Film Lens
The documentary covers the escape of six death row inmates from Mecklenburg Correctional Center in Virginia. It details the events leading up to their escape, including the discovery of a bomb in the prison, which was used as a distraction. The inmates overpowered guards with homemade weapons and managed to drive away in a prison van, marking the first escape of death row inmates in U.S. history.
The film follows the ensuing manhunt as law enforcement agencies, including the Virginia State Police and the Bureau of Criminal Investigation, mobilized to recapture the fugitives. It shows the urgency and fear surrounding the escape, as the governor issued a state of alert due to the violent backgrounds of the escapees, all of whom were awaiting execution for serious crimes. The documentary concludes with the fate of the escapees and the ongoing debate over capital punishment in Virginia.
Why Watch
- •See how six killers escaped from a high-security prison.
- •Follow the intense manhunt for the escaped inmates.
- •Meet the governor who issued a state of alert during the crisis.
Did You Know
•Mecklenburg Correctional Center was completed in 1977 at a cost of 20 million dollars.
•This escape was the first time death row inmates escaped in U.S. history.
•The escape lasted for 19 days before the inmates were recaptured.
•Willie Turner was executed in 1995, ending his life by lethal injection.
Perfect For
True crime fansPrison escape storiesCapital punishment debates