Murder in baseball dugout / prison escapee - Mark Adams

[mercy1825]

I remember a case profiled early on Unsolved Mysteries in which some high school kids were drinking in a baseball dugout at a local school when some guys came up to them and demanded their money. When they refused, the guy opened fire with a machine gun and kille at least one of them. The man was arrested. The reason this was profiled is because he had recently escaped from prison. Any one have a name????

[Kane]

The killer's name was Mark Adams. The teenager he killed was Michael Ridenour (who was the nephew of a police detective). Adams escaped in 1986, but was captured in 1993. Then in 1994, he got into a fight with another inmate, only to be shot to death by a correctional officer.

[mercy1825]

thanks for the quick answer. Do you know where I can find any information on this? How did you know about the fact that Adams was killed?

[mercy1825]

http://www.geocities.com/capitolhill...ate_death.html

the second article gives a good description of the case. Very good read.

[Kane]

Originally Posted by mercy1825

thanks for the quick answer. Do you know where I can find any information on this? How did you know about the fact that Adams was killed?

You are welcome. Actually, his capture and death were mentioned in the UM segment, when the update was added.

I don't recall whether UM mentioned that fact that the victim, Michael Ridenour, was the nephew of a police detective, but it was acknowledged on America's Most Wanted. (Needless to say Mark Adams was another one of many fugitives profiled on both UM and AMW.)

[mortytbusybody]

Does anyone happen to know if it was ever discovered how Mark Adams escaped from San Quentin, or is the prison not releasing this info for fear of a copy-cat?

[Blackout]

Originally Posted by mortytbusybody

Does anyone happen to know if it was ever discovered how Mark Adams escaped from San Quentin, or is the prison not releasing this info for fear of a copy-cat?

on the broadcast it was concluded that he most likely used fake visiter identification passes and simply walked his way out

[crystaldawn]

I didn't know if you guys knew this but apparently Mark Adam's family was awarded a large judgment due to his death:

CALIFORNIA JURY AWARDS $2.3 MILLION TO ESTATE OF SLAIN PRISONER

On November 30, a California jury ordered the state to pay more than $2.3 million in damages, mostly punitive, to the estate of Mark Adams, an inmate at San Quentin State Prison who was killed by a prison guard's bullet while Adams was fighting another prisoner.

The jury found that Adams' death was caused by a negligent state policy on the use of lethal force by prison guards. Lawyers for Adams' estate said that California was the only state in which prison guards were allowed to use guns with live ammunition to break up fights between prisoners. Adams, who was 30 at the time of his death, had entered an exercise yard and immediately attacked Paul Green, another prisoner.

Lawyers for Adams' estate claimed that Adams had feared that an attack by Green was imminent. Timothy S. Reynolds, a prison guard, who thought Green was in danger, shouted at Adams, and then fired two warning shots. When Adams did not respond, the guard fired at Adams' leg from 25 yards away, but missed and hit Adams in the back of his head.

("Jury's Verdict Shocks State Prison System," Los Angeles Times, December 1, 1998, p. A3.)
California Department of Corrections - 107 South Broadway, Room 3007, Los Angeles, CA 90012, Tel: (213) 897-1001, (213) 897-1020.
Attorney for Adams' Estate - John Scott, Esq. - 433 Turk St., San Francisco, CA 94102-3356, Tel: (415) 292-1660, Fax: (415) 776-4237.
Catherine Campbell, Esq. - P.O. Box 4470, Fresno, CA 93728, Tel: (209) 498-8140, Fax: (209) 221-0268, E-mail: cathsoup@aol.com .•

[DarkDante]

^ Wow thanks for the updates CD and Kane. I don't know what to think about this but I did want to mention that Adams would have been elligible for parole next year had he lived, that is taking into account what was said on the segment. Not sure if he got additional "time" due to his escape.

[kadrmas15]

Well only in California could the state be sued for the death of a prisoner and have the people suing win. Over 2 million? It sounds like the guard had crappy aim but I dont think the guard intended to kill Mark Adams.

[LooksLikeCRicci]

From the legal perspective... that wouldn't happen in just California. If the family could make the legal argument that the prison breached their duty to the prisoner and that breach resulted in the prisoner's death, they could be awarded damages. That's just straight-up tort law.

[WatchYourLips]

Damages? How about damages to the families of the people this cowardly scum bag killed in cold blood. A bullet in the back of this guys head was way too easy for him. He should have led a long, torchered, anxiety filled existence.

I know you're just pointing out legal perspective, but the fact that California had to pay this coward's family any money just goes to prove that many lawyers just use our legal system for personal gain (what was the lawyer's take on this case). Lawyers are the scum of the Earth.

WATCH YOUR LIPS

[LooksLikeCRicci]

Originally Posted by WatchYourLips

Damages? How about damages to the families of the people this cowardly scum bag killed in cold blood. A bullet in the back of this guys head was way too easy for him. He should have led a long, torchered, anxiety filled existence.

I know you're just pointing out legal perspective, but the fact that California had to pay this coward's family any money just goes to prove that many lawyers just use our legal system for personal gain (what was the lawyer's take on this case). Lawyers are the scum of the Earth.

*puts her hands up and backs away slowly*

Seriously, though. I feel as if I should make this clear: I DO NOT THINK THAT INMATES ARE OWED A DUTY OF CARE BY THE STATES THAT INCARCERATE THEM. I make legal commentary from time to time. It in no way reflects my feelings about something.

And not all lawyers are the scum of the Earth; I work with several that are quite nice.

[WatchYourLips]

Yea, I know. I'm sorry. It's just that cases like this, and as you know there are many, just piss me off.

I didn't mean anything about you personally

[Kane]

Originally Posted by LooksLikeCRicci

And not all lawyers are the scum of the Earth; I work with several that are quite nice.

True. There are a lot of good lawyers. But even the legal system is not devoid of bad apples. So unfortunately, there are some lawyers who are unscrupulous enough to try and take advantage of the court system, especially in order advance some agenda, no matter how disagreeable their agenda might be.