California Pens :: CSP-Corcoran

March 2012

January 2012

January 10 – A riot broke out on a yard involving approximately 60 inmates. Staff used pepper spray to stop the rioting inmates. Officers recovered numerous inmate-manufactured weapons. Five inmates were transported to outside hospitals for treatment of stab wounds. No staff were injured.  

April 2011

April 28 – Two officers were escorting an inmate to his EOP Group program when the inmate kicked one of the officers in the leg. The officer was medically evaluated and remained on duty.

April 23 – An officer was assisting in the observation of visiting when he observed an inmate acting nervous. The officer approached the inmate and advised him to go to inmate processing so he could be strip-searched. The inmate hesitated but then began to comply with the officer’s request. During the escort, the inmate struck the officer in the face and began throwing chairs at the officer. The officer deflected the chairs with his hand and used pepper spray. The inmate then ran towards the inmate restroom, which was locked. The inmate then threw a black bindle toward another officer who took possession of the bindle. Staff were able to force the inmate to the floor. The inmate’s visitor was detained and escorted to the lieutenant’s office. The visitor dropped a bindle approximately three inches in length and one and one-half inches round into a wastebasket. The visitor was transported to jail. Several staff received injuries and one officer was taken to a hospital for medical treatment. A test was performed on the bindle resulted in 51.5 grams of marijuana, 2.7 grams of cocaine, 1.2 grams of ecstasy and 17.8 grams of tobacco.

July 2010

July 29 – Staff were conducting morning yard release for two inmates housed in the same cell. After conducting an unclothed body search, one of the inmates was placed in handcuffs while the other inmate was standing at the back of the cell. The inmate walked up to the handcuffed inmate and struck him in the face, knocking him to the floor. Staff gave several orders for the inmate to stop but he refused. Staff used pepper spray and ordered the inmate to come to the food port to be handcuffed. He still continued to strike the inmate. The inmate then threw a television toward the other inmate. Staff used more pepper spray with positive results. Both inmates were escorted from the cell for decontamination and medical evaluation.

May 2010

May 14 – Staff were escorting an LVN during the evening medication pass when they entered C section and immediately noticed an inmate leaning against a cell door. The inmate appeared to have blood covering his face and torso. Staff saw another inmate covered in blood sitting on the left bunk. Staff asked if the standing inmate was ok, he said yes but couldn’t walk. The alarm was activated, the cell door food port was opened, and the inmate was placed in handcuffs. Responding staff arrived and the sergeant instructed responding staff to don protective equipment for an emergency cell entry. The inmate was removed from the cell and escorted out of the section. The other inmate was restrained without incident and transferred onto a wheelchair for medical evaluation. The inmate sustained three stab wounds to his back, two stab wounds to the neck, one stab wound to the head and one to the arm. The injuries were deemed life threatening and he was transported via helicopter to a trauma center in Fresno. 

September 2009

September 4 - The control booth officer heard "man down" in C section and observed an inmate at the door with what appeared to be blood on his clothing. The control booth officer activated his personal alarm and staff responded and observed two inmates covered with blood but not fighting. Both inmates complied with orders to be handcuffed and were escorted without further incident. During a subsequent search of the cell a weapon was recovered measuring five inches in length wrapped with cloth with four metal tips protruding from a piece of a Zylon cup. One of the inmates sustained lacerations and cuts to his head with swelling. The inmate was transported to a local hospital. 

August 2009

August 21 - An officer was stabbed 3 to 10 times during a 4A 1 life tactical extraction. The officer was life flighted to the hospital.

February 2009

February 25 – On a yard two inmates battered another inmate with an inmate- manufactured weapon. An officer activated his personal alarm when he observed two inmates grabbing at the victim inmate. The officer ordered all inmates to get down to which the three combatants refused to comply. The officer utilized the Hydro Force Water Restraint System twice before gaining compliance. The officer further observed the victim inmate lying on the yard bleeding. The victim inmate exited the yard and was provided medical attention and later transported to an outside hospital. One inmate- manufactured weapon consisting of metal stock was recovered from the yard toilet. The weapon measured 4 ½ inches long by 1 inch wide by 1/8 inch thick and was sharpened to a point. The assailant inmates sustained cuts to the head, hand and back. The victim inmate sustained multiple lacerations and puncture wounds to the arm, stomach, back, chest, shoulders and neck. No staff were injured due to this incident.

February 16 – In a housing unit, an inmate committed battery on an officer; which resulted in the use of physical force. The officer suffered a two-inch abrasion to the forearm. The officer remained on duty after a medical examination.

February 16 – An officer was alerted to a loud banging coming from a double occupied cell. One of the inmates yelled man down and the officer immediately activated the unit alarm. Staff responded to the cell and observed both inmates standing inside the cell facing each other. Staff instructed both inmates to submit to handcuffs, which both complied. One of the inmates sustained multiple puncture wounds to the upper torso and was transported to an outside hospital for medical treatment.

February 14 – A riot occurred on Facility 3B, involving 15 Mexican National inmates. The riot consisted of four separate fighting groups. In each group there were multiple inmates assaulting a single victim. Three of the groups were quelled by verbal commands by responding staff. In one of the groups, responding staff used pepper spray to quell the fighting. A search for weapons after the incident revealed negative results. Inmates involved in this incident did not suffer any major injuries; injuries were minor abrasions, swelling and reddened areas. No staff were injured.

January 2009

January 26 - An inmate was standing at the front of the cell and an inmate was laying to the rear of the cell on the floor, motionless. As staff were dawning protective gear, the sergeant ordered the inmate to submit to handcuffs. The inmate was removed and staff entered the cell. Two LVN's began life saving measures. The inmate was transported to an outside hospital and pronounced dead. The inmate cause of death was documented as head trauma.

January 12 - In Facility 3A a riot occurred involving 130 black and 45 white inmates. 40mm and T16 grenades were used to quell the incident. The yard observation booth discharged one Mini 14 round as a warning. One inmate weapon was found. 11 inmates were treated for head injuries, five inmates were taken to an outside hospital, one of which was in critical condition. All involved inmates were placed on ASU status. The facility has been placed on modified program. No staff were injured as a result of the riot.

January 2 - During the morning breakfast release, two black inmates affiliated with the Crips, were involved in a fight. The incident was a battery on an inmate with a weapon resulting in the use of force. Pepper spray was used to quell the incident. One of the inmates received lacerations to his face consistent with a weapon. A weapon was recovered.

May 2008

May 5 - An inmate approached a floor officer, yelling and making threats. A second floor officer observed the commotion and approached the incident. The floor officer felt threatened and drew her pepper spray. The inmate then turned and began walking toward his cell, but suddenly turned back and began to advance rapidly toward the officer. The inmate ignored a second officer's orders to back up. The officer then grabbed the inmate and placed him in handcuffs without further incident.

April 2008

March 2008

March 26 - Two inmates began fighting on the yard. Orders were given to stop fighting; to which the inmates did not comply. Responding Officers used OC pepper spray to stop the fight. An Officer was struck on the leg by one of the inmates with a sap type weapon. Another Officer was exposed to OC pepper spray. The battered Officer was relieved of duty to obtain medical care at an outside medical facility.

March 22 - While supervising the evening recall of the dayroom, a riot broke out involving seven white inmates and six black inmates. Officers witnessed two inmates fighting each other on the C-section stairs. The Control Booth Officer activated a unit personal alarm device. One of the inmates fighting on the stairs tried to throw the other inmate off the stairs to the floor 12 feet below. The other black and white inmates began fighting each other. The floor Officers discharged OC pepper spray which quelled the incident. All 39 inmates were restrained, identified, and removed from the unit and medically examined. Decontamination protocols were followed. The rioting inmates suffered minor injuries.

March 22 - Two inmates inside their cell engaged in mutual combat. Both inmates refused to comply with staff orders to cease. OC pepper spray was used to stop the attack. Both inmates complied with orders to stop fighting and submitted to handcuffs and exited their cell. One inmate was transported to the Acute Care Hospital due to his injuries.

March 16 - During SHU Exercise Yard, 67 Hispanic inmates had to be extracted from the yard. The inmates refused to leave the yard in protest of unclothed body searches.

March 15 - During dayroom recall, an inmate committed battery on a Peace Officer. Two Officers, checking on welfare of an inmate, approached a cell of an inmate complaining of stomach pain. As the door was opened, without warning, the inmate lunged towards both Officers swinging his arms striking one of the Officers. Staff used physical force to gain control of the inmate. Responding staff arrived and placed the inmate in restraints without further incident. The inmate was re-housed in the Administrative Segregation.

March 12 -  An inmate attempted to murder another inmate with an inmate manufactured stabbing weapon on the east exercise yard on 3A Facility. The ERV responded to the yard and transported the victim inmate, who had multiple stab wounds, to the acute care hospital. A crime scene was established and the weapon recovered.

March 6 - Staff observed two Northern Hispanic inmates attacking a third Northern Hispanic inmate. Orders for the inmates to stop and get down were ignored. Responding staff discharged OC pepper spray. The inmates then complied with orders, were placed into restraints and re-housed in ASU.

March 4 - During Gym Yard, two Fresno Bulldogs were being escorted from the West Gate. As escorting staff closed the gate, the two Bulldog inmates continued to walk ahead. Three Northern Hispanic inmates on the Gym Yard rushed the two Bulldogs, which resulted in a riot. OC pepper spray was used to stop the incident.

February 2008

February 24 - During recreation, a riot occurred when a Fresno Bulldog inmate was released from a housing unit to walk to the visiting gate. Just outside the front door of the housing unit, 16 Southern Hispanic inmates and one white inmate rushed from the basketball court and attacked the inmate. Staff responded and quickly quelled the incident utilizing OC pepper spray. Three inmates suffered only minor injuries.

February 18 - Two general population inmates attacked another inmate with a weapon. The Yard Observation Officer observed an inmate walk up behind another inmate and began to strike him in the head. Another inmate approached the victim from the front and began striking him. The Control Booth Officer gave verbal orders for the inmates to stop the attack with negative results. The Control Booth Officer then fired one round; which stopped the fighting. When one of the assailants assumed a prone position, the Observation Officer noticed a weapon in the inmate's hand. The officer maintained visual surveillance on the inmate as the victim was removed from the yard. The inmate combatants were escorted to holding cells to be medically evaluated and re-housed.

February 15 - During the evening meal release, two Correctional Officers observed an inmate on top of another inmate holding him by the throat and striking him repeatedly to the head with an object later identified as a sock containing "D" size batteries. The Control Booth officer activated his alarm. Both inmates were ordered to stop with negative results. One Officer used his expandable baton striking the inmate with negative results. The inmate was given a second direct order to stop fighting but the inmate did not comply and continued to attack the inmate. The Officer again used his baton striking the inmate. This stopped the inmate from his continued attack. Responding staff placed both inmates in restraints without further incident.

February 7 - Corcoran State Prison - Two officers running Facility III-A, Administrative Segregation shower program began preparing to remove an inmate from his cell. The inmate was handcuffed and the Control Booth officer opened the door. The inmate slipped his right hand out of the handcuff and revealed an inmate manufactured stabbing weapon, stabbing an officer over his eye. The officer fell to the ground and the inmate continued to attack the officer. The inmate attempted to continue to stab the officer but the officer was able to grab the inmate's arm controlling the weapon. The other officer attempted to gain control of the inmate using physical force but was unsuccessful. The officer then removed her MK-9 and sprayed the inmate, which was ineffective, and the downed officer continued to struggle with the inmate. Staff in the vicinity at the time ran to stop the attack.

January 2008

January 16 - On a recreation yard two inmates, who appeared to be intoxicated, attacked a correctional officer and a counselor inflicting minor injuries.

January 7 - An officer was assaulted while escorting an inmate to a medical appointment. The inmate kicked the officer in the lower leg and continued to yell and spit on staff after being placed in holding cell. The officer returned to duty.