Bren F
Two prisoners in New Jersey have staged a daring escape apparently inspired by the film The Shawshank Redemption.
The pair, said to be armed and dangerous, are still on the run after digging holes in the walls of their cells and squeezing through.
As in The Shawshank Redemption, they used posters of bikini-clad girls to conceal the holes.
The pair, Jose Espinosa and Otis Blunt, left a note wishing the authorities "Happy Holidays" and thanking a guard they claimed had helped them.
Espinosa, 20, had pleaded guilty to aggravated manslaughter following a drive-by shooting and was facing a minimum of 17 years when he was due to be sentenced on January 25.
Blunt, 32, was being held on robbery charges.
Both were in the high security area of New Jersey's Union County Jail.
The pair used two improvised tools, including a thick metal wire, to remove cinderblocks from the wall in Espinosa's cell.
A 10lb steel water shut-off wheel was then used to crush the cinderblocks so that they could be hidden in the cells.
They wiggled through the holes, jumped off a 30ft-high wall and then scaled a razor-wire fence before getting to rail tracks and making their escape.
It is thought that the break-out was planned fairly quickly as both men were only held for a few weeks. Prison authorities are investigating the claim that a warden helped with the escape.
In The Shawshank Redemption, a wrongly convicted prisoner played by Tim Robbins digs his way out of his cell, hiding the hole with posters of pin-ups like Raquel Welch.
Video here:
http://news.sky.com/skynews/video/fullscr?videoRef=http://skynews-clips.videoloungetv.com/public/skynews/latest/flash/prison_break.flv
The pair, said to be armed and dangerous, are still on the run after digging holes in the walls of their cells and squeezing through.
As in The Shawshank Redemption, they used posters of bikini-clad girls to conceal the holes.
The pair, Jose Espinosa and Otis Blunt, left a note wishing the authorities "Happy Holidays" and thanking a guard they claimed had helped them.
Espinosa, 20, had pleaded guilty to aggravated manslaughter following a drive-by shooting and was facing a minimum of 17 years when he was due to be sentenced on January 25.
Blunt, 32, was being held on robbery charges.
Both were in the high security area of New Jersey's Union County Jail.
The pair used two improvised tools, including a thick metal wire, to remove cinderblocks from the wall in Espinosa's cell.
A 10lb steel water shut-off wheel was then used to crush the cinderblocks so that they could be hidden in the cells.
They wiggled through the holes, jumped off a 30ft-high wall and then scaled a razor-wire fence before getting to rail tracks and making their escape.
It is thought that the break-out was planned fairly quickly as both men were only held for a few weeks. Prison authorities are investigating the claim that a warden helped with the escape.
In The Shawshank Redemption, a wrongly convicted prisoner played by Tim Robbins digs his way out of his cell, hiding the hole with posters of pin-ups like Raquel Welch.
Video here:
http://news.sky.com/skynews/video/fullscr?videoRef=http://skynews-clips.videoloungetv.com/public/skynews/latest/flash/prison_break.flv
Posté Tue 18 Dec 07 @ 12:21 pm
A Man and His Music
The next town over from me. Got to give them credit. Doing the shakedown the next day, they found a 70 foot rope made out of sheets, from another prisoner. Who says you don't learn anything from TV? Of course they will be caught shortly, because like most criminals, they are short sighted.
Posté Tue 18 Dec 07 @ 12:45 pm
mp3jrick
Well they have't caught you yet Rick...
Posté Tue 18 Dec 07 @ 1:02 pm
Tear Em 'Up
In both the movie and the short story (by Stephen King, Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Prison, from the compilation The Four Seasons. It was under the category of Hope Springs Eternal) Andy Dufraine, the Tim Robbins character, took over ten years to dig his way out using a rock hammer. Trying to make as little noise as possible.
In Bren's post it sounds like the one guy was freshly incarcerated. My Thought is, WHERE WERE THE DAMN GUARDS???? No one heard a couple of prisoners banging on the wall?? Good security at that place....
In Bren's post it sounds like the one guy was freshly incarcerated. My Thought is, WHERE WERE THE DAMN GUARDS???? No one heard a couple of prisoners banging on the wall?? Good security at that place....
Posté Tue 18 Dec 07 @ 1:03 pm
jimmy b
One of the best films, Shawshank. It's my top 10
Jimmy b
Posté Tue 18 Dec 07 @ 1:19 pm
djej
Only about 40 minutes from me. They are probably heading toward me right now trying to get to Pennsylvania. It's gonna be cold for them tonight. Hmm I need to lock my doors.
Posté Tue 18 Dec 07 @ 1:33 pm
A Man and His Music
mp3jrick wrote :
Well they have't caught you yet Rick...
I'm not like most criminals. I also have better lawyers, and bondsmen, on call. I am only half joking.
There is a reason for that. The last time I was arrested (we won't go into the other times), it was for some very serious crimes. Someone actually POSITIVILY identified me through a two way mirror (I was the only one there). When I looked at the composite sketch, I recognized this guy, as one of the regulars in one of my clubs. I called the club, found his name, and gave it to the police. They did not want to hear it, I was their guy. Fortunately for me, I remembered the date. I was the DJ at a retirement party, in front of 300 people. My attorney showed up with 10 sworn affidavits and a promise of 290 more, and I was released. This took 6 days. To this day, I am conscious of where I am, and try to keep track of my time. What if I had just been home, watching TV by my self? You have no idea how close I came to being locked up for 30 years.
Posté Tue 18 Dec 07 @ 2:14 pm
Tear Em 'Up
A Man and His Music wrote :
I also have better lawyers, and bondsmen, on call.
I am not sure AMaHM but.....are you saying those two who escaped need better bondsmen?.....or better lawyers? Or better time keeping records? Or less time watching TBS?...
Posté Tue 18 Dec 07 @ 2:24 pm
fatkatzdj
@ amahm
I feel the exact same way. That's one of my fears as well. My dad was a policeman, My best freind is a policeman and they both say the same thing of there is so many fales arrest due to looking like someone else. My SSN number is tagged in the airport so I can't even get through security without being searched and questioned every time. There is no just arriving at the terminal just in time to board for me. I have to schedule for security detail. I know how it all started but I can't do anything about it due to the fact that's in the government system. So all you people that look like you belong in an horror movie are lucky because theres not going to be a lot of people that look like you.
I feel the exact same way. That's one of my fears as well. My dad was a policeman, My best freind is a policeman and they both say the same thing of there is so many fales arrest due to looking like someone else. My SSN number is tagged in the airport so I can't even get through security without being searched and questioned every time. There is no just arriving at the terminal just in time to board for me. I have to schedule for security detail. I know how it all started but I can't do anything about it due to the fact that's in the government system. So all you people that look like you belong in an horror movie are lucky because theres not going to be a lot of people that look like you.
Posté Tue 18 Dec 07 @ 2:47 pm
A Man and His Music
TearEmUp wrote :
I am not sure AMaHM but.....are you saying those two who escaped need better bondsmen?.....or better lawyers? Or better time keeping records? Or less time watching TBS?...
A Man and His Music wrote :
I also have better lawyers, and bondsmen, on call.
I am not sure AMaHM but.....are you saying those two who escaped need better bondsmen?.....or better lawyers? Or better time keeping records? Or less time watching TBS?...
The TBS thing worked out for them, but this is how this will end. They will be caught in their own neighborhoods, or driving down south, in the next day or two. If there is a reward, one of their relatives will turn them in, (because they don't want them to be killed). As clever as this was, and you have to give it to them, I doubt they thought this through. Like getting on a plane right away, to a country that has no extradition treaty with the US. They are few, and most of them you would not want to live in, and you would need a lot of money. The worst thing they did, was mock the idiot guards. Now that has all law enforcement pissed.
I think one was waiting to be sentenced, so he needed a better lawyer. The one waiting for trail, needed a better bondsmen. After they are caught, they will have a lot time keep their records up to date.
Plus, they messed it up for the rest of the guys. No More Pinups. So now when you want to take matters into your own hands, it will have to be from memory.
Posté Tue 18 Dec 07 @ 4:02 pm