Well we are open for business :) Now I hope all of you who put in your request to have San Quentin as a sub forum will jump right in here and tell us what you know. Love Barb

Barb.. Lets break out the champagne! Who else wants a drink? I have beer & Bacardi for those who don't like bubbley.. ;)

I'll have a glass of champagne please! This is so cool, a sub forum for San Quentin!!!
When I went there for my husband's morriessy hearing, it was nothing like I expected to see. It looked like a neighborhood and there is a neighborhood right outside the
front gates. Inside the gate, they have houses, one is a post office, barber shop, and
others that look like families live in them. The landscaping is real pretty. The Guard
Tower through reminds you that yes you are at a prison. San Quentin sits off the bay
of Marin County. When I was there for the first time, it was cold and foggy. It's a nice
place to visit, pretty and stuff like that, but I wouldn't want live there! How about that
drink now Barb and David? Suzi


____________________________________
Eric's home in 18 days and a wake up!!!

Hi

I am looking for information for a few inmates in San Quentin's Death row. The California corrections web page does not seem to provide info when I tried the "inmate locator/info". Would you know how to get to such info? Other states provide photos and offense page but not the CA web site. Thanks for your time.
Peace.

Good morning Suzi :) You are our first San Quentin guest to come to the new forum we crown you Quentin-ite for a day. The drinks are on me COME ON DOWN :). Love Barb
I'll have a glass of champagne please! This is so cool, a sub forum for San Quentin!!!
When I went there for my husband's morriessy hearing, it was nothing like I expected to see. It looked like a neighborhood and there is a neighborhood right outside the
front gates. Inside the gate, they have houses, one is a post office, barber shop, and
others that look like families live in them. The landscaping is real pretty. The Guard
Tower through reminds you that yes you are at a prison. San Quentin sits off the bay
of Marin County. When I was there for the first time, it was cold and foggy. It's a nice
place to visit, pretty and stuff like that, but I wouldn't want live there! How about that
drink now Barb and David? Suzi


____________________________________
Eric's home in 18 days and a wake up!!!

I HAD MY FIRST VISIT AT SAN QUENTIN THIS MORNING. TRIPPED ME OUT.
I HAD TO GO INTO A BIG RED BRICK BUILDING, REMINDED ME OF SAN LUIS
OBISPO JUNVENILLE HALL, THAT PLACE WAS A TERROR ZONE BACK IN THE
MIDDLE 70'S. I HAD TO GO THROUGH A STEEL GATE, TURN OVER MY PASS
AND DL. THEN ANOTHER STEEL GATE LET'S YOU IN, AND YOU HAVE TO TURN
LEFT TO GO TO THE VISITING SECTION THAT IS BEHIND THE GLASS, AND
LOOK FOR YOUR LOVED ONE. IT'S SUPPOSE TO BE A HOUR VISIT, BUT WHEN
YOU FIRST GET TO THE GATE HOUSE, THEY HAVE ONE LINE FOR APPTS. AND
ANOTHER LINE ACROSS FOR THE CONTACT VISITS.THEY WERE KINDA SLOW
THIS MORNING, SEEING HOW THE GUARD THAT PROCESSED ME WAS NEW
AT THIS PROCESSING THING. I FIGURED YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO TALK ON A
PHONE, INSTEAD THEY HAVE SPEAKERS. HARD TO HEAR, WITH EVERYONE ELSE THERE WITH YOU. THEN WHEN BEHIND THE GLASS VISITS ARE OVER THEY ANNOUNCE ON A LOUD SPEAKER THAT VISITING IS OVER, AND STEP AND FORM A LINE IN FRONT OF A YELLOW LINE. 2 INMATES THAT WERE IN
HAND CUFFS CAME THROUGH ANOTHER GATE, THE GUARDS ANNOUNCED THAT
TWO CONTROLLING INMATES WERE COMING THROUGH, AND TO STEP BACK
BEHIND THE YELLOW LINE. ONCE THEY PASSED, YOU ENTER THE SAME WAY
THAT YOU CAME IN. YOU ALSO HAVE TO GO THROUGH 2 METAL DETECTORS
BEFORE YOU CAN MAKE ACCESS TO THE VISITING AREA. VERY INTERESTING
PRISON. NEVER BEEN TO A PRISON WHERE YOU HAVE TO CALL THEIR VISITING LINE A WEEK BEFORE YOU GET A VISIT. CMC IS SLO COUNTY DOESN'T HAVE THAT KIND OF SYSTEM, BUT SEEING THAT THIS PRISON HOLDS CONDEMNED INMATES I CAN UNDERSTAND WHY THE SECURITY IS SO
TIGHT. I HAD A GREAT VISIT JUST THE SAME.


____________________________________
ERIC COMES HOME 17DAYS & A WAKE UP!!!! :) :cuffs:

Next time you go to San Quentin look up and you'll see a metal cage on the roof. This is where the condemned men exercise.


I HAD MY FIRST VISIT AT SAN QUENTIN THIS MORNING. TRIPPED ME OUT.
I HAD TO GO INTO A BIG RED BRICK BUILDING, REMINDED ME OF SAN LUIS
OBISPO JUNVENILLE HALL, THAT PLACE WAS A TERROR ZONE BACK IN THE
MIDDLE 70'S. I HAD TO GO THROUGH A STEEL GATE, TURN OVER MY PASS
AND DL. THEN ANOTHER STEEL GATE LET'S YOU IN, AND YOU HAVE TO TURN
LEFT TO GO TO THE VISITING SECTION THAT IS BEHIND THE GLASS, AND
LOOK FOR YOUR LOVED ONE. IT'S SUPPOSE TO BE A HOUR VISIT, BUT WHEN
YOU FIRST GET TO THE GATE HOUSE, THEY HAVE ONE LINE FOR APPTS. AND
ANOTHER LINE ACROSS FOR THE CONTACT VISITS.THEY WERE KINDA SLOW
THIS MORNING, SEEING HOW THE GUARD THAT PROCESSED ME WAS NEW
AT THIS PROCESSING THING. I FIGURED YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO TALK ON A
PHONE, INSTEAD THEY HAVE SPEAKERS. HARD TO HEAR, WITH EVERYONE ELSE THERE WITH YOU. THEN WHEN BEHIND THE GLASS VISITS ARE OVER THEY ANNOUNCE ON A LOUD SPEAKER THAT VISITING IS OVER, AND STEP AND FORM A LINE IN FRONT OF A YELLOW LINE. 2 INMATES THAT WERE IN
HAND CUFFS CAME THROUGH ANOTHER GATE, THE GUARDS ANNOUNCED THAT
TWO CONTROLLING INMATES WERE COMING THROUGH, AND TO STEP BACK
BEHIND THE YELLOW LINE. ONCE THEY PASSED, YOU ENTER THE SAME WAY
THAT YOU CAME IN. YOU ALSO HAVE TO GO THROUGH 2 METAL DETECTORS
BEFORE YOU CAN MAKE ACCESS TO THE VISITING AREA. VERY INTERESTING
PRISON. NEVER BEEN TO A PRISON WHERE YOU HAVE TO CALL THEIR VISITING LINE A WEEK BEFORE YOU GET A VISIT. CMC IS SLO COUNTY DOESN'T HAVE THAT KIND OF SYSTEM, BUT SEEING THAT THIS PRISON HOLDS CONDEMNED INMATES I CAN UNDERSTAND WHY THE SECURITY IS SO
TIGHT. I HAD A GREAT VISIT JUST THE SAME.


____________________________________
ERIC COMES HOME 17DAYS & A WAKE UP!!!! :) :cuffs:

Opppsss...forgot to tell.....I know this institution inside out :)



Next time you go to San Quentin look up and you'll see a metal cage on the roof. This is where the condemned men exercise.

LOOK UP AT THE ROOF? WHICH ONE, AS THERE ARE MANY TO CHOOSE FROM.
WEIRD THAT THEY WOULD HAVE THE CONDEMNED ON TOP OF A ROOF FOR
THE EXERCISE YARD. AT LEAST THESE MEN GET SOMETHING TO LOOK AT.
HUH? THANKS FOR THE INFO, I WILL CHECK THAT OUT THIS SATURDAY


_____________________________
eric's out 13 days, and a wake up!!! :)

As your walking into the prision the metal cage is over towards the left. Can't miss it?

LOOK UP AT THE ROOF? WHICH ONE, AS THERE ARE MANY TO CHOOSE FROM.
WEIRD THAT THEY WOULD HAVE THE CONDEMNED ON TOP OF A ROOF FOR
THE EXERCISE YARD. AT LEAST THESE MEN GET SOMETHING TO LOOK AT.
HUH? THANKS FOR THE INFO, I WILL CHECK THAT OUT THIS SATURDAY


_____________________________
eric's out 13 days, and a wake up!!! :)

Hey everybody! I too am glad to see a mini forum for San Quentin! I had my first visit with my boyfriend two weeks ago and am going to see him this Saturday. Although the security is extrememly tight, I think everyone would agree that they would go to hell and back to see their loved ones. At least I would, and I know Suzi would too! I could really go for an ice cold beer right now!

Nice warm day here in Northern California, and somanytears is so right, I would to walk through the fires of hell to see my hubby at SQ. I will look up
at the site Kittie pointed out tomorrow at 8am as I make my way up to the
prison to see my hubby!!!! :)






__________________________
Eric's home in 11 days and a wake-up!! :)

I know where to find a cold beer at SQ if you need one, just pm me.

Kittie is correct on the shelf, where the Grade-B death row inmates work out, but you won't be able to see then, the walls are to high, but there is a hell of a view from up there, and again the walls are to high for the inmate's to see anything from the yard on the roof, but if you are on the outside of the fenced yard, it is a hell of a view. Look to the left, and the 6-story brick building is North Block. The sixth floor is the original death row, which houses 64 inmates. The exercise on the roof in a fenced in area. Also the condemned are just to the left as you walk into the sally port in East Block. If you look up as you walk into the entrance, you will see that the entrance is rounded on the top. It’s the same shape as the covered wagons that use to pass threw there. The history of the ol joint is fasinating

I'm so EXCITED and I just can't hide it, I know, I know, that he will make it
and it is 11 days with a wake-up!!!! :) I will be walking today as I make
entry way to the Main Prison visiting area, checking out the roof tops!! Thanks for the info guy/gal, yes I am also fasniated with San Quentin for
it's structure and the history of the prison it's self. I am in the process of
reading and finding out as much information about this 152 year old prison,
and when I find out info, I will post it here. Suzi :cuffs:






________________________________
Eric's home in 11 days & a wake up!!! :)

call me sick, but i don't think you have lived until you have tried out ol smokie (without the real gas that is). As you look up to the North Block look for the smoke stack with the red and green lights on it. The is the vent for ol smokie (the gas chamber). You can't miss it, its to the left as you walk in.

Yikes!! I did notice a smoke stack today, as a matter of fact. And I saw the "cage"
up above, to bad those guys don't have the chance to look out, and see all the beauty
in life. I also noticed a group of young boys going to the main entry to the prison I think they must be part of the "scared straight program" most of them looked like they
were between 12-16 years old. They were all standing in line and joking around, and I
thought, I bet they won't be joking around when they come out of their tour, I hope it
really hits home with them, that this is what they have to look forward to someday, if
they don't get their acts together to stay out of trouble. It was good to see the hubby
today, next weekend is my last visit to San Quentin. I wouldn't mind going on a tour
of this prison, but if rumors are right as rain and they do close San Quentin in the future, instead of building housing on the site, it would be awesome to turn it into a
State Musuem. Thanks for the info Oneway. Glad to see you back on PTO, I thought
for awhile there that you were spirited off by the Indians.

Yes, the young men you seen were part of the "scared straight program". I was there today picking up my mail.


Yikes!! I did notice a smoke stack today, as a matter of fact. And I saw the "cage"
up above, to bad those guys don't have the chance to look out, and see all the beauty
in life. I also noticed a group of young boys going to the main entry to the prison I think they must be part of the "scared straight program" most of them looked like they
were between 12-16 years old. They were all standing in line and joking around, and I
thought, I bet they won't be joking around when they come out of their tour, I hope it
really hits home with them, that this is what they have to look forward to someday, if
they don't get their acts together to stay out of trouble. It was good to see the hubby
today, next weekend is my last visit to San Quentin. I wouldn't mind going on a tour
of this prison, but if rumors are right as rain and they do close San Quentin in the future, instead of building housing on the site, it would be awesome to turn it into a
State Musuem. Thanks for the info Oneway. Glad to see you back on PTO, I thought
for awhile there that you were spirited off by the Indians.

Well let's hope that after they had their tour that what happens and goes on inside
the walls at San Quentin will " Scare them Straight " forever.

Kittie,
When in the heck did they start having minors come into the prison. I remember what happend last time they had minors in on a "Scared straight program." How much did they settle that law suit for anyways? Excuse me while I bump my head against the wall one more time.

They've been allowing minors into San Quentin for years. The inmates line the kids up and talk with them for two days. Which lawsuit are you talking about. When the inmate kissed the kid in the cell?


Kittie,
When in the heck did they start having minors come into the prison. I remember what happend last time they had minors in on a "Scared straight program." How much did they settle that law suit for anyways? Excuse me while I bump my head against the wall one more time.

Is there anyone else out there that thinks that the Board-of-Prison-Terms should be abolished?

Hi All My Man Is There And I Wish I Could Go See Him But Letters Work. I've Learned Alot Of New Things Since I've Found This Site And Just Want To Give All Athank You.

Hello all..My name is Tim and in the mid 90's I was a convict inside the Q. I hate to tell you this but the excersise yard is not on the roof for the condemed row inmates...it is actually on the sout water side of the prison. I know becasue I was the condemed row clerk. I also was the assistant to the warden. I can tell you that the tiers that they live in face the Bay but they conditions are miserable. There has been alot of building going on and they act like it is a step head and inovations that will benefit the inmates. Well if the still are operating North Block whis consists of 550+ cells 5 stories high fron and back with the leaky roof, rats, and just plain dirt then ytou can just know that is is nothing nice. The yard for the GP [general population} is one of the worst becasue there are no weights, and it is just basically a opatch of land that is used for walking. AS some already know condemed are hand cuffed at all times outside of their cells and are issued a security escort whenever they leave the cell block consisting of two CO's [correctional officers] when they are let outside to the yard, they can only exit in their boxer shorts [this is for security as there are many death threats among the row. They are separated by race and always only allowed to be placed in the yard [if you call a 20 x 20 cement court walled and wired with guards armmed to kill with mini machine guns and are ordered to shoot as there are no WARNING SHOTS in condemed sections} And as for the Gas chamber I see alot of people are curious about it...I was one of the only inmates that was allowed inside back in 1996 when the first execution in the state of califonia in 26 years for Robert Alton Harris. And the gas chamber is at North block. You can research this place as much as you want but the real stories come from within the walls. This used to be a prison where every day up to the mid 90's there were and average of two to four stabblings a week. The BGK, Mexican Mafia, Arian Brotherhood, were the forces that ran this prison. And still do. There is nothing fun or cute about this place. Thousands have died in this prison. And some of the most twisted correctional officers ran this place. When you visit you should not only respect those that lost their lives inside, but also respect that every man inside is at risk of also losing theirs. I have retired my 'C' number with the department of corrections after 10 years. I went in as a simpole car thief. I came out a very different person. Sometime those skills that you have to adapt take years to soften and sometimes they do not go away...So if you have a person you care about in the Q and they are able to be released be patient and understanding...Parole is no cake walk and there are lots of bumps in the road after a release is made. Be strong do not show any doubts or weakness becasue you have to be the one for advice and support after they are out. I dont care if yours is hard headed just stick it out. They need support but with repect. That is the word you will have to deal with upon a release from the Q It is a daily routine. REPECT if you dont inside the consequences are severe. Good luck...[Email removed per policies] Peace happy holidays!!!

Please can any one tell me how do I get an appointment for visiting at San Quentin?
My husband sent me the approval. But when I called this morning for 2 hours I only got a busy line. and then they were full. Whats up with that ? How will I ever get to see him ? He's been there alittle over a month now. I really need some help. I'm new to all of this.

i know how it is in there myself retired i had my first visit to san quentin in october in fact it was my first visit to america he is on death row really scarey just getting there and then to sit in those dirty cages and those vending machines evrey day lost money but it was worth it when in my hunny walked in and we had lots of kisses and hugs been waiting for that for over 4 years

My guys in East Block...

I HAD MY FIRST VISIT AT SAN QUENTIN THIS MORNING. TRIPPED ME OUT.
I HAD TO GO INTO A BIG RED BRICK BUILDING, REMINDED ME OF SAN LUIS
OBISPO JUNVENILLE HALL, THAT PLACE WAS A TERROR ZONE BACK IN THE
MIDDLE 70'S. I HAD TO GO THROUGH A STEEL GATE, TURN OVER MY PASS
AND DL. THEN ANOTHER STEEL GATE LET'S YOU IN, AND YOU HAVE TO TURN
LEFT TO GO TO THE VISITING SECTION THAT IS BEHIND THE GLASS, AND
LOOK FOR YOUR LOVED ONE. IT'S SUPPOSE TO BE A HOUR VISIT, BUT WHEN
YOU FIRST GET TO THE GATE HOUSE, THEY HAVE ONE LINE FOR APPTS. AND
ANOTHER LINE ACROSS FOR THE CONTACT VISITS.THEY WERE KINDA SLOW
THIS MORNING, SEEING HOW THE GUARD THAT PROCESSED ME WAS NEW
AT THIS PROCESSING THING. I FIGURED YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO TALK ON A
PHONE, INSTEAD THEY HAVE SPEAKERS. HARD TO HEAR, WITH EVERYONE ELSE THERE WITH YOU. THEN WHEN BEHIND THE GLASS VISITS ARE OVER THEY ANNOUNCE ON A LOUD SPEAKER THAT VISITING IS OVER, AND STEP AND FORM A LINE IN FRONT OF A YELLOW LINE. 2 INMATES THAT WERE IN
HAND CUFFS CAME THROUGH ANOTHER GATE, THE GUARDS ANNOUNCED THAT
TWO CONTROLLING INMATES WERE COMING THROUGH, AND TO STEP BACK
BEHIND THE YELLOW LINE. ONCE THEY PASSED, YOU ENTER THE SAME WAY
THAT YOU CAME IN. YOU ALSO HAVE TO GO THROUGH 2 METAL DETECTORS
BEFORE YOU CAN MAKE ACCESS TO THE VISITING AREA. VERY INTERESTING
PRISON. NEVER BEEN TO A PRISON WHERE YOU HAVE TO CALL THEIR VISITING LINE A WEEK BEFORE YOU GET A VISIT. CMC IS SLO COUNTY DOESN'T HAVE THAT KIND OF SYSTEM, BUT SEEING THAT THIS PRISON HOLDS CONDEMNED INMATES I CAN UNDERSTAND WHY THE SECURITY IS SO
TIGHT. I HAD A GREAT VISIT JUST THE SAME.



____________________________________
ERIC COMES HOME 17DAYS & A WAKE UP!!!! :) :cuffs:

and next time check out the cages in plexiglass....thats where the death row inmates visit during the week.

OMG... color me freak, but you made me completely nostalgic.... *wipes a tear*
thats exactly it.... you took me through the route from which I get to see my hunny.... I miss him soooooooo much..... and his letters are just making me WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!

thanks for the trip


I HAD MY FIRST VISIT AT SAN QUENTIN THIS MORNING. TRIPPED ME OUT.
I HAD TO GO INTO A BIG RED BRICK BUILDING, REMINDED ME OF SAN LUIS
OBISPO JUNVENILLE HALL, THAT PLACE WAS A TERROR ZONE BACK IN THE
MIDDLE 70'S. I HAD TO GO THROUGH A STEEL GATE, TURN OVER MY PASS
AND DL. THEN ANOTHER STEEL GATE LET'S YOU IN, AND YOU HAVE TO TURN
LEFT TO GO TO THE VISITING SECTION THAT IS BEHIND THE GLASS, AND
LOOK FOR YOUR LOVED ONE. IT'S SUPPOSE TO BE A HOUR VISIT, BUT WHEN
YOU FIRST GET TO THE GATE HOUSE, THEY HAVE ONE LINE FOR APPTS. AND
ANOTHER LINE ACROSS FOR THE CONTACT VISITS.THEY WERE KINDA SLOW
THIS MORNING, SEEING HOW THE GUARD THAT PROCESSED ME WAS NEW
AT THIS PROCESSING THING. I FIGURED YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO TALK ON A
PHONE, INSTEAD THEY HAVE SPEAKERS. HARD TO HEAR, WITH EVERYONE ELSE THERE WITH YOU. THEN WHEN BEHIND THE GLASS VISITS ARE OVER THEY ANNOUNCE ON A LOUD SPEAKER THAT VISITING IS OVER, AND STEP AND FORM A LINE IN FRONT OF A YELLOW LINE. 2 INMATES THAT WERE IN
HAND CUFFS CAME THROUGH ANOTHER GATE, THE GUARDS ANNOUNCED THAT
TWO CONTROLLING INMATES WERE COMING THROUGH, AND TO STEP BACK
BEHIND THE YELLOW LINE. ONCE THEY PASSED, YOU ENTER THE SAME WAY
THAT YOU CAME IN. YOU ALSO HAVE TO GO THROUGH 2 METAL DETECTORS
BEFORE YOU CAN MAKE ACCESS TO THE VISITING AREA. VERY INTERESTING
PRISON. NEVER BEEN TO A PRISON WHERE YOU HAVE TO CALL THEIR VISITING LINE A WEEK BEFORE YOU GET A VISIT. CMC IS SLO COUNTY DOESN'T HAVE THAT KIND OF SYSTEM, BUT SEEING THAT THIS PRISON HOLDS CONDEMNED INMATES I CAN UNDERSTAND WHY THE SECURITY IS SO
TIGHT. I HAD A GREAT VISIT JUST THE SAME.


____________________________________
ERIC COMES HOME 17DAYS & A WAKE UP!!!! :) :cuffs:

who are you looking for???? love,dutchie

I would like to talk to Scott Peterson... I know he is on death row but, In my heart I really think he is innocent. Please I would love to know you are OK... from Canada, Jennifer kaily67@hotmail.com If anyone would like a pen pal on death row please write... Think of you all!!!!!

Greetings to all. I just discovered this site...it's great. I spent 10 years (12/22/59 thru to 12/9/69) inside. 8 years in Quentin, 1 in Folsom, 6 months in CMC, 6 months in Tehachapi. I just read timothyflorida's post and I'd like to comment on some differences between my 60's Q and his mid-90's Q.

Hello all..My name is Tim and in the mid 90's I was a convict inside the Q. I hate to tell you this but the excersise yard is not on the roof for the condemed row inmates...it is actually on the sout water side of the prison. I know becasue I was the condemed row clerk. I also was the assistant to the warden.
Thru-out the 60'sthe entire Death Row was 1 half of that top floor on the North Block, no more than what? 50 cells? That gives you some idea of how few there were on Death Row in those days. That was the South side, the North side was Isolation for the Main-line prisoners. There was no interaction between the two sides. However, on the isolation side you could hear them calling and talking to each on the Death Row side. On the Isolation side you weren't allowed to talk. There was one cell on the Death Row side that was used as a library or such. In it was a record player. They were allowed out of their cell a few at a time...one day I was laying in Isolation counting the cracks in the paint when I realized I was hearing some worn-out scratchy old beat-up 78 RPM record. It was so bad it took a while to recognize the song - "I'll Be Glad When You're Dead, You Rascal You" by Louis Armstrong.

AS some already know condemed are hand cuffed at all times outside of their cells and are issued a security escort whenever they leave the cell block consisting of two CO's [correctional officers]

They weren't cuffed in the 60's...when they had to leave the Row they were escorted by two bulls - one in front and one behind plus a gun-rail bull riding herd once they hit the Big Yard. If you were on the yard and didn't see them coming one of the bulls would call out to get your attention and you were expected to move aside.

And as for the Gas chamber I see alot of people are curious about it...I was one of the only inmates that was allowed inside back in 1996 when the first execution in the state of califonia in 26 years for Robert Alton Harris.

Humm??? I'm not impressed.....but I am curious...why were you invited to an execution?.....

This used to be a prison where every day up to the mid 90's there were and average of two to four stabblings a week.

We had an occassional stabbing - nothing like these days

The BGK, Mexican Mafia, Arian Brotherhood, were the forces that ran this prison. And still do.

You forgot La Familia...mainly small town and northern California chicanos, they were just coming together in the 60's - they cranked up in order to stand off the Mexican Mafia who were at that time mainly Los Angeles chicanos. The Arian Brotherhood was still in it's infancy as were a couple of black cliques.

And some of the most twisted correctional officers ran this place.

Tell me about it....Too many to list here...one will suffice. I was out by the East Gate one AM when the grave-yard shift were leaving. This VW pulled up to the gate to leave and while the bull was checking the trunk the engine stalled, so the bull comes over to us and says " Sy's engine stalled, you guys give him a push, it'll start right up." He opens the gate - we give a shove, the car starts, and I hollered, "There you go Sy, keep it running", The guy kinda looked back but kept going. And the bull looks at me and said, "Man! why'd you do that?" I asked, "Do what?" He said "You called him Sy, that's what we (the bulls) call him, that ain't his name. We call him Sy - short for cyanide. He used to attend all the executions until some guy was going thru bad convulsions and taking a long time to die and Sy got in a lather, leapt up to the gas chamber glass and started pounding on it and hollering at the guy to die. Now he's barred from attending anymore executions here. He's a licensed pilot and he's got his own little plane and he keeps tabs on executions in other states and takes time off to attend them." By the way, the bull was Joe Ferretti, the official executioner at Quentin in those days.


I have retired my 'C' number with the department of corrections after 10 years.

A42274 - Retired since '69

This is a weird question, but if I know that a person that was just sent to S.Q. is not trustworthy, and has before many times snitched on other inmates while previously incarcerated and parole violators that are on the street and had them picked up by police, should I say something so others are aware of him so they don't get wrapped up in his mess?? or do I just sit by and let people find out by themself....

My vote would be find out for themselves... otherwise it might be considered hypocritical to say. People change over time, and who knows what experiences at San Quentin might make this person change their view, and how they have handeled things in the past.

Just my $0.02

I hear ya on the hypocritical part, so I will let them find out on there own, I like your .02 lol so thanks :)

My guy is on east block, I have not been to sq yet I am in the uk. I have close up pics of the Notice, no warning shots fired in this unit and this one pic alone bring the whole picture of life there to me. So when you all next visit look toward east block and blow my guy a huge kiss from me.
Skyblue

i want to ask some questions pertaining to sq. is this the right place to do that? if so, what is the gym for? and give me some info. on what goes on there. My husband is there and im just curious as to what he is doing. He had his morrissy hearing wed. . Will i hear anything from him like a phone call? or can i call and get his info.? thank you

I believe the gym is being used for over-flow because of over-crowding... I think you can also call the CDC Prisoner Lookup hotline at 916-445-6713 for some information, if he's been mainlined. They tend to be moved around a lot, but as long as you have his CDC number correct the letter "should" find him okay... I don't know what a morrissy hearing is, but if that means he is out of reception that is a good thing. :)

thank you for your response. Do you know how long before they will send husband home? He never went to rec. straight to gym. he had his hearing wed. and he wrote in his letter that he will be out before oct. 31. don't they give them actual release dates? also, he mailed me a letter and it is post,arked 10-12-06, isnt that real quick to have been sent? im not complaining, i just read how slow mail is.

Is this sub forum still avalible????????? The last post is dated 2006. My husbands in West Bock i need info.

I'm gonna look when I'm there on Sunday, I hadn't noticed that before! (I just noticed that this is an old thread, oh well I'm still gonna look for the cage :)
As your walking into the prision the metal cage is over towards the left. Can't miss it?

My son just left West Block, I don't have a lot of info about it but I might have some.