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Theft, Lies and Bribes Force California Warden’s Early Retirement, $11,500 Monthly Pension
by Mark Wilson
A longtime California prison warden abruptly retired during an investigation into alleged theft, lying and bribery.
Joe Lizarraga began working for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) in 1986. He was appointed warden of the Mule Creek State Prison (MCSP) in 2013, where he was ...
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More from this issue:
- The Toughest Love, by Julia Lurie
- From the Editor, by Paul Wright
- $400,000 Settlement in Lawsuit over Kentucky Prisoner’s Starvation Death, by Matthew Clarke
- Why Did 77 Ohio Prisoners Die of COVID-19, but Just 10 in Pennsylvania?, by Brie Zeltner, Cid Standifer
- New York Jail Accused of Discrimination by Female Prisoners, by Kevin Bliss
- BOP Inspector General Rips State for Failure to Control COVID-19 at Lompoc in California, by Derek Gilna
- Dark Web Creator Petitions President Trump for Clemency, by Edward Lyon
- Growing Need to Protect Attorney-Client Emails, by Jayson Hawkins
- Prison Postcard: Life in the Time of COVID, Correctional Center, Virginia, by Daniel A. Rosen
- New York Governor Cuomo Creates Prison Nursing Home During Pandemic, by Anthony Accurso
- GEO Group and CoreCivic Lose Critical Financial Support, by Keith Sanders
- Danish Funds Invest In American Private Prisons, by David Reutter
- $12.5 Million Settlement for Oklahoma Prisoner’s In-Custody Death Riled Sheriff’s Race, by Kevin Bliss
- Philadelphia Jails to Release Prisoners Earlier in the Day, by Bill Barton
- Wisconsin Supreme Court Reverses “Dangerousness” Finding in Involuntary Commitment of Schizophrenic Man, by David Reutter
- Michigan Settles Sex Abuse Claims by 1,300 Former Juvenile Offenders Housed With Adults for $80 Million, by David Reutter
- Report: New Jersey Women’s Prison Promoted Culture of Abuse, by Kevin Bliss
- Missouri Downsizing Prisons to Save Cash, by Bill Barton
- Trump v. Biden on Criminal Justice, by Charles Sloan-Hillier, Christopher Zoukis
- Alaska Supreme Court Upholds Dismissal of Delusional Prisoner’s Medical Malpractice Claim, by Dale Chappell
- $300,000 a Year Not Enough to Convince Psychiatrists to Work in California Prisons, by Dale Chappell
- DC Federal Court Enters Partial Preliminary Injunction Against District Jails For COVID-19 Deficiencies, by Derek Gilna
- Poetry for the Prisoners’ Soul, by Edward Lyon
- Damage to South Carolina Prisons Shifts Prisoners to Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, by Derek Gilna
- Offensive Facebook Posts Cost Wisconsin Warden His Job, by Kevin Bliss
- Mother of Decapitated Prisoner Sues California Prison Officials for Housing Her Son with Prisoner Who Tried to Murder Previous Cellmate, by Matthew Clarke
- More Than Half of Chicago’s COVID-19 Cases Linked to Cook County Jail, by Dale Chappell
- Wisconsin Supreme Court Rules Unconstitutional Statute Authorizing Forcible Medication of Involuntarily Committed Prisoner, by Matthew Clarke
- Wildfires Threaten Prisoners in West, While New California Law Helps Prisoner-Firefighters to Continue Work After Release, by Dale Chappell
- National Guard Called in to Help Run Indiana State Prisons, by Dale Chappell
- Eleventh Circuit Reinstates Pay-To-Vote for Florida Felons Who Completed Sentences, by David Reutter
- The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994: 25 Years Later, Where Do We Stand?, by Dale Chappell
- Ford Foundation President’s Support to Replace Rikers With Other Jails Criticized, by Chad Marks
- California Judge Reconsiders Six Months’ Jail for Cookie Theft at Rehab Program, by Anthony Accurso
- Conditions at South Carolina Juvenile Facility Unconstitutional, by David Reutter
- How Kamala Harris’ Orange County, California “Snitch” Scandal Investigation Imploded, by Derek Gilna
- First Wrongful Death Claim Against San Quentin Prison Filed Over COVID-19 Death, by Dale Chappell
- $420,000 Settlement in Lawsuit Over Opioid Withdrawal Death in Georgia Jail, by Matthew Clarke
- Theft, Lies and Bribes Force California Warden’s Early Retirement, $11,500 Monthly Pension, by Mark Wilson
- Lawsuit Over Hellish 9-Day Prisoner Transport Reinstated, by David Reutter
- Seventh Circuit Protects Guards Who Allegedly Failed to Protect Wisconsin Prisoner, by David Reutter
- Bloomberg Allies Make $20 Million Push to Help Enfranchise 30,000 Florida Ex-Felons, by Derek Gilna
- Mental Health and Prison Systems in Major Need of Reform, by Kevin Bliss
- NYC Floating Jail May Finally be Closed, by Jayson Hawkins
- Fourth Circuit Holds South Carolina DOC Lawyers Entitled to Qualified Immunity, by David Reutter
- New Study Shows “Tough on Crime” Generation Spent More Time in Prison Despite Falling Crime Rate, by Dale Chappell
- Beltway Sniper Marries in Prison, by Jayson Hawkins
- Prisoners Evacuated but ICE Detainees in Louisiana Suffer During Hurricane Laura, by Edward Lyon
- Fifth Circuit Reinstates Lawsuit Over Texas Jail Prisoner’s Death, by Matthew Clarke
- News in Brief
- Fifth Circuit Upholds Dismissal of Texas Jail Suicide Lawsuit, Holds Discrimination Not Proven, by Matthew Clarke
More from Mark Wilson:
- Indiana Prisoner Sues Prison Abolition Group, Wins $1,097 Default Judgment, April 26, 2024
- Eighth Circuit Affirms Denial of Qualified Immunity to Minnesota Jail Guard Accused of Grabbing and Squeezing Detainee’s Penis, Feb. 1, 2024
- Former Oregon Prison Nurse Gets 30 Years for Raping Prisoners, Dec. 1, 2023
- After Ninth Circuit Refuses to Compel Arbitration, National Class Certified in HRDC’s Challenge to Jail and Prison Debit Card Fees, Oct. 15, 2023
- Seventh Circuit Revives Illinois Prisoner’s Claim Over Knee Surgery Delayed 29 Months, Oct. 15, 2023
- Fourth Circuit Reinstates North Carolina Prisoner’s Suit, Finding Grievance Procedure Availability an Open Question, Oct. 15, 2023
- Congress Forces BOP to Upgrade Security Cameras, Sept. 15, 2023
- Oregon Will Hold Release Hearings for 73 Prisoners Sentenced to LWOP as Juveniles, Sept. 15, 2023
- Senators Slam “Egregious” Prisoner Sexual Abuse by BOP Employees, Sept. 15, 2023
- Minnesota Supreme Court Denies Qualified Immunity for Delayed Transfer of Sex Offenders, Sept. 15, 2023
More from these topics:
- Former California Guard Convicted On 64 Counts of Sexually Abusing Prisoners, March 1, 2025. Staff-Prisoner Assault, Guard Misconduct.
- Fourth Circuit Reinstates North Carolina Prisoner’s Failure-to-Protect Claim Against Guard in Stabbing, Feb. 15, 2025. Guard Misconduct, Failure to Protect (General), Protective Custody, Official Investigation.
- Minnesota Supreme Court Says Randy Guard Must Face Prisoner’s Sexual Harassment and Assault Claims, Feb. 15, 2025. Staff-Prisoner Assault, Staff-Prisoner Harassment, Guard Misconduct, Federal Tort Claims Act, Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA).
- $150,000 Settlement But No Charges After Schizophrenic Florida Detainee Killed by Jail Guards, Feb. 15, 2025. Guard Misconduct, Medical Neglect/Malpractice, Excessive Force (Wrongful Death), Failure to Treat (Mental Illness).
- BOP Shutters “Rape Club” in California, Director Peters Quits, Feb. 15, 2025. Staff-Prisoner Assault, Guard Misconduct, DOC/BOP misconduct, Bureau of Prisons (BOP).
- USDC (D. Oregon), Case No. 6:22-cv-00451, Feb. 15, 2025. Guard Misconduct, Prison Gangs, Failure to Protect (General), Guard Brutality/Beatings, Settlements.
- New York Governor Orders Firing of 13 Guards, Nurse in Prisoner’s Fatal Beating, Feb. 15, 2025. Guard Misconduct, Medical Misconduct, Excessive Force (Wrongful Death), Deliberate Indifference.
- Eighth Circuit Affirms Denial of Qualified Immunity to Missouri Guards in Transgender Prisoner’s Suit Alleging Retaliation and Unreasonable Search, Jan. 15, 2025. Guard Misconduct, Retaliatory Searches, Qualified Immunity, Discrimination (Transgender), Immunity - Absolute and Qualified.
- Guard Pleads Guilty to Using Excessive Force at Indiana Jail Sued Nine Times in Two Years, Jan. 15, 2025. Guard Misconduct, Guard Brutality/Beatings, Plea Agreements/Guilty Pleas.
- No Charges in Alabama Prisoner’s Torture, Rape and Murder, Jan. 15, 2025. Prisoner-Prisoner Assault, Guard Misconduct, Prison/Jail Murders, Deliberate Indifference.