MURDER OF VISITOR AT STATE PRISON

By Bob Walsh

 

David Brinson

 

This is something that happens only VERY rarely.  In addition, though I seldom do such things, I am going to engage in just a little bit of "blame the victim" on this one.

The incident happened on November 23 of last year.  The dead person is Stephanie Dowells.  She was at the prison for what is called a "family visit" with her husband, David Brinson, 54.  He has been a guest of the people at Mule Creek state prison in CA since 1994.  He is doing LWOP X 4 plus 20 years for four murders committed in 1993.  He has been down since 1994. 

A family visit is a 30-40 hour unsupervised visit in what amounts to a two-bedroom apartment within the security perimeter of the prison. The prisoner has to appear for count as normal but staff does NOT enter the apartment except under great need. 

At about 0200 Brinson used the phone in the unit to call for assistance, saying his wife had " passed out."  She was declared dead an hour later.

The Amador County Coroner has just ruled the incident as a homicide.  Dowells was strangled.  Since there is only one possible suspect I can guess which way the legal action will go.

Maybe it is uncharitable, but I am reminded of the parable of the scorpion and the frog.