HANFORD -- A former corrections officer at Corcoran State Prison was sentenced Wednesday to nine years in state prison.

Last month, Linda Brock, 43, of Bakersfield pleaded guilty to soliciting Dayon Lively, 36, an inmate at Corcoran, to murder her husband. Lively, who is serving two life sentences, will not be charged in the case.

Brock originally faced five counts: soliciting murder, having sex with an inmate, possessing illegal drugs, conspiring with the inmate and his mother to bring drugs into the prison for sale to other inmates, and smuggling two slashing weapons into the prison that were apparently intended to be used by other inmates for gang-ordered murders.

By pleading guilty to the solicitation of murder charge, Brock avoided a jury trial on all five charges.

Lively's mother, Rosetta Brown, was arraigned last month and will face charges in supplying the drugs Brock has admitted smuggling into the prison.

Brock and Lively admitted to the crimes when questioned by state prison investigators.

Deputy District Attorney Anna Ferguson, who prosecuted Brock, said last month that the plea agreement gave Brock the opportunity to accept responsibility for her actions.

The reporter can be reached at dboyles@fresnobee.com or 622-2411.

Amy thank you for the update. I was wondering what happend. That quick huh?

And they say they are not doing anything wrong. I wonder if an outsider would have gotten the same deal?

I wonder what the mother will get for the drugs, will you please keep us informed? Also was her husband a CO or no?

A plea agreement, huh?
9 years?
Hmmmm....guess it's better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick, but I will always wonder if it would have been different if she had not been a CO.
I wonder what the usual sentence is these days for joe-citizen-guy-on-the-street who solicits murder, all the other charges (like drug possession, etc) aside.
Think she'll last on the inside?

It will be interesting to see what the mom gets, now won't it?

Thanks for posting this.

Amy1:
Found your post really interesting. I read just about anything I get my hands on and wanted to read more about this! Hope you don't mind if I add this just in case someone else wants to read even more about this guard!!!!! (Wanted to read more about what is happening with the mother also but havn't found anything).
'Black widow' guard sentenced: Linda Brock sentenced


to nine years in prison

By Kara D. Machado
Sentinel Reporter
HANFORD - A correctional officer was sentenced Wednesday for soliciting an inmate to murder her husband.

Linda Brock, 42, of Bakersfield, was sentenced to the maximum term of nine years in prison on a plea offer of one count of solicitation of murder. She is eligible for up to 50-percent time credits.

Kings County District Attorney's officials maintain that Brock had a sexual affair with California State Prison, Corcoran (CSPC) inmate and noted gang member Dayon Lively, 36; that she solicited Lively to arrange for her husband to be killed so she could benefit from a $1 million insurance policy; and that she conspired to bring heroin and weapons into the prison for inmates, Deputy District Attorney Anna Ferguson said.

During Wednesday's sentencing, Brock appeared to show no emotion, Ferguson said.


"When she entered her plea she was kind of laughing, but today she didn't appear to show any emotion - fear, sadness, anger," Ferguson said. "She was very impassive."

Brock's lack of emotion didn't surprise Ferguson, she said.

"The kind of cold, calculating person that could be involved in a black widow scheme like this; the kind of person that could commit these types of crimes," Ferguson said, her lack of remorse "doesn't surprise me."

Judge Louis Bissig expressed his horror regarding Brock's crimes during sentencing, Ferguson said.

"He said how disgusting it was to not only shame her department and the badge she wore, but to shame her family in the way she did," Ferguson said. "He said it was a chilling set of facts and for good reason ... I couldn't have agreed more with the court."

Brock initially faced a maximum prison term of 12 years, eight months. However, the plea was offered for a couple of reasons, Ferguson said.

"One was to spare her family any further suffering and, two, because she pleaded to the most serious crime," Ferguson said, "and a stipulation of the plea was that the seriousness of all of Brock's initial charges could be considered in choosing the maximum penalty for her plea offer."

Brock's husband did not attend the sentencing and refused to make a statement through the victim/witness program, Ferguson said.

"I'm certain it's because how grisly this has been for him," Ferguson said. "His complete marital trust has been betrayed, so I don't know how he's going to recover."

CSPC Investigative Services Unit (ISU) officials began investigating Brock and Lively in the weeks prior to Brock's Feb. 14 arrest at the prison after receiving a tip from an informant, DA's officials said. During their investigation, ISU officials discovered the solicitation and drug conspiracy through intercepted phone calls and mail.

Apparently, investigators uncovered that the $1 million insurance policy on Brock's husband would only kick in if he accidentally died, Ferguson said.

"So, I don't know how they were planning on carrying out the hit," Ferguson said. "To make it look like an accident, I assume, would be the idea."

DA's officials said Brock had provided to Lively descriptions of her husband, his car, work hours, where he hung out and which routes he drove to and from work. Lively, in turn, was to incorporate help outside the prison walls to carry out the murder plot.

When Lively was searched, investigators noticed he had a fresh tattoo with Brock's first name on his shoulder, Ferguson said.

"He gave her up in a heartbeat," Ferguson said. "He admitted to the sex, to everything."

"This whole case is just shocking," Ferguson said. "Obviously, I really feel horrible for her husband and the kids and have ongoing concerns about their safety."

ISU is continuing to monitor Lively's connections to the outside, Ferguson said, regarding the murder solicitation.

Lively's mother, Rosetta Brown, 58, of Inglewood, has also been arrested in connection with the case. She is alleged to have conspired with Brock to bring drugs to Lively.

Lively has been incarcerated since 1992, after he was convicted of murdering two women during a failed drug transaction. He will not be charged in the case.

"He's serving two life terms," Ferguson said. "There's not much more we can do to him."

It was unclear if Lively has been punished at CSPC for his part in the case. ISU officials were not available Wednesday to comment.

Ferguson said she is very pleased with ISU.

ISU "is often portrayed as ignoring safety and that's so far from the truth," Ferguson said.

(April 8, 2004)

ISU would never ignore one of their own having an affair with a prisoner. They are right about that! But had it been two CO's....hmmmm.......I don't think so!:rolleyes:
Corcoran CSP has to be one of the worst prisons in California. I still thank God everyday that we're not there anymore. WHEW!!!

Thanks for that inspiring article! :)

Mother of inmate set to stand trial
By Kara D. Machado
Sentinel Reporter

HANFORD - A mother charged with conspiring to bring her inmate son drugs at California State Prison, Corcoran is headed to trial court.

Rosetta Brown, 58, of Inglewood, waived her preliminary hearing Thursday and was scheduled to be arraigned next month in trial court.
A judge would have decided at her preliminary hearing whether or not there was sufficient evidence to bind Brown over for trial.

However, Brown opted to give up that right in order to decide if she wants to proceed to trial or accept a plea offer, Kings County Deputy District Attorney Anna Ferguson said Friday.

Ferguson declined to comment on specifics of the plea bargain offered to Brown.

Brown has been formally charged with conspiracy to furnish a controlled substance to a prison inmate and conspiracy to bring drugs into a prison. She faces a maximum of six years in prison, Ferguson said.


DA's officials were unsure whether or not Brown has a prior criminal record.

Brown was arrested Feb. 25 at her home in Inglewood after CSPC Investigative Services Unit officials linked her to an investigation they were conducting on CSPC correctional officer Linda Brock, 42, of Bakersfield, and Brown's son, CSPC inmate Dayon Lively, 36.

Investigators uncovered a sexual relationship between Brock and Lively. It was also discovered Brock had solicited Lively to enlist outside help to murder her husband and that Brock, Brown and Lively were conspiring to bring drugs into the prison.

"When Brown's (Inglewood) house was searched, (investigators) found a useable amount of marijuana and a stolen .357-caliber gun," Ferguson said. "There was no tie to our county with the gun, but, in my mind, it was just evidence what she had access to."

Investigators also uncovered that she had given drugs to Brock just prior to their arrests, including six-odd grams of heroin and one pound of marijuana.

Brown "arranged for a supplier to bring drugs to her home and have Brock pick them up," Ferguson said. "The scheme was to have Brock bring the drugs into the prison, but ISU stopped that by doing the search at Brock's house in Bakersfield."

Brock, who was arrested Feb. 14, was sentenced to nine years in prison April 7 on a solicitation of murder plea offer.

Lively, who is currently serving two life terms, will not be charged in this case.

"There's not much more we can do to him," Ferguson has said.

Ferguson said CSPC ISU officials have not only been outstanding in this case, but should be commended on their everyday investigations into prison crimes.

"The things that go on in the prison are appalling," Ferguson said. "There are drugs, gangs and instances of AIDs and Hepatitis (inmate) patients throwing feces at guards.

"ISU (officials) keep the place from being a total war zone."

(April 17, 2004)

Very very interesting!! I would bet more stuff like this happens than we think. I wonder if the mother will get the whole 6 years. Will you ladies please keep us posted?? Thanks so much