1 00:00:02,084 --> 00:00:03,043 {\an1}- Locked away in a deadly prison... 2 00:00:03,210 --> 00:00:06,168 {\an1}- It looks majestic. But looks can be deceiving. 3 00:00:06,251 --> 00:00:08,043 {\an1}- You're dealing with gang members, 4 00:00:08,126 --> 00:00:09,043 {\an1}you're dealing with rapists, 5 00:00:09,210 --> 00:00:10,710 {\an1}you're dealing with child molesters, 6 00:00:10,835 --> 00:00:12,126 {\an1}you're dealing with murderers. 7 00:00:12,251 --> 00:00:14,501 {\an1}- A manipulative convict... 8 00:00:14,585 --> 00:00:18,126 {\an1}- Timothy Vail was a mean, nasty, dangerous person. 9 00:00:18,251 --> 00:00:19,376 {\an1}- People's impressions of Tim 10 00:00:19,501 --> 00:00:22,626 {\an1}was that he had like a friendly personality. 11 00:00:22,751 --> 00:00:26,376 {\an1}- Enlists his friend and fellow cellmate... 12 00:00:26,501 --> 00:00:29,168 {\an1}- Vail, he really needed somebody he could trust 13 00:00:29,251 --> 00:00:32,793 {\an1}and not squeal on his plan or divulge it in any way. 14 00:00:32,918 --> 00:00:34,668 {\an1}- To tunnel out of their cell... 15 00:00:34,751 --> 00:00:36,376 {\an1}[dramatic music] 16 00:00:36,460 --> 00:00:38,710 {\an1}- To get through that hole, that's the amazing part. 17 00:00:38,793 --> 00:00:41,501 {\an1}- There was no way, no way I'm getting through that. 18 00:00:41,585 --> 00:00:43,960 {\an1}- And break out of this hellhole. 19 00:00:44,085 --> 00:00:45,918 {\an1}[thud] [dramatic musical sting] 20 00:00:46,043 --> 00:00:50,210 {\an1}[epic music] 21 00:00:50,335 --> 00:00:52,876 {\an1}Some of the greatest stories ever told 22 00:00:53,001 --> 00:00:55,376 {\an1}start behind bars. 23 00:00:56,793 --> 00:00:58,835 {\an1}Locked up in the most notorious prisons 24 00:00:58,918 --> 00:01:00,501 {\an1}in the world, 25 00:01:00,585 --> 00:01:05,126 {\an1}spied on by guards and fellow prisoners, 26 00:01:05,251 --> 00:01:08,710 {\an1}it takes a devious mind to find a way out. 27 00:01:08,876 --> 00:01:10,376 {\an1}♪ ♪ 28 00:01:10,501 --> 00:01:13,376 {\an1}It could lead you to freedom, 29 00:01:13,460 --> 00:01:15,335 {\an1}or it could cost you your life. 30 00:01:15,418 --> 00:01:17,293 {\an1}♪ ♪ 31 00:01:17,418 --> 00:01:19,876 {\an1}But wouldn't you try... 32 00:01:19,960 --> 00:01:21,626 {\an1}when you have nothing left to lose? 33 00:01:21,751 --> 00:01:26,585 {\an1}♪ ♪ 34 00:01:34,543 --> 00:01:37,210 {\an1}Imagine being crammed in this 8x10 cell 35 00:01:37,293 --> 00:01:38,835 {\an1}with another person. 36 00:01:40,126 --> 00:01:42,626 {\an1}There's barely any room to move... 37 00:01:42,751 --> 00:01:44,876 {\an1}let alone think. 38 00:01:44,960 --> 00:01:47,960 {\an1}Your cellmate can be your best friend, 39 00:01:48,085 --> 00:01:50,126 {\an1}your worst nightmare, 40 00:01:50,251 --> 00:01:52,710 {\an1}or, if you play your cards right, 41 00:01:52,835 --> 00:01:55,710 {\an1}your co-conspirator in escape. 42 00:01:55,835 --> 00:01:57,751 {\an1}And believe me, 43 00:01:57,918 --> 00:02:01,876 {\an1}Elmira Correctional Facility is a place you want to escape. 44 00:02:03,001 --> 00:02:05,251 {\an1}[light music] 45 00:02:05,376 --> 00:02:06,543 {\an1}- It looks majestic. 46 00:02:06,710 --> 00:02:09,210 {\an1}It looks like a castle from the outside. 47 00:02:09,335 --> 00:02:10,543 {\an1}But looks can be deceiving. 48 00:02:10,710 --> 00:02:13,543 {\an1}It's a pretty dangerous, hectic place 49 00:02:13,668 --> 00:02:16,376 {\an1}when you step inside and the gates close behind you. 50 00:02:16,460 --> 00:02:18,668 {\an1}- Elmira being a maximum-security facility, 51 00:02:18,793 --> 00:02:22,710 {\an1}it houses some of the worst individuals in the state. 52 00:02:22,835 --> 00:02:25,710 {\an1}Typically, at a max, you're dealing with gang members, 53 00:02:25,835 --> 00:02:27,251 {\an1}you're dealing with rapists, 54 00:02:27,376 --> 00:02:28,793 {\an1}you're dealing with child molesters, 55 00:02:28,918 --> 00:02:30,293 {\an1}you're dealing with murderers. 56 00:02:30,418 --> 00:02:32,251 {\an1}Those are the type of individuals 57 00:02:32,376 --> 00:02:35,210 {\an1}that would be held in a facility like that. 58 00:02:35,293 --> 00:02:37,126 {\an1}[dramatic music] 59 00:02:37,251 --> 00:02:38,251 {\an1}- It wouldn't be surprising to have three, 60 00:02:38,376 --> 00:02:40,210 {\an1}four fights a week. 61 00:02:40,376 --> 00:02:43,460 {\an1}- There was a lot of stabbings and cuttings. 62 00:02:43,585 --> 00:02:47,960 {\an1}♪ ♪ 63 00:02:48,085 --> 00:02:51,043 {\an1}- The prison is built to be an inescapable fortress 64 00:02:51,126 --> 00:02:53,460 {\an1}for these violent criminals. 65 00:02:53,585 --> 00:02:55,585 {\an1}It has seven guard towers, 66 00:02:55,710 --> 00:02:59,668 {\an1}each manned by officers armed with automatic weapons, 67 00:02:59,751 --> 00:03:02,376 {\an1}fencing, and buzzers. 68 00:03:02,501 --> 00:03:05,793 {\an1}But the crown jewel of the prison security 69 00:03:05,918 --> 00:03:10,085 {\an1}is its four-story stone and steel housing unit. 70 00:03:10,210 --> 00:03:14,376 {\an1}From this cell block called F Block, 71 00:03:14,501 --> 00:03:18,335 {\an1}prisoners can see out into the free world, 72 00:03:18,418 --> 00:03:22,585 {\an1}away from all the madness inside these prison walls. 73 00:03:24,668 --> 00:03:28,835 {\an1}There was a prisoner here who has a cell with view. 74 00:03:28,960 --> 00:03:31,501 {\an1}And he isn't content to sit and daydream 75 00:03:31,626 --> 00:03:34,460 {\an1}about life on the outside. 76 00:03:34,585 --> 00:03:37,960 {\an1}He is determined to live it. 77 00:03:38,085 --> 00:03:41,001 {\an1}His name is Timothy Vail. 78 00:03:47,626 --> 00:03:49,710 {\an1}- He had like a friendly personality, 79 00:03:49,793 --> 00:03:52,835 {\an1}but he would only show that if he was interacting 80 00:03:52,960 --> 00:03:55,293 {\an1}with somebody that he was familiar with. 81 00:03:55,418 --> 00:03:59,251 {\an1}- Timothy Vail was a mean, nasty, dangerous person. 82 00:03:59,376 --> 00:04:01,293 {\an1}He was a rapist and a murderer. 83 00:04:01,418 --> 00:04:04,251 {\an1}He raped a pregnant woman and killed her. 84 00:04:05,710 --> 00:04:07,876 {\an1}- Vail is sentenced to 49 years to life 85 00:04:07,960 --> 00:04:10,043 {\an1}for his crimes. 86 00:04:10,126 --> 00:04:14,668 {\an1}By 2003, he has already spent 15 years behind bars. 87 00:04:14,751 --> 00:04:17,210 {\an1}He will be a very old man by the time 88 00:04:17,293 --> 00:04:20,668 {\an1}he's released-- if that day ever comes. 89 00:04:21,835 --> 00:04:24,418 {\an1}He is looking for another way out. 90 00:04:25,418 --> 00:04:27,543 {\an1}And one day, in the prison yard, 91 00:04:27,668 --> 00:04:30,625 {\an1}he thinks he's spotted it. 92 00:04:32,043 --> 00:04:35,793 {\an1}- From the gym yard, you can see up onto the roof, 93 00:04:35,918 --> 00:04:38,210 {\an1}and you can see that, above F Block, 94 00:04:38,335 --> 00:04:40,710 {\an1}there is the end of a venting system. 95 00:04:40,835 --> 00:04:42,668 {\an1}- From a distance, he could see 96 00:04:42,750 --> 00:04:44,625 {\an1}the big louvers of a giant fan 97 00:04:44,750 --> 00:04:47,835 {\an1}that might be 5 feet wide and 5 feet tall 98 00:04:47,918 --> 00:04:49,043 {\an1}and thought to himself, 99 00:04:49,168 --> 00:04:52,668 {\an1}"If I could get in the attic, I could disengage that fan 100 00:04:52,750 --> 00:04:55,418 {\an1}and might be able to get out on the roof." 101 00:04:55,585 --> 00:04:58,375 {\an1}- From the roof, Vail could figure a way down 102 00:04:58,460 --> 00:05:00,543 {\an1}and make his way to freedom. 103 00:05:00,710 --> 00:05:03,710 {\an1}But his first obstacle is getting to that roof. 104 00:05:03,835 --> 00:05:05,293 {\an1}He's in F Block, 105 00:05:05,418 --> 00:05:08,210 {\an1}but he's living on the bottom floor. 106 00:05:09,001 --> 00:05:11,501 {\an1}There are three stories of cells and an attic 107 00:05:11,626 --> 00:05:13,543 {\an1}between him and the roof. 108 00:05:13,668 --> 00:05:17,543 {\an1}He has to find a way to be moved to the top floor, 109 00:05:17,668 --> 00:05:19,875 {\an1}so he can get into the attic. 110 00:05:19,960 --> 00:05:23,500 {\an1}Vail realizes he knows the perfect person 111 00:05:23,585 --> 00:05:26,375 {\an1}who lives on the top floor 112 00:05:26,500 --> 00:05:30,710 {\an1}and just so happens to be in a double bunk cell. 113 00:05:30,793 --> 00:05:33,418 {\an1}His name is Timothy Morgan. 114 00:05:39,585 --> 00:05:42,375 {\an1}Timothy Morgan is serving 25 years to life 115 00:05:42,500 --> 00:05:45,793 {\an1}for murdering a cab driver during a robbery. 116 00:05:45,918 --> 00:05:47,875 {\an1}Like Vail... 117 00:05:47,960 --> 00:05:50,835 {\an1}he'd had enough of life in this hellhole. 118 00:05:52,085 --> 00:05:55,043 {\an1}- Morgan and Vail met when they were in E Block, 119 00:05:55,168 --> 00:05:57,835 {\an1}which is a substance abuse treatment program. 120 00:05:57,918 --> 00:05:59,375 {\an1}They double-bunked there for a little while, 121 00:05:59,460 --> 00:06:01,501 {\an1}got to know each other. 122 00:06:01,585 --> 00:06:04,710 {\an1}- I believe that Vail picked Morgan 123 00:06:04,876 --> 00:06:08,251 {\an1}because he was a follower and would follow his direction 124 00:06:08,376 --> 00:06:09,835 {\an1}and agreed with the plan. 125 00:06:11,460 --> 00:06:14,043 {\an1}- With Morgan enlisted in trying to escape, 126 00:06:14,168 --> 00:06:15,626 {\an1}they now need to figure out 127 00:06:15,751 --> 00:06:18,168 {\an1}how they can room with one another. 128 00:06:19,460 --> 00:06:21,750 {\an1}- Morgan was already with another inmate 129 00:06:21,875 --> 00:06:26,250 {\an1}in the cell up on the top tier of F Block. 130 00:06:26,375 --> 00:06:28,918 {\an1}Vail approached him with his plan, 131 00:06:29,043 --> 00:06:30,335 {\an1}and in order to do that, 132 00:06:30,418 --> 00:06:32,835 {\an1}he had to get the other inmate in with him 133 00:06:32,918 --> 00:06:35,625 {\an1}to request to get out of the double bunk cell. 134 00:06:35,750 --> 00:06:37,375 {\an1}- Timothy Vail and Timothy Morgan 135 00:06:37,500 --> 00:06:39,335 {\an1}already did live in a double bunk 136 00:06:39,418 --> 00:06:40,793 {\an1}when they were in E Block, 137 00:06:40,918 --> 00:06:42,543 {\an1}and they never once had a problem. 138 00:06:42,668 --> 00:06:45,585 {\an1}And now they're asking to double bunk again. 139 00:06:45,710 --> 00:06:47,710 {\an1}I'm gonna sign off on that, every time. 140 00:06:53,918 --> 00:06:56,375 {\an1}- As soon as Timothy Vail and Timothy Morgan 141 00:06:56,543 --> 00:06:59,960 {\an1}become cellmates, they fly into action. 142 00:07:01,085 --> 00:07:02,501 {\an1}But they don't know how they're going to 143 00:07:02,626 --> 00:07:04,751 {\an1}access the prison's attic. 144 00:07:07,293 --> 00:07:11,210 {\an1}In their cell, there aren't any easy-to-exploit openings 145 00:07:11,335 --> 00:07:13,626 {\an1}such as an air vent. 146 00:07:13,751 --> 00:07:15,793 {\an1}Those are in the hallways. 147 00:07:15,918 --> 00:07:17,875 {\an1}The only thing they can think of 148 00:07:17,960 --> 00:07:20,293 {\an1}is making a hole in the concrete ceiling 149 00:07:20,418 --> 00:07:22,500 {\an1}of their cell. 150 00:07:22,585 --> 00:07:24,710 {\an1}But if they succeed in making a hole, 151 00:07:24,793 --> 00:07:26,585 {\an1}how are they going to conceal it? 152 00:07:26,710 --> 00:07:29,460 {\an1}- They complained to the staff in the cell block 153 00:07:29,585 --> 00:07:31,125 {\an1}and said, hey, you know, 154 00:07:31,250 --> 00:07:33,625 {\an1}you have these night lights outside of our cell, 155 00:07:33,750 --> 00:07:35,710 {\an1}'cause we're in a top tier, 156 00:07:35,835 --> 00:07:37,043 {\an1}and it's really bright in our cell, 157 00:07:37,125 --> 00:07:38,168 {\an1}and it's tough to sleep. 158 00:07:38,293 --> 00:07:42,710 {\an1}Do you mind if we paint the top of our cell black to, 159 00:07:42,793 --> 00:07:44,710 {\an1}you know, cut down on the light? 160 00:07:44,835 --> 00:07:47,960 {\an1}- Usually, if an inmate is willing to paint 161 00:07:48,085 --> 00:07:49,375 {\an1}or clean up his cell 162 00:07:49,500 --> 00:07:50,875 {\an1}or pretty up his cell in some way, 163 00:07:51,000 --> 00:07:52,710 {\an1}staff is gonna say, "Absolutely. 164 00:07:52,835 --> 00:07:54,125 {\an1}Make it look better. Yeah, go ahead, paint it." 165 00:07:54,250 --> 00:07:56,543 {\an1}- In all actuality, it just made it easier 166 00:07:56,668 --> 00:07:58,625 {\an1}for them to cover the hole. 167 00:08:00,251 --> 00:08:03,126 {\an1}So, if you were to look in the cell, it's black. 168 00:08:03,251 --> 00:08:05,543 {\an1}You know, if you looked at it, it wouldn't stick out. 169 00:08:05,668 --> 00:08:07,085 {\an1}- The stage is set. 170 00:08:07,210 --> 00:08:08,835 {\an1}Now, all they need 171 00:08:08,918 --> 00:08:11,376 {\an1}is something with which to make a hole, 172 00:08:11,501 --> 00:08:13,585 {\an1}something that won't get them in trouble 173 00:08:13,710 --> 00:08:15,876 {\an1}if the cell is searched. 174 00:08:16,001 --> 00:08:18,835 {\an1}Vail knows the perfect place to find a tool 175 00:08:18,960 --> 00:08:21,250 {\an1}they might be able to use. 176 00:08:22,750 --> 00:08:25,710 {\an1}- Vail worked in the vocational carpentry shop. 177 00:08:25,875 --> 00:08:27,460 {\an1}He started out being a student there. 178 00:08:27,585 --> 00:08:29,585 {\an1}- Vail is good with tools. 179 00:08:29,710 --> 00:08:31,543 {\an1}And he quickly shows his worth 180 00:08:31,625 --> 00:08:34,835 {\an1}to the civilian instructor, Gary Silvers. 181 00:08:40,750 --> 00:08:43,668 {\an1}- Mr. Silvers was a really nice guy. 182 00:08:43,793 --> 00:08:46,335 {\an1}Type of guys I'd love to have as a neighbor. 183 00:08:46,418 --> 00:08:47,543 {\an1}I could borrow something from him. 184 00:08:47,710 --> 00:08:49,168 {\an1}He'd always be dependable. 185 00:08:49,251 --> 00:08:51,626 {\an1}I could count on him. He was a nice guy. 186 00:08:51,751 --> 00:08:53,793 {\an1}But nice guys aren't always the ones 187 00:08:53,918 --> 00:08:57,585 {\an1}who make it far in the prison environment. 188 00:08:57,710 --> 00:08:59,626 {\an1}- Vail uses his charm 189 00:08:59,751 --> 00:09:02,710 {\an1}to gain favor with Gary Silvers, 190 00:09:02,876 --> 00:09:04,710 {\an1}and Vail works his way up 191 00:09:04,876 --> 00:09:07,376 {\an1}to the position of tool clerk 192 00:09:07,501 --> 00:09:09,751 {\an1}in the prison carpentry shop. 193 00:09:11,251 --> 00:09:14,168 {\an1}- Vail worked in the tool room, which... 194 00:09:14,251 --> 00:09:16,210 {\an1}it was letting the wolf [laughs] in the hen house. 195 00:09:16,335 --> 00:09:19,210 {\an1}That gave him the opportunity to get away 196 00:09:19,376 --> 00:09:21,710 {\an1}with some of the stuff he brought back to his cell. 197 00:09:21,835 --> 00:09:24,543 {\an1}- What can Timothy Vail take back to his cell 198 00:09:24,710 --> 00:09:28,793 {\an1}from the tool room that won't be noticed? 199 00:09:28,918 --> 00:09:31,668 {\an1}- Sheet rock screws definitely is not the type of object 200 00:09:31,751 --> 00:09:34,293 {\an1}that would be counted in inventory. 201 00:09:34,418 --> 00:09:36,418 {\an1}It wouldn't even be noticed that they were missing. 202 00:09:36,585 --> 00:09:39,876 {\an1}- At the time, there were so many of those screws, 203 00:09:40,043 --> 00:09:42,376 {\an1}we couldn't count them all 204 00:09:42,501 --> 00:09:44,293 {\an1}and record how many were left, 205 00:09:44,418 --> 00:09:46,043 {\an1}how many were missing. 206 00:09:46,168 --> 00:09:48,876 {\an1}Who's countin' screws? How much can a screw hurt you? 207 00:09:50,085 --> 00:09:52,376 {\an1}- The screws are exactly what Vail and Morgan need 208 00:09:52,460 --> 00:09:53,876 {\an1}to make the hole. 209 00:09:54,043 --> 00:09:55,501 {\an1}But standing in their way 210 00:09:55,585 --> 00:09:58,251 {\an1}to get the screws back to their cell 211 00:09:58,376 --> 00:10:01,126 {\an1}is a checkpoint known as Center Gate. 212 00:10:02,210 --> 00:10:04,043 {\an1}- Center Gate is a main location 213 00:10:04,126 --> 00:10:06,543 {\an1}where everybody-- the prisoners and the staff-- 214 00:10:06,626 --> 00:10:08,585 {\an1}have to pass through 215 00:10:08,710 --> 00:10:11,251 {\an1}in order to go from the cell blocks 216 00:10:11,376 --> 00:10:14,210 {\an1}out to the vocational areas. 217 00:10:14,335 --> 00:10:17,293 {\an1}And there's a ledge where you take things out of your pocket 218 00:10:17,418 --> 00:10:19,751 {\an1}and you put it on the ledge, and the guards look at it, 219 00:10:19,876 --> 00:10:22,710 {\an1}push it through, and you pick your property back up. 220 00:10:22,835 --> 00:10:25,918 {\an1}And so they'll pick somebody out 221 00:10:26,043 --> 00:10:30,210 {\an1}and they'll put them against the fence to do a pat frisk. 222 00:10:30,335 --> 00:10:32,710 {\an1}- At the Center Gate, where they frisk the inmates, 223 00:10:32,793 --> 00:10:34,918 {\an1}class lets out in the middle of the shift. 224 00:10:35,043 --> 00:10:38,293 {\an1}There may only be one officer there at that gate, 225 00:10:38,418 --> 00:10:41,960 {\an1}who can't safely frisk these 20 inmates, 226 00:10:42,085 --> 00:10:43,710 {\an1}because you always have to have 227 00:10:43,835 --> 00:10:44,876 {\an1}someone watching your back, 228 00:10:44,960 --> 00:10:47,043 {\an1}should there be a weapon or something. 229 00:10:47,168 --> 00:10:49,251 {\an1}So, the officer, a lot of times, wouldn't frisk them. 230 00:10:49,376 --> 00:10:51,460 {\an1}And Vail knew that. 231 00:10:52,835 --> 00:10:55,043 {\an1}- Timothy Vail needs to wait for the right moment 232 00:10:55,126 --> 00:10:58,043 {\an1}to get these screws out of the workshop. 233 00:11:02,918 --> 00:11:05,210 {\an1}And the opportunity presents itself 234 00:11:05,293 --> 00:11:09,043 {\an1}the day after Vail moves in with Timothy Morgan. 235 00:11:09,126 --> 00:11:11,043 {\an1}Gary Silvers informs Timothy 236 00:11:11,126 --> 00:11:14,710 {\an1}that he's taking the afternoon off. 237 00:11:14,835 --> 00:11:17,335 {\an1}This is the moment Vail has been waiting for. 238 00:11:17,418 --> 00:11:20,793 {\an1}With Silvers leaving, the shop will close early, 239 00:11:20,918 --> 00:11:22,710 {\an1}and Vail will be going through Center Gate 240 00:11:22,835 --> 00:11:26,376 {\an1}at a time he's less likely to be frisked. 241 00:11:26,460 --> 00:11:31,210 {\an1}Less likely doesn't mean he won't get stopped and frisked. 242 00:11:31,335 --> 00:11:33,335 {\an1}Anything can happen. 243 00:11:33,460 --> 00:11:36,376 {\an1}[intense music] 244 00:11:36,501 --> 00:11:40,043 {\an1}♪ ♪ 245 00:11:40,168 --> 00:11:42,043 {\an1}Vail easily steals the screws, 246 00:11:42,168 --> 00:11:44,376 {\an1}but now comes the hard part-- 247 00:11:44,501 --> 00:11:47,168 {\an1}getting past Center Gate. 248 00:11:49,585 --> 00:11:53,626 {\an1}Timothy Vail is hoping he will not be stopped and frisked. 249 00:11:53,751 --> 00:11:55,960 {\an1}If they find the screws, 250 00:11:56,085 --> 00:11:58,293 {\an1}he will be condemned for the rest of his life 251 00:11:58,418 --> 00:12:00,335 {\an1}to this deadly prison. 252 00:12:00,460 --> 00:12:02,043 {\an1}♪ ♪ 253 00:12:09,168 --> 00:12:12,043 {\an1}- Timothy Vail wants to escape from the depressing 254 00:12:12,168 --> 00:12:15,335 {\an1}and dangerous Elmira Correctional Facility. 255 00:12:16,626 --> 00:12:19,710 {\an1}He's stolen screws from the workshop where he works, 256 00:12:19,876 --> 00:12:20,876 {\an1}but now he has to get them through 257 00:12:21,043 --> 00:12:24,793 {\an1}the security checkpoint known as Center Gate. 258 00:12:26,043 --> 00:12:28,876 {\an1}Imagine being in line with contraband in your pocket, 259 00:12:29,043 --> 00:12:32,126 {\an1}waiting to see if the guards will let you past... 260 00:12:32,251 --> 00:12:34,626 {\an1}or frisk you. 261 00:12:34,751 --> 00:12:37,918 {\an1}I'd be sweating bullets. 262 00:12:38,085 --> 00:12:41,376 {\an1}And when the guards frisk the inmates ahead of them, 263 00:12:41,460 --> 00:12:44,251 {\an1}Timothy Vail must be. 264 00:12:44,418 --> 00:12:46,376 {\an1}[intense music] 265 00:12:46,501 --> 00:12:48,960 {\an1}Will the guards stop him? 266 00:12:50,960 --> 00:12:53,543 {\an1}It's a close call. 267 00:12:53,626 --> 00:12:56,251 {\an1}Now, he has these screws, 268 00:12:56,418 --> 00:13:01,043 {\an1}and he can begin gouging a hole in the ceiling of his cell-- 269 00:13:01,168 --> 00:13:03,293 {\an1}his first step toward freedom. 270 00:13:03,418 --> 00:13:05,751 {\an1}[scraping sound] 271 00:13:05,918 --> 00:13:07,335 {\an1}- They would take turns digging. 272 00:13:07,460 --> 00:13:10,626 {\an1}Whoever wasn't laying on the top bunk digging 273 00:13:10,751 --> 00:13:13,168 {\an1}was sitting, looking down the gallery 274 00:13:13,293 --> 00:13:15,626 {\an1}to see if anyone was coming. 275 00:13:17,085 --> 00:13:19,626 {\an1}- Vail and Morgan soon realize 276 00:13:19,751 --> 00:13:23,210 {\an1}they need more cover to work on hole. 277 00:13:23,335 --> 00:13:25,751 {\an1}- Putting a sheet up definitely is not anything 278 00:13:25,918 --> 00:13:28,001 {\an1}that would raise any eyebrows, 279 00:13:28,126 --> 00:13:30,168 {\an1}because a lot of times 280 00:13:30,251 --> 00:13:31,918 {\an1}the prisoners would put the sheet up 281 00:13:32,085 --> 00:13:33,626 {\an1}if they were gonna use the bathroom. 282 00:13:33,751 --> 00:13:35,918 {\an1}Like, nobody wants to see that. 283 00:13:36,085 --> 00:13:38,918 {\an1}- Their sheets ward off prying eyes. 284 00:13:39,085 --> 00:13:42,293 {\an1}But sheets and the black ceiling are not enough. 285 00:13:42,418 --> 00:13:44,668 {\an1}They must figure out something else 286 00:13:44,793 --> 00:13:48,210 {\an1}to hide the progress they're making on the hole. 287 00:13:48,335 --> 00:13:51,210 {\an1}Timothy Vail gets an idea-- 288 00:13:51,335 --> 00:13:54,626 {\an1}he can paint a piece of paper black. 289 00:13:54,751 --> 00:13:58,960 {\an1}But how will he attach it without glue or tape, 290 00:13:59,085 --> 00:14:01,585 {\an1}since both are contraband in prison? 291 00:14:02,918 --> 00:14:05,543 {\an1}- Inmates use toothpaste for glue in prison. 292 00:14:05,668 --> 00:14:09,210 {\an1}It works great for family photos or a calendar. 293 00:14:09,335 --> 00:14:11,085 {\an1}When the toothpaste dries, 294 00:14:11,251 --> 00:14:13,626 {\an1}it's pretty much there to stay. 295 00:14:13,751 --> 00:14:15,960 {\an1}- So, when somebody walked by, 296 00:14:16,085 --> 00:14:17,710 {\an1}they had a piece of black paper 297 00:14:17,876 --> 00:14:20,543 {\an1}that they would stick up against the hole 298 00:14:20,626 --> 00:14:24,585 {\an1}using toothpaste, and nobody would ever see it. 299 00:14:26,418 --> 00:14:28,751 {\an1}- The inmates work on the ceiling every day, 300 00:14:28,876 --> 00:14:31,543 {\an1}mostly during their free time, 301 00:14:31,668 --> 00:14:34,626 {\an1}from 11:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., 302 00:14:34,751 --> 00:14:37,126 {\an1}4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., 303 00:14:37,251 --> 00:14:40,001 {\an1}and 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. during the week, 304 00:14:40,126 --> 00:14:42,043 {\an1}and all day on the weekends. 305 00:14:42,210 --> 00:14:45,543 {\an1}Timothy Vail is constantly stealing new sheetrock screws 306 00:14:45,710 --> 00:14:49,960 {\an1}as they wear out, but still, progress is slow. 307 00:14:51,585 --> 00:14:53,543 {\an1}Vail, the brains of the operation, 308 00:14:53,668 --> 00:14:57,085 {\an1}is starting to doubt that the screws alone will cut it. 309 00:14:58,126 --> 00:14:59,751 {\an1}- He's going through hard concrete 310 00:14:59,918 --> 00:15:01,876 {\an1}that's been there for [laughs] a long time, 311 00:15:01,960 --> 00:15:03,251 {\an1}and it was just slow going. 312 00:15:03,418 --> 00:15:05,210 {\an1}It's just gonna take him forever. 313 00:15:05,293 --> 00:15:06,543 {\an1}He knew that wasn't gonna work. 314 00:15:06,626 --> 00:15:10,251 {\an1}So he had to figure out something to pound it with. 315 00:15:10,376 --> 00:15:12,043 {\an1}♪ ♪ 316 00:15:12,210 --> 00:15:14,585 {\an1}- Vail knows he has to take another big risk 317 00:15:14,710 --> 00:15:17,626 {\an1}and try to smuggle more tools out of the carpentry shop. 318 00:15:18,918 --> 00:15:20,626 {\an1}But what? 319 00:15:26,501 --> 00:15:28,876 {\an1}For Timothy Vail, an opportunity presents itself 320 00:15:29,043 --> 00:15:30,751 {\an1}when Gary Silvers asks Vail 321 00:15:30,918 --> 00:15:33,043 {\an1}to disassemble an old wood planer 322 00:15:33,210 --> 00:15:36,251 {\an1}that the carpentry shop is discarding. 323 00:15:38,251 --> 00:15:39,835 {\an1}As Vail takes the machine apart, 324 00:15:39,918 --> 00:15:41,668 {\an1}he notices a guide piece 325 00:15:41,793 --> 00:15:45,293 {\an1}that he thinks would work well as a hammer. 326 00:15:49,168 --> 00:15:50,376 {\an1}- It was part of the machine. 327 00:15:50,460 --> 00:15:52,793 {\an1}It looked like a cylinder with a metal rod sticking out 328 00:15:52,918 --> 00:15:54,543 {\an1}like you'd use a handle. 329 00:15:54,710 --> 00:15:56,918 {\an1}- But how would he get the handle out of the woodshop 330 00:15:57,085 --> 00:15:59,835 {\an1}and past Center Gate undetected? 331 00:15:59,960 --> 00:16:03,793 {\an1}The guide piece is much larger than a bunch of screws. 332 00:16:03,918 --> 00:16:07,835 {\an1}This time, his partner in crime, Timothy Morgan, 333 00:16:07,960 --> 00:16:09,585 {\an1}is willing to take the risk. 334 00:16:13,626 --> 00:16:15,710 {\an1}Morgan visits Vail in the carpentry shop 335 00:16:15,835 --> 00:16:19,210 {\an1}where he hides the guide piece in his pants 336 00:16:19,335 --> 00:16:23,585 {\an1}so he can try and get past the security at Center Gate. 337 00:16:24,960 --> 00:16:26,918 {\an1}Morgan isn't as confident as Vail is 338 00:16:27,085 --> 00:16:28,293 {\an1}about getting through Center Gate 339 00:16:28,418 --> 00:16:30,376 {\an1}with contraband in his pants. 340 00:16:30,543 --> 00:16:32,710 {\an1}He's never done something like this before. 341 00:16:32,835 --> 00:16:35,376 {\an1}But if he's going to be part of this escape, 342 00:16:35,501 --> 00:16:37,460 {\an1}he needs to hold up his end. 343 00:16:37,585 --> 00:16:40,543 {\an1}This isn't going to be easy for him. 344 00:16:40,668 --> 00:16:42,168 {\an1}- There's not an X-ray machine. 345 00:16:42,293 --> 00:16:44,043 {\an1}I can't see through your pants. 346 00:16:44,126 --> 00:16:47,085 {\an1}The best way for me to tell is to touch you. 347 00:16:48,293 --> 00:16:52,626 {\an1}- Unfortunately for Morgan, he's chosen for a frisk. 348 00:16:52,751 --> 00:16:55,501 {\an1}Any minute, the guard will check his pants. 349 00:16:55,626 --> 00:16:58,960 {\an1}If the guard finds the piece, what will Morgan say? 350 00:16:59,085 --> 00:17:01,210 {\an1}Will he give their escape plan away? 351 00:17:01,376 --> 00:17:03,543 {\an1}[escalating music] 352 00:17:03,668 --> 00:17:04,543 {\an1}Luckily for Morgan, 353 00:17:04,709 --> 00:17:08,376 {\an1}the guards don't thoroughly check his pants. 354 00:17:09,751 --> 00:17:13,251 {\an1}Now they have something to pound the screws with. 355 00:17:14,543 --> 00:17:19,209 {\an1}For 17 days, they hammer away, without being detected. 356 00:17:19,376 --> 00:17:20,876 {\an1}- They had a calendar in their cell, 357 00:17:21,001 --> 00:17:24,543 {\an1}and they recorded what days they worked on their hole. 358 00:17:24,626 --> 00:17:26,751 {\an1}And the days that they made good progress, 359 00:17:26,918 --> 00:17:29,168 {\an1}they would put a smiley face on the calendar. 360 00:17:30,418 --> 00:17:34,501 {\an1}- All is going well... until they hit a snag. 361 00:17:36,251 --> 00:17:39,585 {\an1}- They come across rebar, the metal steel bar 362 00:17:39,751 --> 00:17:42,585 {\an1}that runs through the concrete itself. 363 00:17:42,751 --> 00:17:45,043 {\an1}So now, they didn't plan for that. 364 00:17:45,210 --> 00:17:47,835 {\an1}They had no way of knowing. 365 00:17:47,960 --> 00:17:51,418 {\an1}- Once again, Vail's mind turns to the carpentry shop. 366 00:17:52,793 --> 00:17:55,876 {\an1}- The bandsaws that they used, as they get older, 367 00:17:56,043 --> 00:17:57,501 {\an1}they'd come apart. 368 00:17:57,626 --> 00:18:01,418 {\an1}In order to get a new blade for the bandsaw, 369 00:18:01,585 --> 00:18:04,418 {\an1}he would take the old one, give it to Mr. Silver, 370 00:18:04,585 --> 00:18:06,251 {\an1}so he would get him a new one. 371 00:18:06,418 --> 00:18:08,376 {\an1}It was a one-for-one trade, thinking that 372 00:18:08,543 --> 00:18:11,293 {\an1}that way, no saw blades are getting anywhere. 373 00:18:11,418 --> 00:18:13,751 {\an1}But Mr. Silver didn't realize 374 00:18:13,876 --> 00:18:17,168 {\an1}Vail was cutting 4-inch or 6-inch lengths 375 00:18:17,293 --> 00:18:20,418 {\an1}off the saw blade and then giving him the rest. 376 00:18:23,251 --> 00:18:25,418 {\an1}- Blades are serious contraband, 377 00:18:25,585 --> 00:18:27,918 {\an1}compared to screws and a planer handle. 378 00:18:28,043 --> 00:18:30,126 {\an1}If they are found in possession of the inmates 379 00:18:30,251 --> 00:18:31,418 {\an1}at Center Gate, 380 00:18:31,585 --> 00:18:35,126 {\an1}they could be staring at time in solitary confinement-- 381 00:18:35,251 --> 00:18:37,168 {\an1}the hole. 382 00:18:37,293 --> 00:18:39,085 {\an1}They have to devise a better way 383 00:18:39,251 --> 00:18:41,376 {\an1}of getting past Center Gate 384 00:18:41,501 --> 00:18:44,835 {\an1}than just a hope and a prayer that they won't get frisked. 385 00:18:44,960 --> 00:18:46,876 {\an1}Vail has an idea. 386 00:18:46,960 --> 00:18:48,251 {\an1}- So, he takes the blades-- 387 00:18:48,418 --> 00:18:50,876 {\an1}in order to get them back to his cell, 388 00:18:51,043 --> 00:18:54,335 {\an1}he takes a tobacco pouch, put the saw blades in there, 389 00:18:54,418 --> 00:18:56,585 {\an1}sealed it back up so it looks brand-new. 390 00:18:57,710 --> 00:18:59,793 {\an1}- With the blades hidden in his tobacco pouch, 391 00:18:59,918 --> 00:19:03,376 {\an1}Timothy Vail makes his way through Center Gate... 392 00:19:03,460 --> 00:19:05,918 {\an1}hoping that the pouch will go unnoticed. 393 00:19:07,043 --> 00:19:08,001 {\an1}- That would be an item-- 394 00:19:08,085 --> 00:19:10,418 {\an1}you would actually take that out of your pocket, 395 00:19:10,585 --> 00:19:13,751 {\an1}put that on the small ledge, the guard would look at it. 396 00:19:13,918 --> 00:19:17,251 {\an1}- The guard inspects the tobacco. 397 00:19:17,418 --> 00:19:18,960 {\an1}Will he think it's just a new package, 398 00:19:19,085 --> 00:19:22,835 {\an1}or will he search it and send Vail to the hole, 399 00:19:22,918 --> 00:19:26,168 {\an1}where he will rot for many, many years? 400 00:19:26,251 --> 00:19:27,876 {\an1}♪ ♪ 401 00:19:33,418 --> 00:19:35,501 {\an1}- Inmates Timothy Vail and Timothy Morgan 402 00:19:35,626 --> 00:19:37,085 {\an1}are attempting to break through 403 00:19:37,210 --> 00:19:38,626 {\an1}the ceiling of their cell 404 00:19:38,751 --> 00:19:40,460 {\an1}to teach the roof of the dangerous and dank 405 00:19:40,585 --> 00:19:42,876 {\an1}Elmira Correctional Facility. 406 00:19:43,001 --> 00:19:44,876 {\an1}♪ ♪ 407 00:19:45,001 --> 00:19:48,710 {\an1}They reached a snag and hit rebar. 408 00:19:48,835 --> 00:19:50,918 {\an1}Needing a tool to cut through it, 409 00:19:51,043 --> 00:19:54,376 {\an1}Timothy Vail has taken pieces of an old bandsaw from his job 410 00:19:54,501 --> 00:19:56,418 {\an1}at the prison's woodworking shop 411 00:19:56,585 --> 00:19:59,501 {\an1}and sealed it into a tobacco pouch. 412 00:19:59,626 --> 00:20:03,501 {\an1}Now, he just has to make it past Center Gate 413 00:20:03,626 --> 00:20:05,668 {\an1}and back to his cell. 414 00:20:05,751 --> 00:20:09,210 {\an1}- He used a tobacco pouch, sealed it back up 415 00:20:09,335 --> 00:20:10,710 {\an1}so it looked like it was brand-new 416 00:20:10,835 --> 00:20:12,543 {\an1}so the officer wouldn't look through it. 417 00:20:12,668 --> 00:20:14,168 {\an1}He'd have no reason to open it up. 418 00:20:14,251 --> 00:20:17,918 {\an1}[intense musical build-up] 419 00:20:18,043 --> 00:20:21,793 {\an1}♪ ♪ 420 00:20:23,543 --> 00:20:25,501 {\an1}- Timothy Vail makes it back to his cell 421 00:20:25,585 --> 00:20:28,501 {\an1}with the sawblades unscathed. 422 00:20:30,251 --> 00:20:32,876 {\an1}Now that they have the blades, 423 00:20:33,043 --> 00:20:36,085 {\an1}they've come up with a way to fashion them into a tool 424 00:20:36,210 --> 00:20:37,793 {\an1}to cut through the rebar. 425 00:20:39,460 --> 00:20:41,376 {\an1}- He took parts of a toothbrush-- 426 00:20:41,543 --> 00:20:42,501 {\an1}plastic toothbrush, 427 00:20:42,585 --> 00:20:45,085 {\an1}melted it on the ends of the blade 428 00:20:45,251 --> 00:20:46,376 {\an1}so he could hold it, 429 00:20:46,460 --> 00:20:48,043 {\an1}so he could use it as like a handle to saw, 430 00:20:48,168 --> 00:20:50,418 {\an1}'cause obviously he didn't want to hold on to the blades. 431 00:20:50,585 --> 00:20:53,210 {\an1}- The blades now look like a tool. 432 00:20:53,335 --> 00:20:55,710 {\an1}And if found during a cell search, 433 00:20:55,876 --> 00:20:57,543 {\an1}the guards would most certainly 434 00:20:57,710 --> 00:20:59,585 {\an1}find the hole in the ceiling. 435 00:20:59,751 --> 00:21:01,876 {\an1}- Cell searches are often random. 436 00:21:01,960 --> 00:21:05,335 {\an1}Guards come in your cell, and they look around. 437 00:21:05,418 --> 00:21:09,210 {\an1}I mean, it might be that they totally wreck the whole cell, 438 00:21:09,335 --> 00:21:13,460 {\an1}or it might be that the cell is barely searched at all. 439 00:21:18,918 --> 00:21:21,501 {\an1}- Almost a month into their escape plan, 440 00:21:21,585 --> 00:21:24,710 {\an1}their cell hasn't been searched yet. 441 00:21:24,876 --> 00:21:27,585 {\an1}But their luck has run out. 442 00:21:27,710 --> 00:21:29,668 {\an1}They see two officers heading their way, 443 00:21:29,793 --> 00:21:32,043 {\an1}and it can only mean one thing-- 444 00:21:32,126 --> 00:21:34,835 {\an1}a random cell search. 445 00:21:36,251 --> 00:21:39,751 {\an1}[suspenseful music] 446 00:21:39,876 --> 00:21:45,126 {\an1}♪ ♪ 447 00:21:47,001 --> 00:21:49,751 {\an1}This is what inmates Timothy Vail and Timothy Morgan 448 00:21:49,876 --> 00:21:52,543 {\an1}are most afraid of the guards finding. 449 00:21:52,668 --> 00:21:54,918 {\an1}It is an improvised saw, 450 00:21:55,043 --> 00:21:56,918 {\an1}made to cut through a piece of rebar 451 00:21:57,085 --> 00:21:59,751 {\an1}in the concrete ceiling of their cell. 452 00:22:01,585 --> 00:22:04,960 {\an1}Now, it could land them in the hole for years. 453 00:22:05,085 --> 00:22:09,043 {\an1}And their hopes of escape would be cut to shreds. 454 00:22:10,918 --> 00:22:13,543 {\an1}The guards rifle through the cell 455 00:22:13,626 --> 00:22:16,335 {\an1}looking for any signs of contraband. 456 00:22:16,460 --> 00:22:20,043 {\an1}[intense music] 457 00:22:20,126 --> 00:22:26,418 {\an1}♪ ♪ 458 00:22:26,585 --> 00:22:28,251 {\an1}They breathe a sigh of relief 459 00:22:28,376 --> 00:22:32,293 {\an1}as the officer doesn't notice the hole in their ceiling 460 00:22:32,418 --> 00:22:35,543 {\an1}or find the saws in their cell. 461 00:22:36,626 --> 00:22:38,043 {\an1}- They obviously concealed it pretty well. 462 00:22:38,168 --> 00:22:41,835 {\an1}- They are almost two months into digging, 463 00:22:41,918 --> 00:22:44,793 {\an1}and the screws they have are worn out. 464 00:22:46,085 --> 00:22:47,876 {\an1}Timothy Vail and Timothy Morgan 465 00:22:48,043 --> 00:22:49,543 {\an1}are going to need a lot more screws, 466 00:22:49,710 --> 00:22:51,501 {\an1}more than just the handfuls 467 00:22:51,585 --> 00:22:54,793 {\an1}they've been able to steal from the shop. 468 00:22:55,585 --> 00:22:58,376 {\an1}Timothy Vail, always thinking, 469 00:22:58,460 --> 00:23:02,460 {\an1}has a plan to get over 100 screws back to his cell. 470 00:23:03,335 --> 00:23:05,793 {\an1}- He said his chair in his cell was rickety 471 00:23:05,918 --> 00:23:08,043 {\an1}and he wanted to tighten it up, fix it. 472 00:23:08,168 --> 00:23:09,876 {\an1}So he brought it over to the shop. 473 00:23:09,960 --> 00:23:11,835 {\an1}But what he actually did was took the sheetrock screws, 474 00:23:11,918 --> 00:23:12,876 {\an1}wrapped them with tape, 475 00:23:12,960 --> 00:23:15,918 {\an1}and slid them inside the hollow legs, 476 00:23:16,043 --> 00:23:17,210 {\an1}put the legs back on the chair. 477 00:23:17,376 --> 00:23:20,585 {\an1}- The first problem is the same one they've always had-- 478 00:23:20,751 --> 00:23:22,585 {\an1}how to get past security 479 00:23:22,710 --> 00:23:24,710 {\an1}between the workshop and the cell. 480 00:23:24,793 --> 00:23:27,001 {\an1}But the real test here is psychological-- 481 00:23:27,085 --> 00:23:29,418 {\an1}figuring out how to convince Mr. Silvers 482 00:23:29,543 --> 00:23:31,876 {\an1}to make a call on his behalf. 483 00:23:32,043 --> 00:23:33,793 {\an1}- Timothy Vail was very smart, 484 00:23:33,918 --> 00:23:37,210 {\an1}and he gained the trust of Mr. Silvers. 485 00:23:37,335 --> 00:23:39,668 {\an1}Mr. Silvers wants his shop to look good. 486 00:23:39,793 --> 00:23:41,376 {\an1}And by all means, he doesn't want a drill 487 00:23:41,501 --> 00:23:42,876 {\an1}to come up missing. 488 00:23:43,001 --> 00:23:45,418 {\an1}So, if I can count on Timothy Vail 489 00:23:45,585 --> 00:23:47,251 {\an1}to do that, he's a great inmate. 490 00:23:47,418 --> 00:23:49,918 {\an1}Maybe I'm gonna give him a little bit of extra privilege 491 00:23:50,085 --> 00:23:52,168 {\an1}or cut him a little bit more slack 492 00:23:52,251 --> 00:23:54,335 {\an1}because he does such a good job for me. 493 00:23:54,460 --> 00:23:57,085 {\an1}- Vail uses his charm and relationship with Silvers 494 00:23:57,251 --> 00:23:59,543 {\an1}to get Silvers to make the call. 495 00:23:59,626 --> 00:24:01,543 {\an1}- Mr. Silvers called the Center Gate 496 00:24:01,710 --> 00:24:05,043 {\an1}and asked the officers to please let Timothy Vail 497 00:24:05,126 --> 00:24:07,126 {\an1}take a chair back to the cell with him. 498 00:24:10,085 --> 00:24:13,251 {\an1}Little did the staff know... 499 00:24:13,418 --> 00:24:16,668 {\an1}all four legs were full of those little screws. 500 00:24:17,918 --> 00:24:19,668 {\an1}- The inmates continue to track their progress 501 00:24:19,793 --> 00:24:20,918 {\an1}on the calendar-- 502 00:24:21,085 --> 00:24:23,960 {\an1}Xs on the days they worked, 503 00:24:24,085 --> 00:24:28,085 {\an1}smiley faces on the days they made real progress. 504 00:24:28,251 --> 00:24:30,501 {\an1}And on June 14, 505 00:24:30,585 --> 00:24:33,126 {\an1}99 days since they began making 506 00:24:33,251 --> 00:24:36,501 {\an1}the hole in the ceiling, a new entry-- 507 00:24:36,626 --> 00:24:38,210 {\an1}"breakthrough." 508 00:24:39,251 --> 00:24:41,793 {\an1}Vail and Morgan have made a tiny hole 509 00:24:41,918 --> 00:24:44,960 {\an1}all the way through the ceiling into the attic. 510 00:24:46,751 --> 00:24:48,126 {\an1}Now that they've broken through, 511 00:24:48,251 --> 00:24:49,418 {\an1}they are going to need to work faster, 512 00:24:49,543 --> 00:24:53,710 {\an1}before someone detects the hole in the attic above them. 513 00:24:54,501 --> 00:24:56,043 {\an1}[punchy music] 514 00:24:56,210 --> 00:24:57,585 {\an1}- They needed something that had a little bit 515 00:24:57,710 --> 00:25:00,751 {\an1}more power and strength behind it. 516 00:25:00,918 --> 00:25:03,418 {\an1}- Timothy Vail knows exactly what he could use: 517 00:25:03,585 --> 00:25:05,960 {\an1}a 12-pound sledgehammer head. 518 00:25:07,210 --> 00:25:09,751 {\an1}One is currently being used as a doorstop 519 00:25:09,918 --> 00:25:12,918 {\an1}in the workshop where Vail works. 520 00:25:13,085 --> 00:25:17,043 {\an1}- I walked by that sledgehammer probably 50 times, 521 00:25:17,168 --> 00:25:18,960 {\an1}and as a lieutenant, I should have said 522 00:25:19,085 --> 00:25:20,376 {\an1}whoa, that's dangerous, 523 00:25:20,501 --> 00:25:22,751 {\an1}'cause somebody could pick it up and hit somebody with it. 524 00:25:22,876 --> 00:25:24,710 {\an1}But you just become complacent 525 00:25:24,793 --> 00:25:26,501 {\an1}and used to seeing things all the time. 526 00:25:26,626 --> 00:25:27,710 {\an1}I didn't think anything of it. I was like, 527 00:25:27,835 --> 00:25:29,251 {\an1}"Oh, that's the doorstop. That's what they use." 528 00:25:29,376 --> 00:25:33,710 {\an1}- Now, Timothy Vail just needs to find the right opportunity 529 00:25:33,876 --> 00:25:35,585 {\an1}to smuggle it out of the shop. 530 00:25:35,751 --> 00:25:37,960 {\an1}[dramatic chords] 531 00:25:43,293 --> 00:25:45,460 {\an1}- Timothy Vail and Timothy Morgan 532 00:25:45,585 --> 00:25:47,876 {\an1}have been attempting to dig their way out of their cell, 533 00:25:48,001 --> 00:25:49,876 {\an1}but it's slow going. 534 00:25:50,001 --> 00:25:52,001 {\an1}Vail notices a sledgehammer 535 00:25:52,085 --> 00:25:55,168 {\an1}that is used as a doorstop in the shop where he works. 536 00:25:56,501 --> 00:25:59,418 {\an1}He's just waiting for the right moment to steal it. 537 00:26:07,085 --> 00:26:08,918 {\an1}His opportunity comes when Mr. Silvers 538 00:26:09,043 --> 00:26:11,376 {\an1}leaves the carpentry shop early. 539 00:26:11,501 --> 00:26:15,960 {\an1}[suspenseful music] 540 00:26:16,085 --> 00:26:18,168 {\an1}- You get caught with a actual sledgehammer head, 541 00:26:18,251 --> 00:26:21,168 {\an1}I don't think there's any way that it would have not been 542 00:26:21,293 --> 00:26:25,251 {\an1}automatically known that that was part of an escape. 543 00:26:25,376 --> 00:26:27,210 {\an1}So, if they had gotten caught with that, 544 00:26:27,376 --> 00:26:30,293 {\an1}that's the whole kit and kaboodle right there. 545 00:26:31,543 --> 00:26:33,876 {\an1}- He has snuck nails and other tiny pieces of metal 546 00:26:33,960 --> 00:26:35,835 {\an1}through security before. 547 00:26:35,918 --> 00:26:39,126 {\an1}But the sledgehammer is heavy. 548 00:26:39,251 --> 00:26:41,418 {\an1}And he can't hide it very well. 549 00:26:41,543 --> 00:26:43,876 {\an1}This time, he's going to have to count on pure luck 550 00:26:44,001 --> 00:26:45,876 {\an1}to not get caught. 551 00:26:45,960 --> 00:26:48,210 {\an1}Timothy Vail places this sledgehammer head 552 00:26:48,335 --> 00:26:51,751 {\an1}in a net bag he usually carries. 553 00:26:51,876 --> 00:26:53,376 {\an1}- He probably had a story ready, 554 00:26:53,543 --> 00:26:54,751 {\an1}should he have been frisked. 555 00:26:54,918 --> 00:26:57,710 {\an1}- Vail only has one thing on his mind 556 00:26:57,876 --> 00:27:00,293 {\an1}as he makes his way through Center Gate: 557 00:27:00,418 --> 00:27:04,210 {\an1}will they stop him and find the sledgehammer? 558 00:27:04,293 --> 00:27:08,460 {\an1}[intense music] 559 00:27:10,043 --> 00:27:13,335 {\an1}Vail once again makes it back to his cell unscathed 560 00:27:13,418 --> 00:27:15,376 {\an1}with the tools he needs. 561 00:27:17,626 --> 00:27:20,043 {\an1}Timothy Vail tapes the edges of the sledgehammer 562 00:27:20,168 --> 00:27:22,293 {\an1}so it won't make a metallic sound 563 00:27:22,418 --> 00:27:26,085 {\an1}when they tap the screws to make the hole bigger. 564 00:27:26,210 --> 00:27:30,085 {\an1}[intense, punchy music] 565 00:27:30,251 --> 00:27:32,418 {\an1}The sledgehammer does its job, 566 00:27:32,543 --> 00:27:34,376 {\an1}and soon the hole will be big enough 567 00:27:34,501 --> 00:27:37,085 {\an1}for them to climb through. 568 00:27:38,043 --> 00:27:39,918 {\an1}As it is looking increasingly hopeful 569 00:27:40,043 --> 00:27:42,376 {\an1}that they will breach their cell, 570 00:27:42,460 --> 00:27:45,168 {\an1}Vail is thinking ahead-- 571 00:27:45,251 --> 00:27:48,293 {\an1}how will they be able to disguise their absence 572 00:27:48,418 --> 00:27:51,460 {\an1}as they explore their exit route? 573 00:27:53,293 --> 00:27:56,501 {\an1}- Their plan of avoiding detection 574 00:27:56,626 --> 00:27:58,751 {\an1}was they made the dummies. 575 00:27:58,876 --> 00:28:01,960 {\an1}They made the dummies as lifelike as they can. 576 00:28:02,085 --> 00:28:05,043 {\an1}- Timothy Vail fills a bag with clothes 577 00:28:05,168 --> 00:28:07,626 {\an1}for the body of the dummy. 578 00:28:07,751 --> 00:28:11,043 {\an1}Using water, flour, and paper, 579 00:28:11,210 --> 00:28:14,543 {\an1}he makes a detailed papier-mâché face. 580 00:28:14,626 --> 00:28:18,043 {\an1}But now, he must find paint to cover the face. 581 00:28:20,001 --> 00:28:23,376 {\an1}Once again, Vail turns to the woodworking shop 582 00:28:23,460 --> 00:28:26,460 {\an1}to steal the materials he needs. 583 00:28:26,585 --> 00:28:28,376 {\an1}He finds paint there, 584 00:28:28,543 --> 00:28:31,210 {\an1}and this time he doesn't have to worry about 585 00:28:31,335 --> 00:28:33,793 {\an1}getting it through Center Gate. 586 00:28:33,918 --> 00:28:36,043 {\an1}- They used flesh-colored paint, 587 00:28:36,126 --> 00:28:38,085 {\an1}which is really not contraband in prison. 588 00:28:38,251 --> 00:28:41,210 {\an1}Somebody could be doing an arts and craft project 589 00:28:41,293 --> 00:28:43,918 {\an1}and have a little bit of flesh paint. 590 00:28:44,043 --> 00:28:47,210 {\an1}- The next step is finding hair for the dummy. 591 00:28:47,293 --> 00:28:50,210 {\an1}But where will they get lifelike hair? 592 00:28:50,335 --> 00:28:52,710 {\an1}- Morgan cut his hair at one point, 593 00:28:52,793 --> 00:28:55,043 {\an1}and they used that on the dummies. 594 00:28:55,168 --> 00:28:56,960 {\an1}- Now, somebody who went in and took a close look 595 00:28:57,085 --> 00:28:58,585 {\an1}at the dummies would have realized, 596 00:28:58,751 --> 00:29:00,710 {\an1}"Hey, they're dummies. They're not the inmates." 597 00:29:00,793 --> 00:29:03,293 {\an1}But a guard walking by, 598 00:29:03,418 --> 00:29:05,126 {\an1}an officer just kind of glancing into the cell, 599 00:29:05,251 --> 00:29:06,960 {\an1}to them it might have looked like 600 00:29:07,085 --> 00:29:09,543 {\an1}they're in bed like they're supposed to be. 601 00:29:09,668 --> 00:29:11,001 {\an1}- With the dummies complete, 602 00:29:11,085 --> 00:29:13,210 {\an1}there's only one thing left to do. 603 00:29:19,376 --> 00:29:22,626 {\an1}Look at this hole. It's tiny. 604 00:29:23,918 --> 00:29:25,960 {\an1}But everything now hangs on Timothy Vail 605 00:29:26,085 --> 00:29:27,710 {\an1}being able to get through it. 606 00:29:29,335 --> 00:29:31,751 {\an1}They've lined it with plastic. 607 00:29:31,918 --> 00:29:36,710 {\an1}Vail has stripped naked and covered himself in oil. 608 00:29:36,835 --> 00:29:41,085 {\an1}♪ ♪ 609 00:29:41,210 --> 00:29:45,376 {\an1}Wish him luck. I know I couldn't make it. 610 00:29:45,460 --> 00:29:48,876 {\an1}[dramatic music] 611 00:29:49,043 --> 00:29:55,710 {\an1}♪ ♪ 612 00:29:55,876 --> 00:29:58,418 {\an1}Harry Houdini would be impressed. 613 00:29:58,543 --> 00:30:02,210 {\an1}Timothy Vail has reached his Promised Land, 614 00:30:02,293 --> 00:30:05,960 {\an1}and freedom is another step closer. 615 00:30:06,085 --> 00:30:07,876 {\an1}[energetic music] 616 00:30:08,001 --> 00:30:09,710 {\an1}- The attic-- it's pretty tall. 617 00:30:09,835 --> 00:30:11,835 {\an1}Lotta open space. 618 00:30:11,918 --> 00:30:14,335 {\an1}It's where all the ventilation goes, 619 00:30:14,418 --> 00:30:17,501 {\an1}the air ducts that exhaust the air from the block 620 00:30:17,585 --> 00:30:20,793 {\an1}to fresh air and bring in-- and keep air moving. 621 00:30:20,918 --> 00:30:22,293 {\an1}- You get up into the ceiling, 622 00:30:22,418 --> 00:30:24,043 {\an1}and as you came through that hole, 623 00:30:24,168 --> 00:30:26,043 {\an1}right in front of you was a vent 624 00:30:26,168 --> 00:30:28,210 {\an1}probably 4 foot by 4 foot 625 00:30:28,293 --> 00:30:31,210 {\an1}that led out to the roof, with the louver at the end. 626 00:30:31,293 --> 00:30:34,543 {\an1}- This is the first time that Timothy Vail realizes 627 00:30:34,626 --> 00:30:37,668 {\an1}that he may actually make it onto the roof. 628 00:30:37,751 --> 00:30:40,251 {\an1}But the vent is sealed. 629 00:30:40,376 --> 00:30:43,626 {\an1}Vail must figure out a way to open the vent. 630 00:30:43,751 --> 00:30:45,376 {\an1}While back at the cell, 631 00:30:45,460 --> 00:30:48,251 {\an1}Timothy Morgan is keeping watch. 632 00:30:50,085 --> 00:30:52,543 {\an1}Morgan is excited they may actually be able 633 00:30:52,626 --> 00:30:55,001 {\an1}to escape soon. 634 00:30:55,085 --> 00:30:57,001 {\an1}But there was a problem. 635 00:30:57,126 --> 00:30:59,251 {\an1}♪ ♪ 636 00:30:59,418 --> 00:31:02,126 {\an1}An officer is coming down the hallway. 637 00:31:02,251 --> 00:31:04,960 {\an1}As he walks past, 638 00:31:05,085 --> 00:31:08,085 {\an1}will he notice that Timothy Vail is missing, 639 00:31:08,210 --> 00:31:10,751 {\an1}and there's a dummy in his bed? 640 00:31:14,001 --> 00:31:16,960 {\an1}- It's tough sometimes, because an inmate's sleeping, 641 00:31:17,085 --> 00:31:19,710 {\an1}and you don't see his chest rise and fall, 642 00:31:19,835 --> 00:31:22,126 {\an1}you're supposed to, what, bang the bars and wake him up? 643 00:31:22,251 --> 00:31:23,876 {\an1}Now you've woken up the next guy. 644 00:31:24,001 --> 00:31:26,543 {\an1}And then you'd have a bunch of complaints about that. 645 00:31:26,668 --> 00:31:28,585 {\an1}So, it's tough. 646 00:31:28,710 --> 00:31:30,751 {\an1}That's why I never liked working midnights. 647 00:31:32,460 --> 00:31:35,543 {\an1}- The guard walks past the cell looking at Morgan, 648 00:31:35,710 --> 00:31:38,460 {\an1}never noticing the dummy in Vail's bunk. 649 00:31:40,960 --> 00:31:43,210 {\an1}Meanwhile, back up in the attic, 650 00:31:43,335 --> 00:31:47,543 {\an1}Vail uses the only tools he has with him--screws. 651 00:31:47,626 --> 00:31:51,918 {\an1}- Vail pried away part of that aluminum ductwork. 652 00:31:52,043 --> 00:31:54,626 {\an1}They peeled it and got inside the ducts. 653 00:31:54,751 --> 00:31:58,168 {\an1}- But it's getting late, and Vail doesn't want to risk 654 00:31:58,293 --> 00:32:00,501 {\an1}the guards finding the dummy in his bed. 655 00:32:01,751 --> 00:32:05,501 {\an1}So he rushes back to his cell before the standing count. 656 00:32:11,001 --> 00:32:13,876 {\an1}The next night, Timothy Vail continues his search 657 00:32:14,001 --> 00:32:15,543 {\an1}to reach the roof of the block. 658 00:32:15,668 --> 00:32:19,626 {\an1}He crawls through the duct he opened last night. 659 00:32:19,751 --> 00:32:22,418 {\an1}- The end of that ductwork, all that were there were 660 00:32:22,543 --> 00:32:25,210 {\an1}the blades that go over a duct 661 00:32:25,335 --> 00:32:27,251 {\an1}to keep animals out. 662 00:32:27,376 --> 00:32:30,293 {\an1}- They could easily bend those aluminum louvers 663 00:32:30,418 --> 00:32:33,376 {\an1}and get out on the roof. 664 00:32:33,501 --> 00:32:36,085 {\an1}- Vail doesn't risk going out onto the roof 665 00:32:36,210 --> 00:32:39,335 {\an1}because he's afraid they might be found out. 666 00:32:39,418 --> 00:32:42,210 {\an1}They only have one shot to escape. 667 00:32:42,335 --> 00:32:43,918 {\an1}He looks through the aluminum louvers 668 00:32:44,043 --> 00:32:47,543 {\an1}for something they may be able to use to scale the wall 669 00:32:47,668 --> 00:32:50,418 {\an1}away from the wall tower guard's watchful eyes. 670 00:32:50,543 --> 00:32:52,543 {\an1}But he doesn't see anything. 671 00:32:52,668 --> 00:32:54,876 {\an1}- They gotta figure out how they're gonna drop down 672 00:32:55,001 --> 00:32:56,751 {\an1}40 to 50 feet. 673 00:32:56,918 --> 00:33:00,710 {\an1}- Timothy Vail needs to find or make something 674 00:33:00,835 --> 00:33:04,251 {\an1}so they can lower themselves down three stories. 675 00:33:04,418 --> 00:33:06,251 {\an1}Up until this point, 676 00:33:06,376 --> 00:33:10,751 {\an1}Timothy Vail has overcome every obstacle with ease. 677 00:33:10,876 --> 00:33:13,043 {\an1}Will this be the one that ends his dreams 678 00:33:13,210 --> 00:33:15,418 {\an1}of escaping this hellhole? 679 00:33:15,543 --> 00:33:16,543 {\an1}♪ ♪ 680 00:33:21,918 --> 00:33:24,793 {\an1}- It's been four months since Timothy Vail 681 00:33:24,918 --> 00:33:28,085 {\an1}started his plan to escape this derelict prison. 682 00:33:28,251 --> 00:33:29,543 {\an1}He's broken out of his cell 683 00:33:29,668 --> 00:33:31,543 {\an1}and explored the attic above him 684 00:33:31,668 --> 00:33:34,376 {\an1}and identified an escape route. 685 00:33:34,501 --> 00:33:37,168 {\an1}His next step is to figure out 686 00:33:37,293 --> 00:33:39,543 {\an1}how to climb down from the roof 687 00:33:39,668 --> 00:33:42,585 {\an1}of the three-story building without being caught. 688 00:33:44,251 --> 00:33:46,293 {\an1}Plain old bedsheets. 689 00:33:46,418 --> 00:33:48,751 {\an1}Standard issue for prison escapes, right? 690 00:33:50,293 --> 00:33:53,876 {\an1}Tie them together like this, make a long rope. 691 00:33:54,043 --> 00:33:56,376 {\an1}It's not original, but Vail thinks it's the best way 692 00:33:56,460 --> 00:34:00,626 {\an1}to rappel down the 46-foot brick wall of Elmira Prison. 693 00:34:02,043 --> 00:34:05,876 {\an1}The only trouble is, between him and his cellmate, 694 00:34:05,960 --> 00:34:08,168 {\an1}they only have four sheets. 695 00:34:08,251 --> 00:34:10,210 {\an1}That's nowhere near enough. 696 00:34:10,335 --> 00:34:12,668 {\an1}♪ ♪ 697 00:34:12,751 --> 00:34:16,043 {\an1}- The only sheets that the correctional facility 698 00:34:16,210 --> 00:34:19,460 {\an1}issue inmates are two white sheets, 699 00:34:19,585 --> 00:34:22,668 {\an1}but you can get sheets as a package. 700 00:34:22,793 --> 00:34:25,585 {\an1}The wife can send her husband sheets, or the girlfriend, 701 00:34:25,751 --> 00:34:27,876 {\an1}or the mother can send them sheets. 702 00:34:28,001 --> 00:34:29,585 {\an1}Well, if the inmate gets two, 703 00:34:29,751 --> 00:34:33,043 {\an1}and the other inmate gets two issued to him, 704 00:34:33,210 --> 00:34:36,210 {\an1}and they each get two in a package-- 705 00:34:36,335 --> 00:34:38,168 {\an1}so, start adding up the numbers, 706 00:34:38,293 --> 00:34:39,710 {\an1}they can get more and more sheets. 707 00:34:39,876 --> 00:34:41,376 {\an1}- There's a limit on what you can have-- 708 00:34:41,543 --> 00:34:44,793 {\an1}a limit--but honestly, 709 00:34:44,918 --> 00:34:47,043 {\an1}that might be something that the officer would overlook, 710 00:34:47,210 --> 00:34:49,043 {\an1}you know what I mean? He'd look and say, "All right, 711 00:34:49,210 --> 00:34:51,585 {\an1}I'm gonna make a big stink about three extra sheets?" 712 00:34:51,751 --> 00:34:53,210 {\an1}You know, you're not thinking, 713 00:34:53,376 --> 00:34:54,585 {\an1}"Okay, he's gonna go through the ceiling 714 00:34:54,751 --> 00:34:55,876 {\an1}and come down the side." You're thinking, 715 00:34:56,001 --> 00:34:58,418 {\an1}"All right, so what? He's got three extra sheets." 716 00:35:04,668 --> 00:35:06,835 {\an1}- Anticipating that they may have to make a rope 717 00:35:06,960 --> 00:35:10,085 {\an1}to climb 40 feet down from the roof of the building, 718 00:35:10,210 --> 00:35:12,085 {\an1}Timothy Vail and Timothy Morgan 719 00:35:12,251 --> 00:35:16,501 {\an1}have collected 11 sheets over the past several weeks. 720 00:35:16,585 --> 00:35:20,418 {\an1}Now, it's time to put the sheets to use. 721 00:35:20,543 --> 00:35:22,751 {\an1}They fashion a rope by knotting the sheets together 722 00:35:22,876 --> 00:35:26,043 {\an1}and reinforcing the knots with packing tape. 723 00:35:26,210 --> 00:35:27,710 {\an1}They test its strength 724 00:35:27,793 --> 00:35:29,668 {\an1}by tying it around the bars of their cell 725 00:35:29,793 --> 00:35:31,585 {\an1}and pulling as hard as they can. 726 00:35:31,751 --> 00:35:33,543 {\an1}Hopefully, it's strong enough 727 00:35:33,668 --> 00:35:36,501 {\an1}and long enough for them to scale the wall. 728 00:35:36,626 --> 00:35:40,626 {\an1}Now, they're ready to make their escape plan a reality. 729 00:35:47,376 --> 00:35:49,335 {\an1}The 10:30 p.m. count has just passed, 730 00:35:49,460 --> 00:35:51,126 {\an1}and the lights are out. 731 00:35:54,085 --> 00:35:55,876 {\an1}It's go time. 732 00:35:56,001 --> 00:35:58,293 {\an1}♪ ♪ 733 00:35:58,418 --> 00:36:00,251 {\an1}They put their dummies in their beds 734 00:36:00,418 --> 00:36:02,001 {\an1}and strip down to their underwear. 735 00:36:02,126 --> 00:36:05,585 {\an1}- They rub their bodies down with kind of a grease, 736 00:36:05,751 --> 00:36:09,043 {\an1}kind of a lubricant that would ease the passage through, 737 00:36:09,126 --> 00:36:11,960 {\an1}because they made the hole just barely big enough 738 00:36:12,085 --> 00:36:13,876 {\an1}so they could squeeze through. 739 00:36:14,001 --> 00:36:17,543 {\an1}- And they described how they had to lift one arm higher 740 00:36:17,626 --> 00:36:21,710 {\an1}and one arm lower and change the diameter, 741 00:36:21,835 --> 00:36:24,501 {\an1}or the width of their shoulders, 742 00:36:24,626 --> 00:36:26,668 {\an1}to allow them to squeeze through that little hole. 743 00:36:28,585 --> 00:36:30,335 {\an1}- The night they actually left, 744 00:36:30,460 --> 00:36:32,210 {\an1}Vail went first. He's the smaller guy. 745 00:36:32,335 --> 00:36:34,626 {\an1}And according to their story, too, that's what they also say. 746 00:36:34,751 --> 00:36:37,710 {\an1}He clears the way. Makes sure everything's good. 747 00:36:37,876 --> 00:36:39,710 {\an1}They get through. They had a bucket 748 00:36:39,835 --> 00:36:42,335 {\an1}with some soapy water that they wash up with, 749 00:36:42,460 --> 00:36:45,668 {\an1}try and get the Vaseline off themselves. 750 00:36:45,793 --> 00:36:49,793 {\an1}They put their clothes back on and go into the vent. 751 00:36:51,210 --> 00:36:54,251 {\an1}Bend the louvers out, get out onto the roof. 752 00:36:54,418 --> 00:36:58,085 {\an1}[uneasy music] 753 00:37:02,210 --> 00:37:03,626 {\an1}- They did not know 754 00:37:03,751 --> 00:37:06,585 {\an1}what they were gonna be able to attach their sheets 755 00:37:06,710 --> 00:37:09,543 {\an1}tied in a rope to when they got on the roof. 756 00:37:09,668 --> 00:37:12,293 {\an1}It turns out the roof is two--is multi-level, 757 00:37:12,418 --> 00:37:14,835 {\an1}and to get from the lower section to the upper section, 758 00:37:14,918 --> 00:37:18,043 {\an1}there's about a three or four-rung ladder 759 00:37:18,210 --> 00:37:20,210 {\an1}attached to the brick wall. 760 00:37:20,376 --> 00:37:21,460 {\an1}And they get up there and said, 761 00:37:21,585 --> 00:37:25,168 {\an1}"Sheesh, the prison gods are shining on us tonight. 762 00:37:25,251 --> 00:37:28,626 {\an1}There's a ladder for us to tie on to right over the edge." 763 00:37:28,751 --> 00:37:30,835 {\an1}- The area where they decide to descend 764 00:37:30,918 --> 00:37:33,460 {\an1}is obscured from the guard tower. 765 00:37:33,585 --> 00:37:34,751 {\an1}The only thing standing 766 00:37:34,918 --> 00:37:37,043 {\an1}between the escapees and freedom 767 00:37:37,210 --> 00:37:40,835 {\an1}is a 46-foot climb down their makeshift rope. 768 00:37:42,835 --> 00:37:44,460 {\an1}- Morgan looked over the edge and said, 769 00:37:44,585 --> 00:37:46,085 {\an1}"I'm not going down there. 770 00:37:47,876 --> 00:37:50,043 {\an1}I'm not going down that rope. You are crazy." 771 00:37:50,210 --> 00:37:51,710 {\an1}It was a long ways down. 772 00:37:51,793 --> 00:37:54,835 {\an1}So, Morgan chickens out. He doesn't want to go. 773 00:37:54,918 --> 00:37:58,376 {\an1}He talks about retracing his steps 774 00:37:58,543 --> 00:38:00,418 {\an1}and going back to get in his bunk. 775 00:38:00,543 --> 00:38:01,710 {\an1}"This is over, as far as I'm concerned." 776 00:38:01,876 --> 00:38:05,001 {\an1}Vail talks him into, "No, I'll show you how to do it." 777 00:38:07,335 --> 00:38:10,376 {\an1}- Vail begins his descent. 778 00:38:10,543 --> 00:38:13,126 {\an1}At first, it looks easy for him. 779 00:38:14,251 --> 00:38:17,001 {\an1}But halfway down the wall, disaster strikes. 780 00:38:17,126 --> 00:38:19,710 {\an1}- He got his arm caught in the rope when he was coming down, 781 00:38:19,835 --> 00:38:22,043 {\an1}and when he was trying to free it... 782 00:38:22,168 --> 00:38:24,918 {\an1}♪ ♪ 783 00:38:25,085 --> 00:38:27,960 {\an1}[thudding] 784 00:38:28,085 --> 00:38:30,085 {\an1}He fell like 25, 30 feet. 785 00:38:30,251 --> 00:38:32,168 {\an1}[dramatic musical sting] 786 00:38:34,918 --> 00:38:37,626 {\an1}- So that left Morgan up on the roof, 787 00:38:37,751 --> 00:38:38,918 {\an1}looking down at Vail. 788 00:38:39,043 --> 00:38:42,293 {\an1}He's trying to talk to him, but he can't yell 789 00:38:42,418 --> 00:38:45,501 {\an1}because inside that wall are officers. 790 00:38:45,626 --> 00:38:49,043 {\an1}So he can't yell out to him. And Vail's not moving. 791 00:38:49,126 --> 00:38:52,335 {\an1}[dark music] 792 00:38:52,460 --> 00:38:54,751 {\an1}Morgan's contemplating, "What do I do?" 793 00:38:57,126 --> 00:39:00,543 {\an1}- For all Morgan knows, Vail is dead. 794 00:39:00,668 --> 00:39:02,210 {\an1}[intense music] 795 00:39:02,335 --> 00:39:03,835 {\an1}Does he go back to his cell, 796 00:39:03,918 --> 00:39:06,626 {\an1}or does he try to make it down the sheet ladder 797 00:39:06,751 --> 00:39:09,710 {\an1}and risk the same fate as Vail? 798 00:39:09,876 --> 00:39:12,460 {\an1}Either way, at this moment, 799 00:39:12,585 --> 00:39:14,918 {\an1}the escape looks dead in the water. 800 00:39:25,710 --> 00:39:28,210 {\an1}- Timothy Vail's body lies lifeless at the bottom 801 00:39:28,376 --> 00:39:31,626 {\an1}of the walls of Elmira Correctional Facility. 802 00:39:31,751 --> 00:39:34,876 {\an1}His partner in crime, Timothy Morgan, 803 00:39:35,043 --> 00:39:37,543 {\an1}is scared that he will suffer the same fate 804 00:39:37,626 --> 00:39:40,376 {\an1}going down the homemade sheet ladder. 805 00:39:40,543 --> 00:39:42,376 {\an1}- Morgan's contemplating, "What do I do?" 806 00:39:42,543 --> 00:39:45,251 {\an1}Do I climb back in the air duct, 807 00:39:45,418 --> 00:39:46,876 {\an1}back into the attic, 808 00:39:47,001 --> 00:39:50,001 {\an1}and try to squeeze myself through the hole? 809 00:39:50,126 --> 00:39:52,376 {\an1}After a while, he's like, "I've gotta make a decision. 810 00:39:52,501 --> 00:39:53,918 {\an1}I've gotta make a decision." 811 00:39:54,085 --> 00:39:57,543 {\an1}And he grabbed on to the rope, and he went down. 812 00:39:57,668 --> 00:40:01,835 {\an1}♪ ♪ 813 00:40:01,918 --> 00:40:03,960 {\an1}Because he was so scared, he actually hung on 814 00:40:04,085 --> 00:40:05,543 {\an1}and made it all the way down. 815 00:40:05,668 --> 00:40:07,543 {\an1}- At this point, Vail comes to. 816 00:40:07,668 --> 00:40:10,710 {\an1}But he's seriously injured. 817 00:40:10,835 --> 00:40:13,585 {\an1}He has a fractured shoulder, chest injuries, 818 00:40:13,751 --> 00:40:16,001 {\an1}and a sprained ankle. 819 00:40:16,126 --> 00:40:18,376 {\an1}He isn't going to be able to run into the woods 820 00:40:18,501 --> 00:40:20,668 {\an1}like they planned. 821 00:40:20,793 --> 00:40:22,960 {\an1}- They sat there for a good period of time, 822 00:40:23,085 --> 00:40:25,043 {\an1}you know, maybe up to an hour or more, 823 00:40:25,210 --> 00:40:28,043 {\an1}Vail trying to recover from this fall. 824 00:40:30,585 --> 00:40:33,251 {\an1}[punchy music] 825 00:40:33,418 --> 00:40:36,460 {\an1}- After four months of tedious painstaking work, 826 00:40:36,585 --> 00:40:40,251 {\an1}the inmates are free, but Vail can barely walk, 827 00:40:40,376 --> 00:40:43,751 {\an1}and they are unsure of what to do next. 828 00:40:43,876 --> 00:40:46,043 {\an1}- They had no plan after they got out, 829 00:40:46,210 --> 00:40:47,751 {\an1}which is mindboggling 830 00:40:47,876 --> 00:40:49,751 {\an1}that they would spend all that time with this plan 831 00:40:49,918 --> 00:40:52,335 {\an1}and then not have the exit plan once they get out. 832 00:40:52,418 --> 00:40:53,918 {\an1}I mean, had they had somebody 833 00:40:54,043 --> 00:40:55,918 {\an1}on the outside there with a vehicle, 834 00:40:56,043 --> 00:40:57,501 {\an1}they could have just walked down the hill, 835 00:40:57,626 --> 00:40:59,293 {\an1}jumped in the vehicle. 836 00:40:59,418 --> 00:41:00,960 {\an1}Maybe they thought they could just go down 837 00:41:01,085 --> 00:41:03,376 {\an1}and steal a car, and away they go. 838 00:41:03,460 --> 00:41:06,293 {\an1}But I don't think they were planning on Vail getting hurt. 839 00:41:09,710 --> 00:41:11,210 {\an1}- Vail recovers just enough 840 00:41:11,293 --> 00:41:13,710 {\an1}to make their way into the nearby town 841 00:41:13,876 --> 00:41:16,960 {\an1}and then into the surrounding woods. 842 00:41:25,085 --> 00:41:28,085 {\an1}[alarm blares] 843 00:41:28,210 --> 00:41:30,168 {\an1}- Vail and Morgan have been found missing 844 00:41:30,293 --> 00:41:31,751 {\an1}from their cells. 845 00:41:31,918 --> 00:41:34,918 {\an1}The inmates have a four-hour head start. 846 00:41:35,751 --> 00:41:37,293 {\an1}- When we saw the rope, we knew indeed 847 00:41:37,418 --> 00:41:38,876 {\an1}that they had gotten out. 848 00:41:38,960 --> 00:41:41,043 {\an1}- A search mission mounts. 849 00:41:41,168 --> 00:41:43,835 {\an1}Roads are blocked, helicopters deployed. 850 00:41:44,751 --> 00:41:46,335 {\an1}Anyone and everyone 851 00:41:46,460 --> 00:41:49,335 {\an1}are looking for these two escaped convicts. 852 00:41:53,418 --> 00:41:54,710 {\an1}[dramatic music] 853 00:41:54,835 --> 00:41:55,918 {\an1}After a day in the woods, 854 00:41:56,085 --> 00:41:58,710 {\an1}Vail is starting to succumb to his wounds. 855 00:41:58,876 --> 00:42:01,168 {\an1}He has to get off his feet. 856 00:42:01,293 --> 00:42:03,543 {\an1}Morgan and Vail decide their best bet 857 00:42:03,626 --> 00:42:08,043 {\an1}is to try and steal a vehicle so they can leave the area. 858 00:42:08,168 --> 00:42:10,043 {\an1}- They eventually stole a van. 859 00:42:10,126 --> 00:42:13,793 {\an1}It was reported, and the van was spotted a short time later 860 00:42:13,918 --> 00:42:15,918 {\an1}right outside a supermarket in Horseheads. 861 00:42:16,085 --> 00:42:17,710 {\an1}They were cornered by state police 862 00:42:17,835 --> 00:42:19,876 {\an1}and gave up peacefully, and that was it. 863 00:42:20,001 --> 00:42:23,293 {\an1}[dramatic chords] 864 00:42:25,376 --> 00:42:27,043 {\an1}- Timothy Vail is sent 865 00:42:27,168 --> 00:42:30,001 {\an1}to the maximum-security prison in Dannemora... 866 00:42:31,085 --> 00:42:33,585 {\an1}Home of another famous prison break. 867 00:42:33,710 --> 00:42:36,001 {\an1}But that's another story. 868 00:42:37,126 --> 00:42:41,168 {\an1}He won't be eligible for parole until 2041. 869 00:42:41,293 --> 00:42:44,960 {\an1}His former cellmate and co-conspirator, Timothy Morgan 870 00:42:45,085 --> 00:42:49,043 {\an1}is sent to Auburn Correctional Facility, 871 00:42:49,210 --> 00:42:52,168 {\an1}and won't get out before 2035. 872 00:42:53,501 --> 00:42:56,918 {\an1}And to make sure neither of them cooks up another escape, 873 00:42:57,043 --> 00:42:59,543 {\an1}they're both held in solitary confinement, 874 00:42:59,668 --> 00:43:02,876 {\an1}23 hours a day, seven days a week. 875 00:43:04,251 --> 00:43:07,418 {\an1}They're going nowhere for a long, long time.