Netflix Rebroadcast Sparks Interest in 2015 Prison Escape Series

The Clinton Correctional Facility escape in Dannemora, New York, is back in the spotlight thanks to Netflix streaming the series “Escape at Dannemora.” The show, which first aired on Showtime in 2018, has gained a new audience and renewed interest in the strange 2015 breakout.

In 2015, two inmates, Richard Matt and David Sweat, planned and executed an escape from the maximum-security prison with the help of prison worker Joyce “Tilly” Mitchell. Despite serving time for serious crimes, the two inmates were housed in the “Honor Block” of the facility, which provided them with additional privileges.

Leading up to the escape, Sweat chipped away at walls and pipes using tools provided by Mitchell. The escape plan was facilitated by Mitchell and another prison worker, Eugene Palmer. Thanks to the lack of routine checks performed by prison guards, Sweat’s efforts went undetected until it was too late.

The investigation following the escape revealed failures by officers to properly conduct night counts, allowing Sweat’s nightly absences from his cell to go unnoticed. The escape shed light on systemic issues within the prison system that allowed such a breakout to occur.

The tale of the Dannemora escape is a fascinating one, filled with twists and turns. As viewers revisit this story through “Escape at Dannemora,” they are once again captivated by the strange and intriguing details of this real-life prison break.