Bill Text: CA SCR23 | 2013-2014 | Regular Session | Chaptered
Bill Title: Soledad State Prison Correctional Officers Memorial
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 1)
Status: (Passed) 2013-09-06 - Chaptered by Secretary of State. Res. Chapter 95, Statutes of 2013. [SCR23 Detail]
Download: California-2013-SCR23-Chaptered.html
BILL NUMBER: SCR 23 CHAPTERED
BILL TEXT
RESOLUTION CHAPTER 95
FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE SEPTEMBER 6, 2013
ADOPTED IN SENATE AUGUST 30, 2013
ADOPTED IN ASSEMBLY AUGUST 26, 2013
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY AUGUST 5, 2013
AMENDED IN SENATE APRIL 9, 2013
AMENDED IN SENATE APRIL 1, 2013
INTRODUCED BY Senator Cannella
MARCH 13, 2013
Relative to the Soledad State Prison Correctional Officers
Memorial Highway.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SCR 23, Cannella. Soledad State Prison Correctional Officers
Memorial Highway.
This measure would designate a specified portion of State Highway
Route 101 in the County of Monterey as the Soledad State Prison
Correctional Officers Memorial Highway honoring John V. Mills,
William C. Shull, Robert J. McCarthy, and Kenneth E. Conant. The
measure would also request the Department of Transportation to
determine the cost of appropriate signs showing this special
designation and, upon receiving donations from nonstate sources
covering that cost, to erect those signs.
WHEREAS, Between January 1970 and May 1971, three correctional
officers and a correctional employee were attacked and killed in the
line of duty at the California Department of Corrections and
Rehabilitation Correctional Training Facility, formerly known as the
Soledad State Prison, in a string of violent inmate uprisings; and
WHEREAS, John V. Mills, born on July 19, 1944, in Riverside,
California, grew up in Fresno, attended Long Beach State College,
served two years in the Army, and had just been assigned to the
medium security Y-Wing in relief of another officer who was on
vacation; and
WHEREAS, On January 16, 1970, Officer Mills was locked in the cell
block with 95 inmates, and was attacked and beaten to death at
approximately 6:30 p.m. by inmates in retaliation for the shooting
deaths of three other inmates at the prison; and
WHEREAS, Officer Mills was a 14-month veteran correctional officer
of the prison and resident of Monterey, who left a widow,
Bernadette, and a son, Michael Lee; and
WHEREAS, William C. Shull, born on June 13, 1930, in Gettysburg,
Pennsylvania, attended Gettysburg High School, served 22 years in the
Army, retiring with the rank of Master Sergeant, and was awarded the
Bronze Star and Army Commendation Medal; and
WHEREAS, On July 23, 1970, Officer Shull was assigned to the
recreational building 1-Yard exercise area in relief of another
officer who was unable to work that day, and was found lifeless at
9:30 a.m. by an inmate, having been beaten and stabbed to death by
inmates in retaliation for the shooting deaths of three other inmates
at the prison; and
WHEREAS, Officer Shull was a one-year veteran correctional officer
of the prison and resident of Seaside, who left a widow, Kazuko, and
four girls, Gracie, Sarah, Betty, and Rose; and
WHEREAS, Robert J. McCarthy, born on August 8, 1927, in Oklahoma,
served 21 years in the Army, retiring with the rank of Sergeant; and
WHEREAS, On March 4, 1971, Officer McCarthy was conducting a count
of the inmates in X-Wing, at 11:15 p.m., when an inmate, claiming he
needed to mail a letter, lured Officer McCarthy to his cell door and
stabbed him; and
WHEREAS, Valiant efforts by hospital staff and an inmate in the
infirmary stabilized Officer McCarthy's condition, but he died after
he was transferred to the military hospital at Fort Ord; and
WHEREAS, Officer McCarthy was a veteran correctional officer of
the prison since 1966 and a resident of the City of Marina, who left
a widow, Emily, and two children, Leon and Sylvia; and
WHEREAS, Kenneth E. Conant, born on December 6, 1921, in Denver,
Colorado, attended the University of Denver and the University of
Southern California; and
WHEREAS, On May 19, 1971, Mr. Conant, a correctional employee, was
sitting at his desk preparing to conduct a disciplinary committee
hearing with two prison officials when they were attacked by two
inmates who entered the office with handmade knives, and Mr. Conant
was fatally stabbed while the prison officials received minor
injuries; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Conant was a 20-year veteran of corrections work and
a resident of Salinas, who left a widow, Helen, and a son, Donald;
now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, the Assembly
thereof concurring, That the Legislature hereby designates the
portion of State Highway Route 101 between Exit 305 at post mile
64.63 and Exit 310 at post mile 69.37 in the County of Monterey as
the Soledad State Prison Correctional Officers Memorial Highway
honoring John V. Mills, William C. Shull, Robert J. McCarthy, and
Kenneth E. Conant; and be it further
Resolved, That the Department of Transportation is requested to
determine the cost of appropriate signs consistent with the signing
requirements for the state highway system showing this special
designation and, upon receiving donations from nonstate sources
sufficient to cover the cost, to erect those signs; and be it further
Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of this
resolution to the Department of Transportation and to the author for
appropriate distribution.
