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Correctional Officer Jerry Sanders | California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, California
California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, California

Correctional Officer

Jerry Sanders

California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, California

End of Watch: Tuesday, November 27, 1973

Biographical Info

Age: 35
Tour of Duty: Not available
Badge Number: Not available

Incident Details

Cause of Death: Stabbed
Date of Incident: November 27, 1973
Weapon Used: Edged weapon
Suspect Info: Acquitted

Correctional Officer Sanders was stabbed and killed while working at the Deuel Vocational Institution.

Two inmates, both members of the radical Black Panthers, were charged with his murder. Their first trial ended with a hung jury. In the second trial both were found guilty of first degree murder and sentenced to death. The California Supreme Court overturned their convictions and ordered a third trial which ended with another hung jury. In 1981 their fourth trial resulted in an acquittal for both. One inmate, serving a sentence for armed robbery, was released. The other inmate, serving a life sentence for a previous murder conviction, remained in prison.