So like, this dude Renee Rodriguez, who was a convicted rapist in L.A. County, got killed by another inmate over the weekend. Kenneth Wilson, the inmate who allegedly did the dirty deed, attacked Rodriguez in the day room at California State Prison-Los Angeles County on Sunday around 7:15 p.m. The staff tried to stop the fight using chemicals and nonlethal weapons, but Rodriguez ended up dead at an outside medical facility. State prison peeps are now investigating the attack, and Wilson is sitting in restricted housing. This is the second suspected homicide of the weekend and the fifth one this month. In fact, there have been 13 suspected inmate homicides in California this year, which is way more than last year. Seems like prison violence is on the rise.
In an effort to curb the violence, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) cracked down on 11 high-security facilities in March. They restricted inmate movement and cut off phone calls and visits at places like Calipatria State Prison, Mule Creek State Prison, and Pelican Bay State Prison. The department said these measures were necessary for safety, even though they caused hardships for families. During the crackdown, staff found over 850 contraband items, including improvised weapons and phones. But despite all these efforts, the violence didn’t stop.
There were suspected inmate homicides at different prisons, even after the restrictions were lifted. For instance, William Couste was allegedly attacked by Rodger Brown at High Desert State Prison and didn’t make it. Brown, who’s serving a life sentence for murder, has a history of violence. It seems like some inmates just don’t care about the consequences when they’re already doing life. David Gomez, who’s being investigated for a prison death in January, once said that killing his cellmate in 2005 was a “freebie” since he was already locked up for life. Another inmate, Cody Taylor, is also serving a life sentence for killing someone in prison. It’s a messed up situation, with lifers taking out their frustrations on each other.
Tyler Yates, another lifer at a Sacramento prison, is also in hot water for two suspected homicides this year. Last year, he was convicted of first-degree murder behind bars. It’s like a never-ending cycle of violence in the prison system. The authorities are trying to figure out how to deal with these inmates who seem to have nothing left to lose.
Overall, it’s a grim situation in California prisons, with inmate homicides on the rise despite efforts to stop the violence. The CDCR is doing what they can to crack down on contraband and restrict movement, but it seems like some inmates will always find a way to cause trouble. Hopefully, they can figure out a way to make the prisons safer for everyone, but it’s definitely not an easy task.
