Inside America’s largest death row at notorious San Quentin prison

California is accelerating its efforts to empty San Quentin’s death row, with plans to transfer condemned inmates to other state prisons by the summer.

An executive order was signed five years ago that imposed a moratorium on the death penalty in the US state – the last state execution there was in 2006.

Sky’s James Matthews was given a rare look inside and met prisoners held in extreme conditions.

Read more: https://news.sky.com/story/life-after-death-row-condemned-inmates-speak-out-ahead-of-move-to-general-population-13107134

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I’m in here for killing another gang member I shot him in the back of the head my case I killed another inmate and um it was neither me or him for a kidnapped for ransom I killed my [Music] C California’s most dangerous men get sent here escore coming out 14 San Quenton houses America’s largest death Ru they really allow cameras onto The Condemned block what you guys do but Sky News has been given access to be here is to meet California’s most notorious they are among society’s most segregated I don’t think Li lions and tigers should be locked up like this here everyone has a story is this to like the newspaper or something a dark one coming out like Robert Galvin he was serving life for kidnap and then killed his cellmate or S so he could be sent to death Ru in search of a lawyer I killed my Sy that’s the only way I was going to be able to get back into court to do something like that you know stop yeah and now I got a good lawyer now I got an appeal here the death row prisoner lives in a Cell 4 ft by 10 they’re allowed out 20 hours a week going to move along but only after a strip sege in handcuffs and watched constantly by armed Patrol death row it’s um lot of sale time dark kind of U parasitic the environment and um they make up the their own rules and changes dayto day and you never know really what’s coming and it’s just oppressive we have to strip down naked show ourselves uh and then get handcuffed to go anywhere around here anytime we step out of our cells uh 1130 Y in San Quenton there are currently more than 300 prisoners housed on five floors in death row but they won’t be here much longer death row is dying a death itself when You Face death you never know how much you’re alive until you face death the downside is the not knowing part you’re just here waiting to die you’re just here waiting on a date not everyone at San Quenton is on death row soon nobody will be it’s demise is designed with an emphasis on Rehabilitation prisoners moved on from here will still have a death sentence although in reality they’ll be serving life without parole that will only change if there’s a reversal in policy California’s governor imposed a moratorium on the death penalty stating that it was state sponsored premeditated murder and that ending up here was based more on wealth and race than guilt or innocence being able to learn a new trade socialize amongst everyone I think it’ll be beneficial it will basically allow them to start paying back restitution to their victims and taking uh responsibility for their actions I think it’s awesome that we’re moving you know what I mean getting back into society you know I don’t think that they’re going to continue the death penalty for very much longer and they’re going to have to move anyways because the system is broke I don’t want nobody to look at me like I’m some kind of a monster or anything like that I want to be treated equally like everyone else I think a lot of laws is being changed might give me another chance of Life by moving on I think it’s good for cuz it’s one step closer to getting out you know what I mean to getting off death row you know from here I we’re on death row we’re all just stuck it’s like a warehouse this move doesn’t chime with everyone victims groups have voiced their objections to condemned inmates avoiding execution it’s known here as walking The Last Mile in San Quenton they’ve gone the greater distance outlasting a death sentence by outlasting death row James Matthews Sky News on death row in San Quenton