Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 23

Introduced by Senator Cannella

March 13, 2013

Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 23—Relative to the Soledad Correctional Officers Memorial Highway.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

SCR 23, as introduced, Cannella. Soledad Correctional Officers Memorial Highway.

This measure would designate a specified portion of State Highway Route 101 in the County of Monterey as the Soledad Correctional Officers Memorial Highway to honor John V. Mills, William C. Shull, Robert J. McCarthy, and Kenneth E. Conant with their names included in the designation of the highway. 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.

Fiscal committee: yes.

WHEREAS, Between January 1970 and May 1971, four
correctional officers were attacked and killed in the line of duty
at the Salinas Valley State Prison, 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 guard who was on
vacation; and

WHEREAS, On July 19, 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 three 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
guard 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 several inmates and prison employees
when they were attacked by two inmates with handmade knives,
and Mr. Conant was fatally stabbed while the other 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 303 and Exit
310 in the County of Monterey as the Soledad Prison Correctional
Officers Memorial Highway to honor John V. Mills, William C.
Shull, Robert J. McCarthy, and Kenneth E. Conant, whose names
shall be included in the special designation of the highway; 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.