California Pens :: Calipatria State Prison

April 2011

April 3 – During a contact visit in the Facility A Visiting Room, the minor son of a visitor was observed placing bindles of suspected controlled substance into a snack bag. The inmate was placed in the Ad Seg unit. The visitor and her son were transported to the Sheriff’s Department for processing. During a search of the visitor and her son, it was discovered the minor was in possession of additional bindles.

Also on April 3 – During a contact visit in the Facility A Visiting Room an inmate was observed swallowing an unknown object. ISU staff confiscated a balloon from the inmate’s hand. The inmate’s visitor then dropped two balloons during escort out of the room. A subsequent search of the visitor’s vehicle revealed 12 more balloons of suspected heroin and marijuana. The visitor was transported to a local jail and her vehicle impounded. The inmate was transported to an outside hospital and eventually passed four balloons in his bowel movements.

April 2 – During yard seven black inmates began to fight each other. A Code 2 response was activated which stopped the riot without any use of force.

October 2010

October 18 – A riot occurred between approximately 120 black and Hispanic inmates on Yard 1 in A Facility. Two warning shots were fired. The riot then continued into Building A3, where two more shots were fired. The melee then continued in Building A1 and two additional warning shots were fired along with grenades and mace to stop the riot. Fourteen inmates were injured, of which ten were taken to the hospital. Weapons were found on the yard and in both buildings.  No staff were injured. 

May 2010

May 15 – An inmate was in the process of moving from a housing unit when staff observed the inmate holding something in his hand. During a clothed-body search of the inmate, the officer ordered the inmate to surrender the item that was in his hand but the inmate refused. The inmate then swung his arm and struck the officer in the shoulder. The inmate refused orders to get down. The officer used physical force to gain compliance. The officer injured his back and was transported to an outside hospital. The inmate was rehoused in Ad Seg. 

January 2010

January 30 – An inmate was observed using a cellular phone. When staff ordered him to surrender the cell phone, he attempted to destroy the phone, resulting in the use of force. The inmate was placed in Ad Seg.

January 29 – An inmate stabbed another in the face. Staff used pepper spray to stop the attack. The inmate was taken to an outside hospital.

January 3 – A visitor attempted to smuggle 14 bindles of marijuana to two inmates. The visitor was booked into the county jail and her vehicle was impounded.
 

November 2009

November 21 - When an officer informed an inmate that he was moving to another housing unit, the inmate refused and began arguing with the officer. The officer ordered the inmate to turn around and cuff up; the inmate ignored orders and advance toward the officer. Due to the confrontation, pepper spray was used with negative results. After being sprayed, the inmate immediately attacked the officer, knocking him to the ground and continued to kick the officer in the face. The officer tried to get up but was knocked unconscious. Responding staff ordered the inmate to get down but the inmate ignored the orders and continued his assault. Multiple 40mm rounds, pepper spray and expandable batons were used to stop the incident. The inmate was rehoused in Ad Seg and is being charged with attempted murder of a peace officer. The officer was transported to a local hospital for treatment of swelling and bruising to the face, laceration to the eye, lacerations to the top of the head, and bruising on the back and torso. The laceration to the head required nine staples and the laceration to the eye required six sutures.

October 2009

October 6 - Two officers were conducting a security check in Facility B Housing Unit 2 when a group of Hispanic inmates began attacking one of the officers. The second officer attempted to aid the officer but was confronted by other Hispanic inmates. The officer used pepper spray on the inmates who were trying to stop his response. The officer then was able to assist the officer in stopping the attack but was then attacked by more Hispanic inmates from behind. Inmates used fists and kicked the officers in the face, head and body. The attack was carried out by 11 Southern Hispanic inmates. One officer sustained cuts and bruising to the face and injury to the head and neck. The second officer sustained cuts and bruises to the face with possible head injury. Both officers were transported to the hospital via ambulance. 

September 2009

September 1 - A riot involving 10 Hispanic inmate occurred on Facility A Recreational Yard. Two inmate-manufactured weapons were found. Four 40mm rounds were fired and one pepper spray blast was utilized. Two inmates sustained puncture wounds. One inmate was flown to an outside hospital due to lacerations to his neck. All inmates were placed on Ad Seg status. No staff were injured as a result of the riot. 

August 2008

August 27 - Two officers were assaulted by two Hispanic inmates on the facility C yard. The officers were transported to an outside hospital to treat lacerations to their faces.

January 2008

January 8 - Two Inmates nearly beat another inmate to death. The attackers ignored commands to stop the assault which forced responding staff to use a blast grenade and pepper spray to end the beating. The victim was transported to a local hospital and treated for his injuries. Due to the severity of his injuries the victim was later transported to a trauma center. The victim inmate is listed in stable condition.