Former Death Row Inmates Share their Experiences Before Transitioning to General Population | US News
When stepping onto death row, there’s the person you encounter in person and the one you search online.
David Carpenter, known as “The Trailside Killer”, greeted me from his condemned cell in East Block, San Quentin, with a friendly wave.
Raynard Cummings, convicted of fatally shooting an LA police officer, engaged in conversation with me, displaying his playful side mimicking accents.
Despite the polite demeanor exhibited by death row inmates, their pasts are riddled with depravity and danger that led them to this place.
Each individual has a dark and unsettling backstory, such as Robert Galvan, who confessed to killing his cellmate to secure a spot on death row and have a chance at an appeal.
Robert Galvan was jailed for a double murder in 1996
Stories like Galvan’s, alongside others, paint a troubling picture within San Quentin’s condemned wing.
Michael Lamb, a former white supremacist convicted of murder, chillingly described executing a gang member without remorse.
Living conditions on death row, with strict security measures and limited freedom, create an oppressive atmosphere that echoes the inmates’ grim existence.
Gang member Michael Lamb was convicted of murder in 2002
The soon-to-be transformation of San Quentin’s death row into a rehabilitation center signifies a shift in approach towards condemned prisoners.
California Governor Gavin Newsom’s decision to halt executions and fundamentally alter the trajectory of death row reflects a changing perspective on justice and rehabilitation.
As San Quentin prepares to bid farewell to its current residents and repurpose its facilities, a new chapter awaits for those once sentenced to die.
San Quentin prison will become a rehabilitation centre when its death row closes
