Condemned Killer Todd Givens Investigated For San Quentin Death Row Guard Attack

SAN QUENTIN (CBS SF) -- Condemned killer Todd Givens, on San Quentin's Death Row for a pair of Tulare County murders, allegedly attempted to slash a guard's neck with a prison-made weapon while being served breakfast, according to prison officials.

San Quentin officials said the incident took place Thursday morning in a death row housing unit as a correctional officer was picking up food trays following breakfast.

Givens tried to slash the officer in his neck with an inmate-made weapon that had two razor blades and a sharpened, broken piece of nail clippers attached to it. The officer grabbed the weapon with his left hand. As Givens pulled the weapon back, it slashed the officer's hand.

The offier was taken to a hospital where he received five stitches and was released. Givens was re-housed in the Adjustment Center pending the investigation.

Givens, 51, and his wife, Lacey, 43, were convicted of murdering Barry Scott Holstone, 30, of Earlimart, and his sister, Patreace Holstone, 32, of Porterville in 1997. Their bodies were found inside a burning car in an olive orchard near Givens' home at the time.

He was sentenced to death in 2004 on charges that included first-degree murder with use of a deadly weapon, intentional discharge of a firearm causing great bodily injury/death, another first-degree murder conviction, arson of property, and arson of a structure on forest land.

Lacey was sentenced to life without parole at the women's state prison in Chowchilla.

During his trial, prosecutors argued the Holstones were killed because the Nazi Low Riders prison gang wanted Barry killed.