in san quentin.gather in the courtyard for a briefing regarding recent assaults they feel may be related. so they've organized an extensive cell search for hidden, makeshift weapons. >> this is how we're going to do it. we're going to do a search line right there in the rotunda. >> come on down. >> pat them all down. have them take off their shoes. they might be packing on the way in here. they'll be searched and fed. >> after breakfast, the inmates are moved to the yards where they will stay until officers can complete their search. >> we're looking for makeshift weapons. bed spreads, anything with razors. anything they can slash these guys with or even stab them with. >> the operation is broken up into several two-person teams. >> i guess i'll get the top, huh? >> you get the top. you're the tall guy. >> officers, david hamilton and meagan mcgee each have years of experience at second-guessing where inmates like to hide contraband. >> okay. i found two razors that were removed. the blades were remo

. >> our first ever extended stay series was shot at california's fabled san quentin prison.er 3,000 inmates. it was home to more than 5,000. when we shot there, robert ayers was san quentin's warden. >> we are grossly overcrowded, which is just totally unacceptable for the inmates, and the staff. >> been here before? >> no. >> all right, come over here and stand on the fence right there. >> the incoming population at san quentin was relentless, with staff releasing 150 inmates each week, but welcoming in 350 new ones. >> let's go, gentlemen. let's go, let's go, let's go. clear the door. >> many of them wound up in the gym, which had been converted into a huge, overflow housing unit. >> when i first walked in to the dorm at san quentin, i was taken aback by how many people were packed into this small area. it was very loud. ♪ >> james, report to the office upstairs. >> there's always people talking, people yelling. some people in there were trying to read and some people in there were trying to sleep. so you'll have a big group of people having a conversation over here while

we were shooting san quentin, alpine section, down on the ground floor. and, suddenly i felt something hit me on the top of my head. and i had the worst thought, oh, my god i had just been gassed. luckily it turned out to be a banana peel. >> when we visited the stateville correctional center in illinois, we encountered another bizarre practice involving human waste. >> feces, spreads it on everything. clean it off every day. every day he puts it right back on. >> in the segregation unit at the stateville correctional facility. basically this is where they have people, being extra bad in the facility come and be locked up. they urinate, bowel movement everywhere, i think they just kind of have gone crazy, prison life is probably getting to them. >> but we have never seen a more bizarre display of the gut churning activity than at california state prison corcoran. it happened during a routine shoot at the prison hospital. >> we were there for like ten minutes. did a couple interviews with a couple doctors. initially it seemed like it was going to be mundan

i just capture a lot of the character of san quentin.his as being very ugly. it's like looking at somebody and saying, this ain't the most beautiful person, but this person got character. and to me, if you got character, that creates a beauty in its own. i'm painting what i see, what i go through, where i pass. there's beauty in things that you might not really see. whatever makes you feel better, you have to know how to use that as a tool. whether you're in prison or out of prison, you still got to make due with life. you have to do something to fill up with whatever void you have. >>> in another part of san quentin, joe askey practices his art. and his choice of location just outside death row is no accident. ♪ there's a woman fighting tears back on the table ♪ ♪ doctor's just removed his gloves ♪ ♪ she couldn't bear to have a baby being single ♪ ♪ she couldn't bear to give it up ♪ >> the spot has special significance for askey, who is serving 25 years to life, under california's three strikes law. >> i almost killed somebody during a

. >> we met phillip in san quentin prison in california.nd he really stood out as this young kid in a very hardcore old-school prison. his life was at a pretty precarious point, but he also remained sort of optimistic. >> from the second i got in trouble to this moment in time, i know god put me in this cell for a reason. whatever it is, i don't know at this time. maybe it was just to give me time to realize what i was doing. or who knows? maybe there's something inside this time that i'm going to do that's going to put me into perspective and make he realize stuff. i don't know. but i'm in here for a reason other for than the crime that i did, that god has a plan for me. i'll be all right. i'm going to make it. >> you're moving my head that way. >> i'm not moving it, you're moving it. >> i said i want a nice little haircut and he gives me a bald head. >> kirkpatrick rejected the lessons he had learned from his biological family at a very young age. that's when all his problems began. >> my mom gave me the best advice that she could. everyt

happens at least once a day here at san quentin. >> seemingly, at almost every other prison we visited. >> i have had serious instance with fecal matter and urine to where i was placed on ace inhibitors medication. and i've had hepatitis-infected blood spit in my face. >> they get as creative as putting feces and urine in a toothpaste tube and squirting it through their door or under their door. those kind of things. >> about 5:45 at night, feeding chow, i was carrying an inmate tray, to feed them. inmate had his flap down, feeding his tray. at that type, the inmate had a squirt bottle. water bottle. filled with a substance. and when i was carrying trays back down, he squeezed urine into my eye and mouth area. i was checked out, had a tetanus shot done by urgent care in nashville, had a blood sample drawn from me. to see if i had anything or contracted anything from the inmate. i'm worried. i do have a wife at home. my fear is taking something home

. >> if i could add on to what you just stated, i worked at san quentin for 27 years, and i feel like i grew up with a lot of the inmates that were there, just coming out of college, so i saw a lot of them change, including inmates who had been on death row prior to the supreme court overturning capital punishment. many of them were off of death row and sentenced to seven to life, and some of those individuals were paroled and have done very well out in society. i remember one who worked with the catholic church and worked through the restorative justice program to meet with surviving family members. it was actually televised. that is how much that individual changed. then he went on to have a very successful career and retired on a golf course in florida, as a matter of fact. they were debating the death penalty at the country club one day, and he said in two weeks, he would bring its former death row inmate. two weeks later, he walked in the room. he said that he immediately changed the minds of those arguing for the death penalty. that is just one powerful case, but there are many

you were a former warden of san quentin. i wonder if you could share with us your experience at having actually conducted executions? you saw the word from mississippi said that this had a personal effect on him and i wonder if you can address the issue that comes up with the victim's family often get satisfaction of some kind -- some relief because of the person that they understand has committed the crime and they are finally put to death. can you remark on this? >> let me say, i agree with everything that they have talked about. i cannot really speak for the families of the victims, only what i have observed to the execution process. this has an impact on everyone who is involved, including the staff. and of course the inmates' families. and the people who show up to watch this. and the whole show of people who are there for this. you cannot walk away from this without having been impacted. i want to talk about the war and has said, that these executions have been 7-10 years after the crime and we're not executing the sam

we also have a former warden at san quentin who surprised the last three executions, and she is now the head of death penalty focus which is an anti-death penalty group. we have somebody, though, who really symbolizes everything that's wrong with the death penalty. in 1983 he was arrested and within 120 days was convicted in two trials which resulted in the death penalty. he was sentenced to angola in louisiana, death row, where they were executing people left and right. he spent 14 years. he had nearly half a dozen execution dates. and yet he survived and he's here today. and actually -- i know you are on the third panel. come on up. come on up. this is james "j.t." thompson. he came all the way from louisiana to be here today. [applause] one question, how did you survive? >> god. god. god. death row is a place that brings out the truest human being in you. it makes you realize you can't take nothing for granted. you need to love every moment of each day and praise and thank god for each moment you have out here. for the system to do what it did to me -- i was the only child from my mo

. >> in 1987, the "today" show went to san quentin state prison and interviewed the infamous charles manson. he was unshackled and unapologetic. >> you know, if i wanted to kill somebody, i'd take this book and beat you to death with it. and i wouldn't feel a thing. >> the interview sparked controversy within nbc. >> we here on the "today" show staff debated among ourselves whether to air his answers. half of our staff said, absolutely not. >> in the end just seven minutes aired on the "today" show. now 20 years later, former fbi profiler candace delong examines the entire interview. >> he certainly has his issues mentally and psychiatrically. but he is not seriously, seriously mentally ill. >> making sense of the mind of manson. >> friday night in los angeles, a movie actress and four of her friends were murdered and the circumstances were lurid. >> the news out of los angeles, august 10th, 1969, was shocking. five people had been brutally murdered. among the dead, roman polanski's wife, sharon tate. she was eight months pregnant. >> she'd been stabbed. repeated stab wounds. one of

i think sometimes, it's harder for lawyers to get into san quentin than it is for clients to get out. it took hours to pass the two metal detectors before i was stuck in a six-by-six-foot wall covered with plexiglas. the death row visitor's area is a stone's throw from a little green chamber which the state of california has its execution. they pass the time going about the monday and the business about incarcerated while their lawyers try to prolong their lives. ok. we're going to recall her. let's start off with talking about "to kill a mockingbird." and what that book meant. you wrote an article about it, john. as a law professor it was something you focused on as part of legal education. how did you choose that and why? wow. i just want to say, it was wonderful seeing the actor portraying atticus finch. as i watched that i thought to myself, and i want to know what tony thinks about this, i thought there is no chance that tom robinson is going to get off. you know, that was such an ineffective appeal. now, is it a wonderful speech? it's a wonderful speech. is it beautiful? it's be

it looks like it is no longer an issue and the richmond bridge past san quentin olive oil 11 this morningks pretty get all the way through that county drive-through nevada sen afoul of a downed with the golden gate bridge across the new structure to a drive. to get all the latest traffic updates turn to kcbs at 169 fm or 740 fm. in head out the door its driver the time you go home. this action in the long cold front sweeping into town could see some showers developing a site. temperatures are going to be running much cooler than normal the '50s and '60s. here's the systems flooding in from the gulf of alaska bringing a lot of van division may want to carry that umbrella with you just in case most energy up north to the bay area the southern edge coming through which means a chance of a few showers. that is the head toward the middle of the day that sweeps down across the rest of the bay area tour the afternoon so it could be of little benefit of a commute. things are shaping up very nicely for the weekend. in not the most impressive storm system but he a 10th of an inch of rain consider y

the first was over san quentin. interestingly. videos or photos you want to show us just send them to ureport. >>> i think most of you are going to like the compute this morning. it has been quiet, wonderful ride all around the bay area. live shot san jose shows traffic moving well northbound 280 towards cupertino this is the bay bridge toll, still no delays, stall upper deck earlier. 680 good through walnut creek through the san ramon . heavy out of antioch. come commuters report a complete standstill, 13 miles an hour, towards loveridge then things pick up into pittsburg and then fine. you will find typical slow spots through the altamont pass. >>> a 6-year-old girl is being called a hero after using a technique she saw on tv to save another girl's life. she was eating lunch in the cafeteria when she started choking on an apple recently. the student sitting around her call for help that's when little beanie stepped up. >> kept yelling i'm choking and everybody like -- they didn't know what to do. but i knew what to do. >> the ap

. >> joseph de la cruz is a gang dropout, serving nine years for attempted murder at california san quentin state prison. when we first met him, authorities had just discovered that he had been assaulted inside his protective custody cell. >> this morning, you come out of your cell, we did a sweep to find out how many people stayed behind. you were discovered with injuries. and here's the medical report. >> despite obvious injuries, de la cruz refused to give correctional staff any information about the attack. >> we're trying to find out who -- i want to tell them what happened. >> any specific individuals you know are your enemies? >> no, sir. >> how about any prison weapons offenses? >> no, sir. >> do you belong to a gang? >> no, i don't. >> aside from what you're being accused of being a victim, are you involved in any other batteries in your history? >> no. >> due to this threat, you are deemed a threat to the safety and security of the institution, to staff and inmates. >> escort! >> without good information about what prompted the attack and whether this attack could lead to others t

originally constructed to relieve overcrowding at san quentin state prison, folsom housed some of the most dangerous inmates of the time. today its history of a more violent time has not been forgotten. >> folsom, just the aura of this place hangs above us like a fog hangs over this place. >> daniel bell is a newcomer, only on the yard for four months. >> i mean you're like totally in awe of the fact that you're actually here, and so many men have died and lost their lives on this very yard right here, at the very spot we're standing, i mean, you know, men have got killed, so it's like you're terrified. >> this is my first time here. don't like it. i don't like it. >> a lot of people getting stabbed, you know. i've seen people's throats get sliced. my first night in this building behind me here, when i woke up in the morning to gunshots on the tier, you know. >> you always have a fear factor when you walk through those gates. anybody would be lying to you if they told you that they weren't scared when they were in here. >> there's not anyone who walks into folsom that looks at those g

when we visited san quentin state prison, we discovered how committed some of the 5,000 inmates wereworkouts. the state of california banned free weights from the rec yard for security reasons, but that didn't deter anyone from lifting. >> it's weights. >> yeah? >> that's how we work out. we got water bags. we don't get weights no more. >> how much does it weigh? >> about 30 pounds. >> not very much. >> there it is. >> some of the challenges of working out in prison aren't only about the access to the equipment you have or don't have, but it's also the kind of restrictions you have. oftentimes these prisons go on lockdown and people are kept in their cells or housing units for long periods of time and not really allowed out. but they still always find a way to work out. >> this is about 100 pounds right here. >> this is about 55 or 60 pounds. >> and in a world where fist fights are all too real, many inmates incorporate shadow boxing into their workouts. but jamie daniels, a former jujitsu instructor doing time at indiana state prison went beyond just punching air. >> this is a makes

the body of james lee crummel was found hanging in his cell in san quentin prison. it comes months before voters are to vote on whether to abolish the death penalty. u.s. appeals court has given shell the go-ahead to pursue drilling in the alaskan arctic this year. alaska native groups oppose the efforts in the federal government had failed to properly consider the risks of arctic drilling. environmental groups delivered over 1 million signatures to the white house this month, asking obama to stop shell's plans. president obama awarded 13 people on tuesday with the nation's highest civilian honor, the presidential medal of freedom. recipients included the folk legend bob dylan, the author toni morrison and united farm workers co-founder dolores huerta. >> honorees are blessed with an extraordinary amount of talent, all of them are driven, but we could fill this role many times over with people who are talented and driven. what sets these men and women apart is the incredible impact they have had on so many people, not in short, blinding bursts, but steadily. it is o

i think you should consider doing community work even in san quentin because -- [inaudible] >> thanks. thank you, and i will. i will. [applause] >> how you doing? >> ronald brown. my question is twofold, basically. one is i heard you do a radio interview last week, and in that interview you made an observation about the cry in the trayvon martin case. and you said that in your own opinion based on your experience that sounded like a death cry that you could relate to. and, of course, the experts came together unanimously and said that it clearly was not zimmerman's cry, but they didn't say that it was trayvon's either. can you speak to that a little more? and then, secondly, if you would -- to both of y'all, if you will. address this piece. historically black men in this country has always been an endangered species, okay? the day that we got on that slave ship to trayvon martin, post-trayvon martin to the latest. we've had several since trayvon martin. and there's an effort to raise this issue as a human rights violation. malcolm told us years ago we needed to take it before the worl

small crimes led to larger ones and he landed in san quentin prison for burglary. ♪ one day, johnny cash that changed his life. ♪ i walk the line >> the most important thing was he identified with those convicts. they knew that he was one of them, and he conveyed that. his honesty was everything. ♪ i hear that train coming >> reporter: haggard, released from prison in 1960 didn't waste time getting his life on track. he recorded his first song in '62, and had six major hits by '69. in the first nine years of his career, he recorded 30 albums. married five times, he lived hard, on and off the road. he says redemption and responsibility to connect with his audience gave him clarity. to know who he was, and what he want. it seems like music is just really a lot of who you are. >> that's about all i am. you know. that's what i'm for. that's what i do. i eat, sleep and breathe it. and people around me, if they can't handle it, they just have to get away. this is how it is. play loud, guys. >> daughter and sons are even in the band. ♪ son ben is getting rave reviews for his performance with hi

." >>> the number of units here at san quentin has grown beyond the capacity of this prison and what

but the upper deck, there's an accident there as you're approaching san quentin causing quite a stir. the bridge out of richmond, that is over off to the shoulder. shouldn't be a big deal. slow down the east shore freeway. and 880, jammed up past the coliseum. 580 starting to show some relief. and the caldecott smoothly. >>> we'll be back with more local updates in a half hour from now. the "today" show continues. >>> body is 60% water. that's why to stay healthy every couple of months i choke down a brita filter. >> that is stephen colbert. we're getting ready because when he's around, nobody is safe. he's going to be here tomorrow on "today." with his children's book, "i am a pole, and so can you." >> wear matching outfits. >>> meanwhile, coming up in this half hour, we're going back to london where with less than three months to go until the olympics, before that, they have another huge celebration to prepare for, the queen's diamond jubilee. it's next month where she'll be celebrating her 60 years on the throne. >>> also ahead, we're doing a little globe-trotting from chile to tha