Kern Valley State Prison Officials Investigating Death of an Incarcerated Person as a Homicide

DELANO - California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation officials are investigating the Nov. 9, 2024, death of an incarcerated person at Kern Valley State Prison (KVSP) as a homicide.

At 3:19 p.m., officers observed Gregory Clark, 58, in his cell with blood on his clothing. Staff immediately called for assistance and were able to remove Clark without incident. Clark's cellmate, 41-year-old Darius J. Swain, was observed unresponsive in the cell. Medical staff arrived and began live saving measures on Swain and alerted 911.

Swaim was transported to the institution's Treatment and Triage Area. Paramedics arrived and pronounced Swain deceased at 3:48 p.m.

Clark has been placed in restricted housing pending an investigation by KVSP's Investigative Services Unit. The Office of the Inspector General was notified and the Kern County Coroner will determine Clark's cause of death.

Swain was received from Alameda County on March 18, 2019. He was sentenced to life with the possibility of parole for human trafficking of a minor with force, fear, fraud, deceit, violence - a second-strike offense; pimping; pandering; second-degree robbery and possession of a firearm by a felon.

Clark was received was received from Los Angeles County on March 29, 2011. He was sentenced to 22 years for corporal injury on a spouse/cohabitant, a second-strike offense; an enhancement of use of a deadly weapon; prior prison term; and prior felony conviction of a serious offense. On Jan. 25, 2021, he was sentenced by a Kern County court to two additional years for assault by a prisoner with a deadly weapon.

Darius Swain

Gregory Clark

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: [email protected]