District Attorney Jon Alexander hit a snag last week in his campaign to seek fines to deter criminal activity by inmates serving long sentences at Pelican Bay State Prison.

During the sentencing hearing of inmate Oscar Corona on Nov. 17, Judge Robert Weir denied the prosecution’s attempt to seek a high amount of restitution for his conviction of possessing a weapon.

Alexander wants to emphasize fines in the prosecution of inmates in the hopes of limiting their ability to purchase from the canteen...

Two Pelican Bay State Prison inmates face attempted murder charges in connection with a January assault on three correctional officers who were sent to the hospital.

Inmates Omar Cardenas and Moses Osuna were appointed attorneys during their arraignment Thursday at the Del Norte County Superior Courthouse. They will enter their pleas at a subsequent hearing after they have the chance to speak with their attorneys.

Both are charged with attempted murder and several other felony charges...

A misdemeanor  criminal complaint has been filed against the chief medical officer at Pelican Bay State Prison, accusing him of vandalizing a coworker’s car that was parked in his designated space.

Michael C. Sayre, 64, is scheduled to be arraigned Dec. 9 for the charge of “damaging part of a vehicle” filed by District Attorney  Jon Alexander.

In June, Sayre allegedly tampered with a correctional sergeant’s 2004 BMW sedan by pointing the windshield wipers’ upward, twisting the rearview mirrors around and piling “two handfuls” of small rocks on the hood, a Del Norte County sheriff’s deputy report stated...

A riot involving 63 inmates at Pelican Bay State Prison broke out on Sunday morning.

Inmates began attacking each other at about 9:15 a.m. in general population yard A, said Lt. Christopher Acosta, prison public information officer.

Numerous correctional officers responded to quell the outbreak using pepper spray, pepper spray grenades, and guns that shoot 40mm rubber balls, Acosta said...