SACRAMENTO — Authorities at Corcoran State Prison have locked 1,300 African American general-population inmates in their cells with limited privileges as they investigate whether incarcerated members of the Crips street gang are conspiring to attack prison staffers in retaliation for the anticipated execution of the gang's co-founder.
Stanley "Tookie" Williams, 49, has been on death row at San Quentin State Prison since 1981, condemned after his conviction in the 1979 murders of four people during robberies at a convenience store and a motel in Los Angeles.
Enjoying mythic status among young-generation Crips, Williams won a different kind of fame two years ago when a member of the Swiss parliament nominated him for a Nobel Peace Prize for a series of children's books he co-wrote.
Last month, correctional officers at Corcoran discovered a so-called "kite," or written message, directing Crips to attack and kill high-ranking prison staff members. Corcoran officials say the anonymous kite may have been sent on behalf of Williams, whose court appeals are winding down, though they caution that their inquiry is not complete.
"He's a piece of the puzzle, and we're investigating his connection," said Lt. Johnny Castro, a Corcoran spokesman. "This kite is pretty vague ... but given the assaults we've had at several institutions, we're taking it very seriously."
About 3,800 inmates of all races at two other prisons -- Pelican Bay in far northern California and Salinas Valley in Soledad -- also are on lockdown status because of recent assaults on staff members by African American inmates. Investigations into those assaults continue, but so far have turned up no link to Williams.
Locking down inmates by race is a common practice within the prison system, where competing ethnic or gang affiliations can lead to violence. The 1,300 African Americans locked down at Corcoran make up about 35% of the general prison population. Separately housed in maximum security units are 1,200 of the prison's most dangerous inmates.
The San Francisco lawyer handling Williams' court appeals, Andrea Asaro, could not be reached for comment Monday.
But the co-author and editor of Williams' children's books, Barbara Becnel, said that, during a visit this weekend with Williams at San Quentin, he told her that his cell had been searched twice in recent days and that he had been informed of the rumor.
