Condemned inmate Lawley found unresponsive in cell

SAN QUENTIN – On March 11, 2012 at approximately 3:50 p.m. condemned inmate Dennis Lawley, 69, was found unresponsive in his cell at San Quentin State Prison. Lawley was pronounced dead of natural causes at approximately 4:20 p.m. He was single-celled.

Lawley was sentenced to death by a Stanislaus County jury for first-degree murder with special circumstances on February 26, 1989 for the murder-for-hire of Kenneth Lawton Stewart on January 28, 1998. 

 Lawley was received onto California’s death row at San Quentin on March 1, 1990.

Since 1978 when California reinstated capital punishment, 56 condemned inmates have died from natural causes, 19 committed suicide, 13 were executed in California, one was executed in Missouri and six died from other causes.  As of March 12, 2012, there are 722 offenders on California’s death row.