BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — Two inmates serving life sentences at Kern Valley State Prison have each been sentenced to an additional 27 years after a violent assault on a fellow inmate in April 2024. According to Kern County Superior Court records, David Charles Macon, 50, and Michael Gaddy, 49, were convicted last month for the attack.
The Kern County District Attorney’s Office reported that the pair assaulted another inmate on the prison patio using homemade stabbing weapons. The victim, who was walking with a wooden cane, tried to defend himself but was overpowered. During the attack, Gaddy took the cane and Macon used it to beat the victim, inflicting at least eight wounds. The victim required medical treatment. The assault was stopped thanks to the quick response of officers from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
The jury determined that Gaddy and Macon had planned the attack and demonstrated behavior posing a serious threat to society. The crime was described as particularly violent and callous, especially given the vulnerability of the victim.
Gaddy has a criminal history that includes five prior felony convictions, such as robbery and attempted murder. Macon has three previous violent felony convictions for robbery and was previously convicted for assaulting a fellow prisoner in an unrelated case where he tried to slash the victim’s eyes, according to the district attorney’s office.
Both men were formally sentenced on August 1, 2025, court records show.
