Virtual Tour Inside San Quentin's Death Row | Los Angeles Times

Take a look inside San Quentin's death row with Los Angeles Times reporter Paige St.John.

California’s crowded death row is as defined by architecture as it is the legal battles that have blocked executions since 2006. The original men's death row, the fourth floor of the north cell block at San Quentin State Prison, filled up shortly after the death penalty was restored in 1978.

Since then, more than 900 people have been sentenced to death but only 13 have been executed by the state. The majority of the 699 condemned men currently housed at San Quentin are in what started as overflow housing in East Block. They live, eat and sleep in two rows of open-front cells, stacked five stories high like containers in the hold of a cargo ship.

The granite structure is straight out of 1930, the year it was built. The cavern is filled with sound: metal echoing off stone, the drone of large air circulation systems, and random shouts drifting down from above.
The average death penalty appeal in California takes 25 years or more.

There is currently no court-sanctioned execution protocol, though a single-drug method is proposed for public comment. The process of regulatory review and then legal challenge is expected to take years.

In November, Californians will be asked to vote on competing ballot measures-- to throw out the death penalty or to speed up appeals. Both measures would ease the confinement restrictions on the condemned.

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LET'S CONNECT:

[tankiebell]

really want to see the night stalker's old cell...

[harajukubarbie]

This was a GREAT video. I really liked the 360 camera

[bigboi]

Brings back a lot of memories. I was an Officer here 34 years ago. Worked all over, East block, (this one), North block, South block, West block (A, B, C and D section) adjustment center, Death Row proper (on top of North block) and Death Row visiting. This was right after Sgt. Burchfield was stabbed to death, and it was hard core level 4 and Ad Seg. Then transferred to "Old Folsom" for 15 years till retirement. God the stories I could tell. Was like working in Disneyland and Hell at the same time.

[mandymoore]

It’s actually quite amazing what the human body and mind can adjust to.

[walksontherock]

Really loved how this was done. I do wish the video was longer and showed more. Thanks for posting

[iMatti]

Great video with the 360. I wish more was shown though, like show you walking from each stop to the other too. Can you post raw video? Very interesting.

[URsoulpowerful]

How was this video made? It's really cool

[derekmiller]

This is amazing that we can actually have a full 360 view of everything..so cool man

[tonic]

where charles ng at? that sadistic sob

[idiotsavant]

This is a trip. I move my iPad up down and around and it's literally following every move.

[SOS-ctmv]

I know San Quentin is no place to live but reporters rarely show, the art studio, prison run radio station & newspaper the inmates publish, there are high school classes, Stanford, Uc Berkeley etc all teach classes to get your degree, Facebook, Google etc teach coding and tech skills etc. I have heard inmates at other prisons in CA actually work at getting good behavior so they can be sent to SQ so they don't die of boredom. Also if you are in the SQ culinary program, when you get out many work at Delancy St restaurant in SF and share apartments above the restaurant. The Restaurant is very good and by Giants stadium.

[kixigvak]

Back in the '80s a friend of mine was the physician for death row at the Big Q. He said "If society will look the other way for 24 hours I'll do em all."

[madcell]

very interesting, wish they would've shown the inside of the cells though

[Coco-chrispy]

Omg I can literally look around 😭 this sooo cool

[detroittechno]

It’s so cool you can do this with your phone.
Still amazes me.

[spawnaga]

I felt the guy interview at the end of the video is living a happier life than me and many people. He is not stressing about the coming bills and how to pay them

[mwbright]

Nobody dies in San Quentin´s death row. It´s just a place killers prefer because they get a single cell, instead of having to live cheek to jowl with some scumbag they hate on first sight.

[mandymoore]

What’s so crazy is how the human mind can find so much more comforts in a cell vs the world.

[blakkmoneii]

Man I thought I was trippin…. Boy that camera fire asf ❤

[robertblakely]

Not such nice place to live. Imagine losing all your freedom and eventually your life. Let's not break the law and go there.