Roll of Honor
Jerry Sanders
Incident
Correctional Officer Jerry Sanders was stabbed and killed while working at the Deuel Vocational Institution. Two inmates, both members of the radical Black Panthers, were charged with his murder. Their first trial ended with a hung jury. In the second trial, both were found guilty of first-degree murder and sentenced to death. The California Supreme Court overturned their convictions and ordered a third trial, which ended with another hung jury. In 1981, their fourth trial resulted in an acquittal for both. One inmate, serving a sentence for armed robbery, was released. The other inmate, serving a life sentence for a previous murder conviction, remained in prison. Officer Sanders had served with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation for six years. Survivors include a son, daughter, father, brother, and three uncles. The Black Panther Party was a black nationalist and Marxist revolutionary political and militant organization active in the United States between 1966 and 1982. Members and former members of the group were responsible for the murders of over 20 law enforcement officers and the wounding of dozens more across the nation. Please click here to visit all the law enforcement officers who have died as a result of the Black Panther Party's violent activism.
Survivors
Survivors include a son, daughter, father, brother, and three uncles.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-CA-4A3DB412- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- August 2, 2026
- Last updated
- August 2, 2026
Honored here by 1 tribute.
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Tributes
I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Correctional Officer Sanders gave the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation 6 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of California. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Correctional Officer Sanders.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Correctional Officer Jerry Sanders is one of 1 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,772 officers honored here.
In CA, 974 of 1,837 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53% of this state's fallen. That is 53 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, 30 of 42 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 71.4% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Jerry Sanders's cause is highlighted.
How Jerry Sanders Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Jerry Sanders is highlighted in Nov.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Jerry Sanders was killed by edged weapon.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
41 officers from California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
