April 9, 2024 - DELANO – Kern Valley State Prison (KVSP) officials are investigating the death of incarcerated person David Dodd as a homicide after he was attacked by another incarcerated person on Friday, April 5, 2024.
At approximately 9:30 a.m., officers responded to a fight between Michael Darden, Jr., and Dodd. Officers observed Darden striking Dodd repeatedly with an incarcerated-manufactured weapon. When staff orders to stop were ignored, pepper spray blast grenades were used to stop the attack.
Medical staff were immediately called for assistance and determined Dodd had multiple puncture wounds. Life-saving measures were taken, and Dodd was transported to an onsite medical facility where he was pronounced deceased by a physician at 10:23 a.m.
No staff members or additional incarcerated people were injured in this incident.
Movement was limited in the yard where the incident occurred to allow analysis by KVSP’s Investigative Services Unit and the Kern County District Attorney’s Office. The Office of the Inspector General was notified, and the Kern County Coroner will determine Dodd’s official cause of death.
David Dodd, 58, was most recently received from San Bernardino County on Jan. 30, 2019. He was sentenced to serve life with the possibility of parole for assault with a firearm as a third striker, with enhancements for use of a firearm and having a prior felony conviction of a serious offense. While incarcerated, on Aug. 25, 2022, Dodd was sentenced in Imperial County to serve one year, four months for manufacture of a deadly weapon by a prisoner, to be served concurrent to his present term.
Michael Darden, Jr., 47, was most recently received from Tulare County on May 20, 2014. He was sentenced to serve life with the possibility of parole for attempted first-degree murder and assault with a deadly weapon as a third striker. He also received enhancements for personal use of a dangerous or deadly weapon, inflicting great bodily injury, and having a prior felony conviction of a serious offense. While incarcerated, on Dec. 5, 2019, Darden was sentenced in Del Norte County to an additional nine years, to be served consecutively, for assault by a prisoner with a deadly weapon or force likely to cause great bodily injury, with an enhancement for having a prior felony conviction of a serious offense.
KVSP opened in 2005 and houses over 3,100 minimum-, medium-, and high-security custody incarcerated people. KVSP offers academic classes and vocational programs and employs approximately 1,500 people.
Source: CDCR
