SAN QUENTIN – Condemned inmate James Lee Crummel, 68, who was on
death row for the 1979 murder of a 13-year-old boy, was found hanging in his
cell at San Quentin State Prison. Crummel
was pronounced dead at 4:20 p.m. on Sunday, May 27. He was housed alone in his
cell.
Crummel was received onto California’s death row on July 15, 2004.
He was sentenced to death on July 9, 2004, by a Riverside County jury
for the April 13, 1979, kidnapping, sexual abuse and murder of 13-year-old James Wilfred Trotter, who
disappeared on his way to school. Trotter’s
body was not found until 1990 and the identity of his body was not confirmed
until 1996.
Since 1978 when California reinstated capital punishment, 57 condemned
inmates have died from natural causes, 20 have committed suicide, 13 have been
executed in California, one was executed in Missouri; and six died from other
causes. There are 724 offenders on
California’s death row.
###
FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May
29, 2012
Contact:
Lt. Sam Robinson
(415)
454-1460 ext. 5008
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