Selected Stories From Past Issues of The San Quentin News
NOV. 23, 1979 – After a four-month suspension of publication mandated by the warden, the S.Q. News has resumed production. The newspaper staff had been accused by administration officials of slanting the news. The resumption of publication was brought about, in part, by the filing of a lawsuit by the Prison Law Office on behalf of the news staff.
NOV. 23, 1979 – For the second time in less than a month the inmate canteen has been burglarized. The first break-in, on Oct. 31, netted the thieves $408 in cigarettes and envelopes. In the second incident, Nov. 14, approximately $500 in pastries and coffee were been taken.
NOV. 23, 1979 – The S.Q. Pirates completed an undefeated football season, outscoring their opponents by a combined 221 to 31. The Pirates play an eight-man team.
NOV. 23, 1979 – The Mystic Knights, a rock-soul group, will perform in the north dining hall Nov. 23, for the annual Thanksgiving Show. The group performed last May 28 at S.Q. with the New Riders of the Purple Sage.
APR. 25, 1980 – Two shots were fired on the lower yard Wednesday to break up a fight between two Mexican-American convicts. Both men had been drinking.
MAY 2, 1980 – Inmate Berry Floyd, 33, from Los Angeles, was shot a total of four times by two gunmen in the Adjustment Center exercise yard after trying to scale the wall. Floyd was taken to the hospital, heavily peppered with birdshot. He was kept for observation.
MAY 23, 1980 – After a year of remodeling, the new $125,000 S.Q. band-room, including sound studios and a classroom stage area, is scheduled to open June 2.
MAY 23, 1980 – Two black inmates suffered stab wounds on the tiers of A–Section in what is suspected as a racial incident. One con was stabbed four times and had a facial laceration, and the other was stabbed on the right arm. Four suspects were taken into custody, three whites and one Mexican-American. Two prison made knives were found.
MAY 23, 1980 – Due to the current lockdown, the annual Memorial Day show and fight card that were scheduled for May 23 have been cancelled. The fight card will be rescheduled for a later date. The May 16 issue of the S.Q. News was cancelled also.
MAY 23, 1980 – John Abbot, 25, William Broderick, 27, and Durward Shire, 64, were assaulted during the morning of May 13 in what prison officials are calling a racially motivated attack. Abbot suffered four stab wounds and was left in stable condition, the other two were treated for stab wounds and released back to their cells. Three prison-made knives were found at the scene and one suspect was taken into custody. The prison was placed under a general lockdown.
