With The Murderer Who He Testified Against a Trial– And Is Promptly Beaten To Death

Now, this should make for an interesting torts case. Oklahoma State Penitentiary moved prisoner, Paul Duran Jr., 23 (left), after he had a fight with another cellmate. They choose Jessie James Dalton (right), who not only has a name for crime but happens to be the very man that Duran testified against in a murder case (resulting in his being given a life sentence without parole). Dalton allegedly beat Duran to death within 15 minutes.

Duran and Dalton were both accused in the January 2002 shooting death of Billy Wayne Ray in Oklahoma City. Duran took a plea on a robbery charge and testified against Dalton on the murder count. Duran received a 28-year sentence.

The prison admits that the inmates were supposed to be kept separate. In such cases, there is always a suspicion that a guard might have used an adverse cellmate as punishment for the inmate. In most such assignments, the issue is treated as a discretionary matter. However, this is one of the rare cases where a lawsuit might have a chance of success. These cases often involve prison rape allegations where prison officials ignore abuse of a prison or even allegedly take sadistic pleasure in such attacks as in this case.

Davontae Sanford (right). Vincent Smothers (left)

Given the documented dangers of housing inmates connected to the same crime as noted above why would the Michigan Dept of Corrections repeat this dangerous practice, especially when one of the parties is a juvenile with learning difficulties?


Some sociopathic criminals—like Mr. Smothers who has taken 7 lives—are beyond rehabilitation and he would likely kill again, if provoked or give an assignment to kill another prison mate to one of his prison gang.


The law on housing inmates connected in the same crime seems unclear, but common sense tells me that this vulnerable Inmate, Davontae Sanford should be relocated as soon as possible for his safety.