California Men's Colony
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California Men's Colony (CMC) is a male-only
state prison This is a list of U.S. state prisons (2010) (not including federal prisons or county jails in the United States or prisons in U.S. territories): * Alabama * Alaska * Arizona * Arkansas * California * Colorado * Connecticut * Delaware ...
located northwest of the city of
San Luis Obispo San Luis Obispo (; Spanish for " St. Louis the Bishop", ; Chumash: ''tiłhini'') is a city and county seat of San Luis Obispo County, in the U.S. state of California. Located on the Central Coast of California, San Luis Obispo is roughly halfwa ...
,
San Luis Obispo County, California San Luis Obispo County (), officially the County of San Luis Obispo, is a County (United States), county on the Central Coast (California), Central Coast of California. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, the population was 282, ...
, along the central California coast approximately halfway between
Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
and
San Francisco San Francisco (; Spanish language, Spanish for "Francis of Assisi, Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the List of Ca ...
.


Facilities

CMC has two physically separate facilities on its : East and West. The minimum-security West facility includes Level I ("without a secure perimeter") housing and Level II ("with secure perimeter fences and armed coverage") open dormitories.California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation
California's Correctional Facilities.
15 Oct 2007.
The medium-security east facility has level III with individual cells, fenced perimeters and armed coverage, with housing divided into four quadrangles, as well as a licensed hospital and mental health delivery system. As of Fiscal Year 2006/2007, CMC had a total of 1,870 staff and an annual operating budget of $151 million. As of March 2012, the facility's total population was 5,524, or more than 143.9 percent of its design capacity of 3,838. As of April 30, 2020, CMC was incarcerating people at 97.1% of its design capacity, with 3,727 occupants.


Programs

CMC has been called a "country club" and "garden spot" among California prisons because of its wide variety of vocational, educational and psychological-treatment programs.Lifsher, Marc. Manson family member is transferred from men's colony to medium security. ''Orange County Register''. April 30, 1993. Notable CMC programs include: * Arts in Corrections, "designed to rehabilitate inmates through art." Andrews, Amy
California Men's Colony inmates take to the stage in unique rehab program.
KSBY-TV, November 20, 2007.
* A "Level I camp program for fire suppression, conservation and other community service work." The jobs include "trash pickup and removal" at Port San Luis Harbor District properties, including
Avila Beach Avila Beach (Spanish: ''Ávila'') is an unincorporated community in San Luis Obispo County, California, United States, located on San Luis Obispo Bay about 160 miles (257 km) northwest of Los Angeles, and about south of San Francisco. The ...
. * Central Coast Adult School, which "aims to reduce the
recidivism Recidivism (; from ''recidive'' and ''ism'', from Latin ''recidīvus'' "recurring", from ''re-'' "back" and ''cadō'' "I fall") is the act of a person repeating an undesirable behavior after they have experienced negative consequences of th ...
rate and help inmates rejoin the work force." * Prison Industry Authority, which "manufactures and ships millions of dollars of prison-made products annually."Yadegaran, Jessica. Christmas Behind Bars - What's It Like to be a Prisoner This Time of Year? ''The Tribune'' (San Luis Obispo, CA), December 15, 2002. * Prisoners Against Child Abuse, which "donates more than $100,000 a year to local children's organizations." *
Narcotics Anonymous Narcotics Anonymous (NA), founded in 1953, describes itself as a "nonprofit fellowship or society of men and women for whom drugs had become a major problem." Narcotics Anonymous uses a 12-step model developed for people with varied subst ...
.California's Prisoners Tell How They See the System.
''San Francisco Chronicle'', August 20, 2000.
*
Alcoholics Anonymous Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is an international mutual aid fellowship of alcoholics dedicated to abstinence-based recovery from alcoholism through its spiritually-inclined Twelve Step program. Following its Twelve Traditions, AA is non-professi ...
.


History

The West Facility opened in 1954 and the East Facility opened in 1961. Three female former CMC workers won a 1998 settlement for $4.3 million as a result of a sexual harassment lawsuit, which was "the largest such settlement ever for the Department of Corrections." A San Luis Obispo County
grand jury A grand jury is a jury—a group of citizens—empowered by law to conduct legal proceedings, investigate potential criminal conduct, and determine whether criminal charges should be brought. A grand jury may subpoena physical evidence or a pe ...
produced a 2005 report observing that "while old and overcrowded, CMC was well maintained." The West facility is slated for closure.


Notable inmates

*
Bobby Beausoleil Robert Kenneth Beausoleil (born November 6, 1947) is an American murderer and associate of Charles Manson and members of his communal Manson Family. He was convicted and sentenced to death for the July 27, 1969 fatal stabbing of Gary Hinman, w ...
, convicted murderer associated with the Manson Family (though convicted of a crime pre-dating the Tate/LaBianca murders), was incarcerated at CMC during the 1990s. His wife, Barbara, lived nearby for years. *
Lawrence Bittaker and Roy Norris Lawrence Sigmund Bittaker (September 27, 1940 December 13, 2019) and Roy Lewis Norris (February 5, 1948 February 24, 2020), also known as the Tool Box Killers, were two American serial killers and rapists who committed the kidnapping, rape, ...
met at CMC in 1978, before they committed their crime spree. * In 1996,
Christian Brando Christian Devi Brando (May 11, 1958 – January 26, 2008) was an American actor who was one of the eleven children of actor Marlon Brando, and the only one Brando had with his first wife, former actress Anna Kashfi. On May 16, 1990, Brando ...
was released from CMC "after serving five years of a 10-year term in the fatal shooting of his half sister's boyfriend." * Bruce McGregor Davis, convicted Manson Family murderer serving two life sentences for his parts in two Manson Family murders. Parole has been recommended pending governor's review. *
Richard Allen Davis Richard Allen Davis (born June 2, 1954) is an American convicted murderer whose criminal record fueled support for the passage of California's "three-strikes law" for repeat offenders and the involuntary civil commitment act for sex offenders a ...
was paroled from CMC in June 1993 "after serving half of a 16-year sentence" for kidnapping. *Rapper Tracy Lamar Davis (a.k.a.
Big Tray Deee Tracy Lamar Davis (born April 27, 1966), better known by his stage name Big Tray Deee (formerly Tray Deee and Tracy Deee), is an American rapper signed with Snoop Dogg's label Dogghouse Records. Career Before becoming a rapper, Davis was an a ...
) was convicted for attempted murder in 2005 for firing at rival gang members. He was sentenced to twelve years in prison but was released after nine years on April 3, 2014. * Jim Gordon, the drummer, spent some time at CMC after killing his mother in 1983. As of 2005, however, he was in
Atascadero State Hospital Atascadero State Hospital, formally known as California Department of State Hospitals- Atascadero (DSHA), is located on the Central Coast of California, in San Luis Obispo County, halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco. DSHA is an all-male, ...
. *
Thomas "Hollywood" Henderson Thomas "Hollywood" Henderson (born March 1, 1953) is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys, San Francisco 49ers, Houston Oilers, and Miami Dolphins. He played college football at Langston U ...
was in CMC between 1984 and October 1986 "for sexually assaulting two teen-age girls and then trying to bribe them not to testify against him." *
Larry Hurwitz The Roseland Theater, sometimes called the Roseland Theater and Grill, is a music venue located at 8 Northwest Sixth Avenue in the Old Town Chinatown neighborhood of Portland, Oregon, in the United States. The building was originally a church, ...
. The "Starry Night" murder dominated the headlines in Portland in the 1990s. *
Maulana Karenga Maulana Ndabezitha Karenga (born Ronald McKinley Everett, July 14, 1941), previously known as Ron Karenga, is an American activist, author, and professor of Africana studies, best known as the creator of the pan-African and African-American holi ...
was incarcerated in 1971 after being convicted of felony violence against a woman victim who testified he tortured her. * Charles Keating Jr. began his stay at CMC in 1992, but his state and federal convictions were overturned, so he was released in October 1996. *
Suge Knight Marion Hugh "Suge" Knight Jr. (; born April 19, 1965) is a American former music executive, convicted felon, and the co-founder and former CEO of Death Row Records. Knight is considered a central figure in gangsta rap's commercial success in ...
was incarcerated at CMC beginning in February 1997 but was later transferred to
Mule Creek State Prison Mule Creek State Prison (MCSP) is a California State Prison for men. It was opened in June 1987, and covers located in Ione, California. The prison has a staff of 1,242 and an annual operating budget of $157 million. As of July 31, 2022, MCS ...
. *
Timothy Leary Timothy Francis Leary (October 22, 1920 – May 31, 1996) was an American psychologist and author known for his strong advocacy of psychedelic drugs. Evaluations of Leary are polarized, ranging from bold oracle to publicity hound. He was "a her ...
was imprisoned at CMC after being sentenced in March 1970 for possession of marijuana, but escaped from the West facility in September 1970 with the assistance of the Weatherman organization.Kistler, Robert. Leary, Onetime "High Priest" of Drug Culture, Flees Prison. ''Los Angeles Times'', September 14, 1970.Maxwell, Evan. Fugitive Leary Under Arrest in Afghanistan. ''Los Angeles Times'', October 25, 1970. He had been placed in "the least security-rated institution in the state" because "he did not 'represent either violence potential or serious escape risk'." After spending time with
Eldridge Cleaver Leroy Eldridge Cleaver (August 31, 1935 – May 1, 1998) was an American writer and political activist who became an early leader of the Black Panther Party. In 1968, Cleaver wrote '' Soul on Ice'', a collection of essays that, at the time of i ...
in Algeria and attempting to "gain political asylum" in Switzerland, Leary was arrested in Afghanistan in January 1973. After being convicted of "escape from a minimum security prison," he was sent to
California Medical Facility California Medical Facility (CMF) is a male-only state prison medical facility located in the city of Vacaville, Solano County, California. It is older than California State Prison, Solano, the other state prison in Vacaville. Facilities CMF ...
. * Demetrius "Hook" Mitchell was at CMC between 2000 and 2004. Much of the film documentary '' Hooked: The Legend of Demetrius "Hook" Mitchell'' was filmed while Hook was at CMC. Since being released from CMC Hook has started Project Straight Path, a non-profit organization committed to raise the consciousness of youths, desire of youth's interest in education and raise cultural consciousness. *
Herbert Mullin Herbert William Mullin (April 18, 1947 – August 18, 2022) was an American serial killer who killed 13 people in California in the early 1970s. He confessed to the killings, which he claimed prevented earthquakes. In 1973, after a trial to det ...
"spent nearly 20 years" at CMC "before being transferred to Mule Creek in 1993." *Prominent
Black Panther A black panther is the melanistic colour variant of the leopard (''Panthera pardus'') and the jaguar (''Panthera onca''). Black panthers of both species have excess black pigments, but their typical rosettes are also present. They have been d ...
leader
Huey P. Newton Huey Percy Newton (February 17, 1942 – August 22, 1989) was an African-American revolutionary, notable as founder of the Black Panther Party. Newton crafted the Party's ten-point manifesto with Bobby Seale in 1966. Under Newton's leadershi ...
was at CMC between 1968 and 1970. He was confined to his cell because he refused to work. *
Craig Peyer Cara Evelyn Knott (February 11, 1966 – December 27, 1986) was an American student at San Diego State University who disappeared on December 27, 1986, while driving from her boyfriend's home in Escondido, California, to her parents' house in E ...
- Former CHP officer convicted of murdering Cara Knott while on duty. His next parole hearing will be in 2027. *
Mark Rogowski Mark Anthony "Gator" Rogowski (born August 10, 1966) is an American former professional skateboarder who was convicted of murder. He was mainly prominent in the 1980s and early 1990s. Rogowski's career ended when he pled guilty for assaulting, ...
- Former professional skateboarder pleaded guilty on March 20, 1991 to the murder (first-degree) and rape of Jessica Bergsten. Denied parole on March 9, 2016. He will not be eligible for parole for 7 years until March 2023 but may petition to advance his next parole suitability hearing date. * Lawrence Singleton in 1987 "earned an early release rom CMCthrough a work program and good behavior" after having served 8 years of a 14-year sentence. * Edgar Smith, now at
High Desert State Prison (California) High Desert State Prison (HDSP) is a high-security state prison that houses level IV inmates located in Leavitt, Lassen County, California. Opened in 1995, it has a capacity of 2,324 persons. As of July 31, 2022, High Desert was incarcerating ...
, had a parole hearing in March 2007. *
Ike Turner Izear Luster "Ike" Turner Jr. (November 5, 1931 – December 12, 2007) was an American musician, bandleader, songwriter, record producer, and talent scout. An early pioneer of 1950s rock and roll, he is best known for his work in the 1960s and 1 ...
served 18 months of a four-year sentence at CMC between March 1990 and September 1991 for cocaine possession offenses.Associated Press. Ike's Free. ''San Jose Mercury News'', September 4, 1991. * Charles "Tex" Watson was at CMC between the early 1970s and 1993, where he "married and fathered three children during conjugal visits" and "began operating a nonprofit Christian ministry that distributed audio tapes and solicited donations." He was then transferred to the medium-security
Mule Creek State Prison Mule Creek State Prison (MCSP) is a California State Prison for men. It was opened in June 1987, and covers located in Ione, California. The prison has a staff of 1,242 and an annual operating budget of $157 million. As of July 31, 2022, MCS ...
. A spokesman for the prison stated that the move was "part of the routine shuffling of inmates around the state"; however, others said that it was related to pressure from the family of
Sharon Tate Sharon Marie Tate Polanski (January 24, 1943 – August 9, 1969) was an American actress and model. During the 1960s, she played small television roles before appearing in films and was regularly featured in fashion magazines as a model and cover ...
, recommendations of the state Board of Prison Terms, and the actions of a state senator. * Jean-Pierre Michael Wehry was arrested in the 2006 Riverside, California ''
To Catch a Predator ''To Catch a Predator'' is an American reality television series in the television news magazine program ''Dateline NBC'' featuring confrontations with host Chris Hansen, partly filmed with a hidden camera, of adult men arriving at a sting ho ...
'' sting. He received the longest sentence in ''To Catch a Predator'' history (75 years to life) due to California's
three-strikes law In the United States, habitual offender laws (commonly referred to as three-strikes laws) have been implemented since at least 1952, and are part of the United States Justice Department's Anti-Violence Strategy. These laws require a person who i ...
and remains incarcerated to this day. He released an autobiography titled ''In For Life: Confessions of a Three-Strikes Prisoner'' under the pen name Damien Lartigue. * Richard Allen Minsky convicted serial rapist.


References


External links


California Men's Colony
- California Department of Corrections * Center for Land Use Interpretation
California Men's Colony.
Entry in Land Use Database of "unusual and exemplary sites throughout the United States." {{State prisons in California 1954 establishments in California Prisons in California Buildings and structures in San Luis Obispo County, California Buildings and structures in San Luis Obispo, California Men's prisons Men in the United States