SAN QUENTIN – Condemned inmate Richard James Poynton, 64, who was on California’s death row from Los Angeles County, was found unresponsive in his cell at San Quentin State Prison Thursday, April 30, 2015. He was pronounced dead at the prison at 6:50 a.m. The cause of death is unknown pending the results of an autopsy. Poynton was single-celled.

Since 1978 when California reinstated capital punishment, 66 condemned inmates have died from natural causes, 24 have committed suicide, 13 have been executed in California, one was executed in Missouri, seven have died from other causes and three inmates’ causes of death are pending. There are 752 people on California’s death row.
For more information contact Lt. Sam Robinson at (415) 455-5008.