Posted on 05/11/2025 5:55:34 AM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer
When Charlie Hopkins thinks back to the three years he spent in one of America's most famous prisons, he remembers the "deathly quiet" the most.
In 1955, Hopkins was sent to Alcatraz - a famed prison on an isolated island off the coast of San Francisco - after causing trouble at other prisons to serve a 17-year sentence for kidnapping and robbery.
Falling asleep at night in his cell on the remote island, he said, the only sound was the whistle of ships passing.
Now 93 and living in Florida, Hopkins said the San Francisco National Archives informed him that he is likely the last surviving former Alcatraz inmate.
Although it closed decades ago, US President Donald Trump recently claimed that he wants to re-open it as a federal prison.
Alcatraz "represents something very strong, very powerful" - law and order, Trump said.
But experts and historians said Trump's proposal to re-establish the prison is far-fetched, as it would cost billions to repair and bring up to date with other federal facilities.
Hopkins agrees. "It would be so expensive," he said.
"Back then, the sewage system went into the ocean," he added. "They'd have to come up with another way of handling that."
But the avid Trump supporter said he does not believe the president's proposal is serious.
"He don't really want to open that place," Hopkins said, adding that Trump was trying to "get a point across to the public" about punishing criminals and those who enter the US illegally.
(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.com ...
Yes, thank you.
Who cares what this convict says
The are plenty of deep state three letter agency traitors who could usefully fill Alcatraz.
Wasn’t the OKC bomber executed?
Nichols wasn’t “the” bomber, Timothy McVeigh was and was executed, Nichols was convicted of assisting and still lives.
The prison has to be run like a SuperMax. Make the idea of coming to the United States illegally unpleasant. They will still come for the work, but stiffer penalties for companies would reduce the number of jobs available. In most cases, illegals would willingly self-deport to try to return to work.
Imagine the town that would grow around the prison, the construction boom, and the income flowing into the area. Has to be a Red State with a conservative District and Appeals Court.
Guantanamo isn’t just symbolism. It’s a great location to keep terrorists in prison and not able to harm or murder anyone.
If they escape, they go into Cuba, not American suburbs.
It's a cool place (literally) for a prison though, as it is in full view of everybody on the east side of the City (I went to grade school with a full view overlooking it).
Aesthetically I like Trump's idea, but the upgrade wouldn't be cheap.
I meant that as a joke, but if you go to Wikpedia’s “June 1962 Alcatraz escape attempt” page, they summarize the reports and name a few television programs that have examined the question. The 2015 History Channel documentary entitled “Alcatraz: Search for the Truth” was probably what I saw, but once again, I wasn’t being that serious.
Thanks...
We can’t rebuild Alcatraz because it would just cost too much money. Yet the United States is able to rebuild entire countries of those who hate us.
Unlike Xiden.
One is unconvinced of the practicalities, but OTOH people who live within view of it would point at it and say something like, "That's where ****i lives", or "That's where *****k lives" which would be pretty cool.
At the end of the day let the guys who would have to rebuild it have some say. It would seem that another really really secure prison in... oh just random say Louisiana, way far down in the swamps, would be an equal deterrent...
Or way up north. So long as it gets built and populated with DeepState criminals like ****i and *****k et al.
”avid Trump supporter”
This prisoner’s conversion is evidence that Alcatraz works for reforming hardened criminals.
**Trump at his best. Get the media to cover the point about law and order by suggesting something and then at the end of suggesting it say “We can do it or we can’t. Maybe a good idea. Maybe not.”**
It worked with JD. and illegal Haitians. First he brought up childless cat ladies-offensive. Then it was found out that Haitians were eating them-even more repulsive. The subject had changed.
“With modern technology, it will be redesigned and rebuilt to operate at a much lower cost.”
It would be super expensive to rebuild it.
Not a good way to spend tax payer money.
Much less expensive ways to build prison space.
I think everyone knows Trump isn’t serious about this .
Does this guy think there are no restrooms on the island today with the thousands of tourists that visit? There has been an underwater pipeline that pumps the sewage to the mainland for treatment for decades from Alcatraz.
93 years old and still has a working brain...good for him!
+++++++++++
So what you’re saying is - he is over qualified to be a donkey POTUS.
Huh? What was Guantanamo before the terrorists were there?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.