CA DOC chief apologizes re death chamber secrecy

CA DOC chief apologizes re death chamber secrecy

Article Link :	http://www.marinij.com/marin/ci_5851970
Article :

Prisons chief apologizes for death chamber debacle

Edwin Garcia

Article Launched: 05/09/2007 12:17:26 AM PDT

SACRAMENTO - A contrite James Tilton, head of the California prison system, apologized Tuesday for lawmakers being kept in the dark about construction of a new death chamber at San Quentin State Prison.

Tilton, who said his own staff also failed to inform him, pledged to improve the management structure within the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and implement better checks and balances on construction projects.

"I apologize for this project," Tilton told the Senate Public Safety Committee. "This was one of those issues that should have been communicated to the Legislature."

The informational hearing was ordered by committee chairwoman Gloria Romero, D-Los Angeles, nearly a month after she and other legislators learned that prison officials had "secretly" ordered construction at a cost just below the threshold that would require notifying lawmakers.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger ordered the project halted April 20, shortly after he learned of the construction. ...