LAUSD Assistant Teacher Accused Of Smuggling Drugs, Phones To Death Row Inmate

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — An LAUSD assistant teacher is facing charges of smuggling heroin and cell phones to a death row inmate convicted of eight murders in Southern California.

Teri Orina Nichols, 47, of Bellflower, was arrested Thursday at San Quentin State Prison during a visit with 50-year-old killer Bruce Millsap, according to the Marin Independent Journal. She was described as an "assistant teacher" with the Los Angeles Unified School District by prison officials.

Nichols posted bail and is scheduled to return to a Marin County courtroom for arraignment on Sept. 13.

When questioned about some plastic bags in a trash can, prison officials said Nichols pulled out a large cloth beanie from under her clothes that held 18 cell phones with chargers, two unidentified blue pills and roughly three ounces of heroin.

Millsap and co-defendant Kendrick Loot were sentenced to death in 2000 for the robbery-murders of two armored car guards and a third man during a year-long crime spree in 1995-1996. Millsap was also convicted of five other killings. He was also later charged with trying to take a contract out on the lives of two deputy district attorneys as well two witnesses against him, but prosecutors decided against pursuing those allegations.

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