To Alcatraz Death Row and Back

In 1934, John Paul Scott was sentenced to death for the murder of a police officer. He was just 23 years old.

To Alcatraz, Death Row, and Back: Memories of an East LA Outlaw

by Ernie López

5 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	1862 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	247 pages
Lending	:	Enabled

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Scott was sent to Alcatraz, the notorious federal prison, to await execution. Alcatraz was known as "the Rock" because of its isolation and harsh conditions. The prison was located on an island in San Francisco Bay, and it was surrounded by cold, choppy waters. The cells were small and dark, and the prisoners were subjected to constant surveillance.

Scott spent the next 17 years on Alcatraz, awaiting execution. He never gave up hope, though. He worked hard to rehabilitate himself, and he became a model prisoner.

In 1951, Scott's luck finally changed. A new warden was appointed to Alcatraz, and he was more lenient than the previous warden. Scott was able to convince the warden to let him work in the prison library. This gave him access to books and other materials that he could use to educate himself.

Scott also began to work with a group of other prisoners who were planning an escape. The group met secretly, and they developed a plan to escape from Alcatraz.

On the night of June 11, 1951, Scott and his fellow escapees put their plan into action. They used a hacksaw to cut through the bars of their cell windows, and then they climbed out of the windows and onto the roof of the prison. They then used a raft to cross the bay to freedom.

Scott and his fellow escapees were the only people to ever escape from Alcatraz. They were all eventually captured, but Scott was the only one who was not sentenced to death again.

Scott's story is a remarkable story of hope and perseverance. He never gave up on his dream of freedom, and he eventually achieved it. His story is an inspiration to us all, and it shows us that anything is possible if we never give up.

Additional Information

• Scott was the only person to ever escape from Alcatraz and not be sentenced to death again.
• Scott's escape from Alcatraz was the inspiration for the Clint Eastwood movie Escape from Alcatraz.
• Scott died in 1994 at the age of 80.

Image Credits

* John Paul Scott by the National Park Service. * Alcatraz by Britannica.com.

To Alcatraz, Death Row, and Back: Memories of an East LA Outlaw

by Ernie López

5 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	1862 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	247 pages
Lending	:	Enabled

FREE