that filtered retired sunlight. They were handcuffed and escorted by equipped guards anytime they near their cells. They mostly ate unsocial and exercised successful tiny groups. They had little, if any, entree to classes and rehabilitative programming.

When it was Williams’ crook to leave, helium near astir of his belongings behind, passing retired immoderate of his books and giving a guitar to 1 friend, his creation supplies to another. He packed his Bibles and supplication books and a fewer pieces of prison-approved clothing. Then helium boarded a van and traveled astir 12 hours southbound to the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility successful San Diego County, wherever helium recovered meaningful enactment arsenic a chapel clerk.

A manus reaches done a situation compartment opening to dial a telephone stationed conscionable outside.

Williams marveled astatine the coastal sunsets, and stopped to prime writer successful the situation gait conscionable truthful helium could odor it. On the yard, helium played softball and hoops similar helium was a teen again, welcoming the assemblage pains that came with vigorous exercise.

There were besides uncomfortable adjustments. He was yet assigned a cellmate, which made him uneasy astatine night. And galore of the guards and different inmates seemed wary of sharing abstraction with men sentenced to death.

“It’s a transition,” helium said. “And it’s a hard modulation sometimes.”

A presumption of the achromatic factual exterior of a situation analyzable with a watchtower

Even arsenic situation betterment advocates person celebrated Newsom’s efforts to abolish superior punishment and rebrand San Quentin arsenic a spot of anticipation and transition, groups representing transgression victims and their families person responded with a premix of fury and weary resignation. They impeach him of ignoring California voters, who person routinely rebuffed efforts to extremity executions, including successful 2016, erstwhile they rejected a statewide ballot measure that would person repealed the decease penalty.

“Death enactment was voted [on] by the radical of the authorities of California. And 1 individual, the governor, by a swipe of a pen decided to instrumentality it distant and extremity it,” said Patricia Wenskunas, laminitis of Crime Survivors Inc. “He revictimized each of those household members that were promised and told that that idiosyncratic would look death.”

The aforesaid twelvemonth voters rejected the decease punishment initiative, they narrowly passed a competing ballot measure, Proposition 66, aimed astatine speeding up California’s execution process by shortening the timeline for ineligible appeals. But a little-known proviso of Proposition 66 allowed the authorities to location condemned inmates successful different prisons, wherever they would beryllium required to clasp situation jobs and wage 70% of their income to victims.

Though possibly unintended, it was this proviso that allowed the Newsom medication to bare decease row. And, connected insubstantial astatine least, authorities situation officials person touted the transfers arsenic a success.

They enactment that hundreds of condemned inmates person contributed much than $229,000 successful restitution since January 2020, erstwhile the transfers began.

Seventy percent of the transferred inmates are present taking portion successful rehabilitative programs, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. More than 330 are enrolled successful acquisition courses, and 263 are progressive successful self-help classes.

On the different hand, 99 condemned inmates person faced subject “for superior violations,” according to the department. Still officials said, astir of the transferred prisoners are showing a diminution successful disciplinary points connected their records, which means “they’re engaging successful programming options and person mostly bully behavior.”

For the prisoners, the transfers person brought a wide assortment of experiences and emotions.

Many had grown accustomed to the solitude of decease row, its stale odor and the predominant rants from inmates successful intelligence wellness crisis. They lived alone, with acceptable times for meals, gait entree and showers.

Some condemned inmates inactive unrecorded successful azygous cells successful their caller accommodations, but others person been assigned cellmates oregon unrecorded successful dormlike settings. At immoderate prisons, meals are shared successful the chow hall. So the modulation has meant adjusting to radical settings and each they entail: much people, oculus contact, conversation, confrontation.

Kevin Bernoudy, 46, was sentenced to decease for a 2006 gang-related execution successful L.A. County. He has struggled successful his archetypal twelvemonth astatine California State Prison Solano, wherever helium was transferred to bring him person to his wife, whom helium joined successful 2023.

A man, successful bluish situation clothes, is seen done the enclosure of his cell

Death enactment was harsh, but besides came with a consciousness of bid and galore of his chap prisoners had grown aged down bars. Moving to the wide colonisation meant interacting with young guys, immoderate of them with attitudes.

Bernoudy said helium got into an altercation with immoderate younger inmates successful the summertime past year. “They don’t privation nary structure. They don’t privation to halt utilizing drugs.... They don’t privation to bash thing to assistance themselves,” helium said of the younger guys. “If this is our future, it’s terrible.”

Bernoudy hasn’t been fixed a occupation yet oregon enrolled successful immoderate classes, truthful his days present don’t look overmuch antithetic than they did during his decennary astatine San Quentin.

But determination person been perks.

Everyone connected decease enactment utilized the aforesaid nail clipper that a defender would manus them erstwhile they went to the shower, helium said. Rather than usage a shared clipper, Bernoudy said, helium would “wait until the shower, and I’d conscionable peel my ain toenails off.”

At his caller prison, inmates tin bargain their ain razors and nail clippers from the canteen. And the nutrient is better.

“They gave maine a [chicken] leg, and to maine that was like, wow,” helium said. “We don’t get that connected decease row. You’re not allowed to person bones.”

A antheral with glasses stands adjacent a furniture successful a cramped situation compartment filled with boxes and paperwork.

Among the condemned prisoners who person been transferred are radical convicted of immoderate of the astir monstrous crimes successful California history.

David Carpenter was sentenced to decease successful 1984 for the murders of much than fractional a twelve radical on Northern California hiking trails betwixt 1979 and 1981, a gruesome spree that earned him the nickname Trailside Killer. At 94, Carpenter is California’s oldest condemned inmate.

In interviews conducted by substance successful the outpouring of 2024, utilizing a tablet provided by the prison, Carpenter said helium was looking guardant to his transportation to the California Health Care Facility successful Stockton.

“The main crushed for each of america is the FREEDOM [we] volition beryllium capable to experience,” helium wrote.

Carpenter uses a wheelchair and a walker, truthful helium was housed successful a azygous cell. He said helium present gets a blistery meal each time and enjoys overmuch much clip connected the yard. He enrolled successful a machine acquisition programme and is seeking retired opportunities for interaction, specified arsenic attending situation religion services.

A idiosyncratic stands ticker adjacent barbed wire

In September, Carpenter contracted COVID-19 and fell earnestly ill. He was moved to an isolation portion for respective days and recovered. It was a stark opposition to 2020, erstwhile much than a twelve decease enactment inmates died arsenic COVID swept done the ward.

“All of america San Quentin inmates spot being present arsenic being successful a status location environment,” Carpenter said.

Raynard Cummings besides said beingness was amended since helium near San Quentin, if lone marginally.

Cummings, 67, was condemned to die for his relation successful the fatal shooting of LAPD Officer Paul Verna during a postulation halt successful June 1983. Prosecutors said that arsenic Verna walked up to his car, Cummings pulled retired a weapon and changeable the officer, portion his friend, Kenneth Gay, jumped retired of the car and unloaded respective much rounds into Verna. Both men were convicted successful 1985 and sentenced to die, though Gay has since been resentenced to beingness without parole.

Last year, with the prospects of transfers looming, Cummings told The Times helium was hoping to beryllium sent to a situation that was wheelchair accessible and wherever helium could get carnal therapy for his arthritis. But helium was besides prepared for a much confrontational narration with the guards.

“They’re going to spot I’m successful present for a bull killing, and they each consciousness immoderate benignant of mode astir it,” helium said.

Last spring, Cummings was sent to a high-security gait astatine the authorities situation successful Lancaster. When helium arrived, Cummings said, helium was mesmerized astatine seeing a afloat satellite for the archetypal clip since 1983. But he’s been enactment disconnected by what helium describes arsenic a wide consciousness of chaos.

As of precocious fall, Cummings said helium had not recovered a occupation oregon enrolled successful immoderate rehabilitative groups. Still, helium was gladsome to beryllium retired of San Quentin.

“San Quentin was 10 times, a cardinal times worse,” helium said. “And they knew they could get distant with it, due to the fact that we were the worst of the worse, the despicable of the despicable.”

Like galore of the condemned inmates, Cummings already has been transferred a 2nd time, portion of the ongoing captive shuffle arsenic corrections officials negociate abstraction constraints and inmate information classifications. This year, helium was transferred to High Desert State Prison successful Lassen County.

A pistillate sits successful a wheelchair successful a aesculapian unit.

Cathy Sarinana, 48, is 1 of 18 women condemned to dice successful California. She was wary astatine the imaginable of leaving decease enactment astatine the Central California Women’s Facility. Though acceptable up similar a “chicken coop,” Sarinana said, the women wrong formed a supportive community. At times, “it was similar precocious school,” she said, with cliques and bickering. But “there were genuine friendships that were grown from there. We were similar family.”

Sarinana and her hubby were convicted successful 2009 of sidesplitting their 11-year-old nephew, Ricky Morales, connected Christmas Day 2005 successful Riverside County. Sarinana’s hubby admitted to beating the lad earlier helium died, and she was accused of ongoing abuse. Soon aft Ricky was recovered dead, investigators recovered the assemblage of his 13-year-old brother, Conrad, encased successful factual successful a trash tin successful the family’s carport.

Sarinana said that her behaviour was the byproduct of years of carnal and affectional maltreatment by her husband. She agrees that she should beryllium successful prison, though she does not deliberation she deserved a decease sentence. More than anything, she said, she should person done much to support her nephews.

“I inactive should person tried. And I unrecorded with that guilt each day,” she said.

A pistillate successful a wheelchair sits successful beforehand of a doorway arsenic a pistillate stands down her successful a hallway

But connected decease row, Sarinana said, she recovered the acceptance she’d agelong craved.

The condemned women enjoyed a spot much state than the men astatine San Quentin, mostly due to the fact that determination were truthful fewer of them. They were allowed to congregate successful the portion extracurricular their cells for immoderate information of each day.

She reminisced astir the potlucks the women would propulsion to people holidays. They had entree to large pots of h2o they could vigor with electrical rods. At Christmas, they made tamales. For Thanksgiving, Sarinana would marque rolls filled with nutrient and cheese. And to observe the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, they fashioned fascinator hats retired of cardboard and glitter.

Sarinana near the enactment successful March 2024. She was transferred to a aesculapian portion connected the situation field that accommodates prisoners, specified arsenic herself, who usage wheelchairs.

She disquieted astir the judgement the condemned women would face. Many had killed children, their husbands — oregon both.

“Everyone present has done brainsick stuff,” Sarinana said. “We were disquieted astir being shunned.”

It took months to acclimate to being astir truthful galore people. And aft years of being cuffed erstwhile she near her cell, she didn’t cognize however to usage her hands. Turning doorknobs was difficult.

But implicit time, Sarinana has warmed to her caller environment. She works arsenic a radical facilitator with Velda Dobson-Davis, a retired main lawman warden who present volunteers astatine the women’s prison, moving programs focused connected trauma.

Sarinana inactive has moments erstwhile she misses decease row. Last Christmas, she was dealing with a hard bout of depression. She remembered the games the women played during the holidays and their elaborate meals.

“I inactive crave that place,” she said. “It’s morbid.”

A defender walks on a constrictive hallway betwixt situation cells

Williams, the inmate who was 18 erstwhile helium committed the transgression that sent him to decease row, said his caller lease connected beingness is likewise bittersweet. Last year, helium was moved again, this clip to the California Health Care Facility successful Stockton. He doesn’t similar it arsenic overmuch arsenic Donovan, but it’s inactive amended than decease row.

As clip passes, helium finds himself wishing Newsom would bash thing much for condemned prisoners, particularly those who were his property erstwhile they were sentenced. “I’m benignant of astatine a constituent of, either execute maine oregon archer maine you’re not going to,” helium said.

He allows himself to nurture a sliver of anticipation that 1 time helium could beryllium resentenced and released. But he’s inactive astatine bid with the conception of dying down bars — whether from age, oregon execution.

“I’ve travel look to look with it, and I’ve looked it successful the eye,” helium said. “And I recovered life.”

Times researcher Cary Schneider contributed to this report.

Read Entire Article