In Re Wilson

During the course of administrative proceedings to be described, prison authorities designated inmate Chauncey T. Wilson as an “R” suffix prisoner, based on his supposed status as a sex-related crime offender, thereby imposing restrictions not ordinarily placed on prison inmates. The trial court granted Wilson’s petition for a writ of habeas corpus and ordered the Warden of San Quentin State Prison and the Director of the Department of Corrections to remove the designation. These officials appeal from that order, contending that the trial court erred in concluding they had acted arbitrarily and capriciously. The question presented is whether this internal classification was properly imposed upon the basis of charges which were found true by a jury but subsequently dismissed by a court. We hold that this ground is sufficient to sustain the classification.

Background

On April 23, 1984, a jury returned verdicts finding Wilson guilty as charged of robbery, burglary, kidnapping, attempted extortion, and three counts of forcible rape. On June 4th, the trial court granted Wilson’s motion for a new trial as to all charges save the burglary and attempted extortion counts, on the…