Officer John V. Mills

John V. Mills

Officer Mills was beaten to death at Soledad Prison by three inmates in retaliation for the deaths of three inmates the previous year. Officer William Shull was beaten to death on July 23, 1970, in retaliation for the same three deaths.

All three inmates were charged with first degree murder. Two of the inmates were tried and acquitted in March of 1972. The evidence revealed that it was the third inmate who killed Officer Mills. That inmate, who was awaiting his trial at San Quentin, was shot and killed by a guard during a prison riot on August 21, 1971. The riot, which he was personally responsible for starting, resulted in the deaths of three Correctional Officers; Officer Frank Deleon, Sergeant Jere Graham, and Officer Paul Krasenes.

On July 21, 1971, Officer Leo Davis was stabbed to death at the San Quentin State Prison while guarding a prisoner who was a witness to Officer Shull's murder. Three inmates were attempting to gain access to the prisoner's hospital cell to murder him and attacked Officer Davis in an attempted to get his keys.