Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 47:49 — 65.7MB)
Alcatraz shut its cell doors more than 60 years ago, but its grip on the American imagination hasn’t loosened.
Each year, nearly a million and a half tourists ride the ferry across San Francisco Bay, through cold, choppy waters, to walk the crumbling corridors of the most infamous prison in U.S. history.
Visitors today frequently cite the desire to see the cellblocks that once confined legendary outlaws,
Notorious gangsters such as Al Capone, George “Machine Gun” Kelly, and Robert “Birdman” Stroud were inmates here, cementing Alcatraz’s image as the end of the line for incorrigible criminal offenders.
I’ve included a link in the show notes to their “rap sheets” from the Warden’s records.
During its 29 years as a federal prison, Alcatraz gained a fearsome reputation for strict discipline and inescapable walls.
Now, President Donald Trump says he wants to reopen and expand Alcatraz as a high-security federal prison.
In this episode, I take a hard look at the history of The Rock—how it earned its reputation as escape-proof, the men it held, the myth it became, and why, even in ruins, it still casts a long shadow over American justice.
The Warden’s “Rap Sheets” for Alcatraz’s infamous convicts.
PLEASE SUPPORT MY WORK
Click here to purchase my “Texas Crime Stories” audiobook. It downloads into your podcast app.
Click here to purchase the Paperback & Kindle editions on Amazon.
Subscribe to the True Crime Reporter® podcast.
Subscribe to the “Stories To Keep You Safe” Newsletter on the True Crime Reporter® website.
Schedule me to speak at your social meeting or corporate event.
My presentation, “Evil Walks Among Us,” features stories about serial killers and notorious criminals and personal safety tips.
Step into the storied halls of the Texas Prison Museum and uncover the gripping tales of infamous inmates, daring escapes, and the history of justice in the Lone Star State.
GET YOUR EXCLUSIVE DISCOUNT PROMO CODES
Click the Promo Code for your exclusive 20% OFF DISCOUNT at Eric Javits Designer Hats.
We wear these hats and receive a sales commission to keep producing stories.
Click the Promo Code for your exclusive 41% OFF DISCOUNT at Cozy Earth Bedding & Lounge Wear.
Oprah’s favorite since 2018. We receive a sales commission.
Click the Promo Code for your exclusive 30% OFF DISCOUNT at Protégé Painless Stiletto Heels
Designed by an MIT graduate who wanted comfort & luxury. We receive a sales commission.
Click the Promo Code for your exclusive 20% OFF DISCOUNT at Men’s HyperNatural Cool Polo Shirts.
Great for travel and golf. We receive a sales commission.
Click the Promo Code for your exclusive 15% OFF DISCOUNT at TONA Activewear Designer Gym Leggings.
Created by one of the founding designers of Lululemon. We receive a sales commission.