On this day, Aug. 7, in 1970, California Judge Harold Haley was abducted and killed with three others during a prisoner escape attempt.

Haley, 65, was presiding over the trial of James McClain, accused of stabbing a San Quentin prison guard while serving a sentence for burglary.

Jonathan Jackson, 17, snuck guns into Haley's courtroom in Marin County and freed McClain and two other San Quentin inmates.

McClain told the judge: "Call off your pigs or we'll kill everyone in the room!"

The inmates fastened a sawed-off shotgun to Haley's neck with adhesive tape, and tied four other hostages with piano wire.

A gun battle erupted outside, killing three inmates and Haley, who suffered a shotgun blast to his face and a .357 magnum bullet wound to his chest from one of the inmates.

-- Scott McCabe