Inmate Escalates Prison Violence | Bakersfield News

A violent prison brawl erupted at Kern Valley State Prison when inmate Derrick Smith, already serving life for murder and armed with an improvised weapon, charged a custody officer, pepper-sprayed him, then attacked another inmate—only stopped by a 40mm round. Both victims survived with injuries, Smith is now in restricted housing as authorities investigate attempted homicide. This isn’t his first brush with trouble—he’s also got a year added to his sentence for weapons possession inside. The DA’s office is stepping in, and staff are getting mental health support after the chaos. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/4196cf63c7d59abf