8. 1984 Escape from Death Row
In one of the most outrageous prison escapes in American history, six convicted murderers on Death Row escaped from an allegedly “escape-proof” prison by walking out the front door. Led by the notorious killers James and Linwood Briley, the six men began carefully planning their escape from Mecklenburg Correctional Center months before. By carefully observing the schedules and habits of their guards, they found the perfect time to act.
On May 31, 1984, the escape began after the inmates attacked and overpowered correctional officers as they made their rounds. Changing into the guards’ clothing and stealing riot helmets, the prisoners disguised themselves as they moved toward the exit. To distract all of the other correctional officers, they covered a TV with a sheet and, rolling it along on a stretcher, claimed they were moving a bomb out of Death Row. For dramatic effect, one of the inmates sprayed the TV with a fire extinguisher as they walked out the door. It took over thirty minutes before anyone even noticed that they were gone.
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