Death-Row Inmates Coming To IE Raises 'Significant Concerns': Sheriff

CHINO, CA — San Quentin prison is shutting down its death row, and condemned inmates are being transferred to state-run lockups throughout California.

San Bernardino County Sheriff Shannon Dicus is not thrilled about it. He is particularly concerned about public safety after death-row inmates were moved to Chino Institute for Men at 14901 Central Avenue in Chino.

As of Wednesday, 33 condemned inmates had been transferred to the state-run prison.

These men have been convicted of the most serious crimes. A sentence of death can be handed down in California in certain cases involving first-degree murder, sabotage, treason, perjury, procuring the execution of an innocent person, train wrecking, and deadly assault by an inmate serving a life term.

The San Quentin death-row shutdown has been long in the making. In 2016, a statewide ballot measure — Proposition 66 — passed. It provided that condemned prisoners could be housed in institutions other than San Quentin. The measure requires inmates to work and pay 70% of their income to victims. In 2019, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed an executive order imposing a moratorium on the death penalty and closure of San Quentin's execution chamber. The order led to the "Condemned Inmate Transfer Program" that is now underway.

Chino Institute for Men, or CIM, has operated since 1941. It currently houses more than 4,500 inmates. According to Dicus, the prison has inadequate infrastructure and staffing shortages, and the state is not investing in upgrades despite moving death-row inmates to the facility.

"Addressing these issues is essential to maintain a secure environment within the facility and prevent potential incidents that could threaten public safety," Dicus said in an April 25 statement. "Addressing these deficiencies is crucial not only for maintaining order within the facility but also for safeguarding the well-being of our community."

Mary Xjimenez is a spokesperson for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, the agency that oversees state prisons, including CIM. She said CDCR officials met with local law enforcement officials in mid-April to discuss condemned inmate transfers and "address any local needs."

Through the transfer program, death-row inmates were being moved to "the highest-security level facilities, including those that have electrified fencing," according to Xjimenez.

When pressed, she did not address Dicus's concerns about CIM but said the inmates were being sent "to institutions with at least a Level II security level and a lethal electrified fence. [The inmates] are designated as 'Close Custody' for a minimum of five years, providing the highest security level while still allowing integration into the general population."

State prisons with a Level II security designation have "open dormitories with a secure perimeter, which may include armed coverage," according to CDCR language. Lower security is found at Level 1 prisons and camps; the highest security is at facilities with Level III and IV designations.

The CIM campus has Level I and II housing. The prison made headlines in the 1980s when CIM inmate Kevin Cooper climbed through a hole in the facility's fence and walked across an open field. Days later, Doug and Peggy Ryen, and their 10-year-old daughter, Jessica, as well as an unrelated boy, 11-year-old Christopher Hughes, were found stabbed to death in the Ryen family home in Chino Hills. The Ryen’s 8-year-old son, Joshua, survived the attack.

Cooper was convicted in the gruesome slaying but has long maintained his innocence. However, a special counsel appointed by Gov. Gavin Newsom released a report in early 2023 that cast aside Cooper’s claims of innocence.

"The escape of Kevin Cooper is not an isolated incident but rather one among several security breaches that have raised concerns about the safety protocols and investments within CDCR’s correctional facilities," Dicus said.

The sheriff pointed to CIM inmate Michael Garrett, who escaped from the facility in early 2018 and subsequently carjacked a victim. He was apprehended the next day in Encinitas by the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department.

"Unfortunately, an inoperable fence at Chino Institute for Men and poor lighting contributed to this escape ...," Dicus said.

The sheriff maintains that the escapes underscore "the need for stricter security measures and highlighted deficiencies within specific institutions, such as the Chino Institution for Men."

According to the latest CDCR data, 266 men have been moved from San Quentin's death row as part of the Condemned Inmate Transfer Program. The transfers are being conducted in phases, with the process scheduled to wrap up this summer.

California houses a total of 639 condemned inmates, including 20 women at the Central California Women’s Facility in Chowchilla who have already been transferred to the institution's general prison population.

The state’s last execution of a condemned inmate was on Jan. 17, 2006.