California inmate accused of killing cellmate convicted of child trafficking
An inmate at Kern Valley State Prison in California is facing accusations of killing his cellmate, who was convicted of several charges, including child trafficking. The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) announced that they are investigating a homicide that occurred at the prison on Saturday.
Gregory Clark, 58, was spotted by officers in his cell with blood on his clothing around 3:19 p.m. on Saturday. His cellmate, Darius Swain, 41, was found unresponsive in the cell, leading to a call for help. Clark was removed from the cell without incident, while medical staff initiated life-saving measures on Swain.
Tragically, Swain was pronounced dead at 3:48 p.m. by paramedics in the prison’s Treatment and Triage Area. Swain had been serving a life sentence with the possibility of parole for charges including human trafficking of a minor, pimping, pandering, second-degree robbery, and possession of a firearm. He arrived at Kern Valley State Prison in March 2019 from Alameda County.
Clark, on the other hand, was placed in restrictive housing pending an investigation by the prison’s Investigative Services Unit. He arrived at the prison in March 2011 from Los Angeles County, where he was sentenced to 22 years for domestic violence, use of a deadly weapon, prior prison term, and a prior felony conviction. In January 2021, he received an additional two-year sentence in Kern County for assault by a prisoner with a deadly weapon.
The Kern County Coroner will determine the cause of Swain’s death, while details regarding the altercation between the two inmates remain undisclosed. The incident serves as a grim reminder of the dangers that can exist within the prison system, highlighting the need for continued vigilance and security measures to prevent such tragedies from occurring.
