David Sweat was the only one of two escaped inmates to survive in Escape at Dannemora—but what happened to the real person after he was captured and brought back to prison? The Showtime miniseries was initially released back in 2018, though its arrival on Netflix has thrust this story back into the limelight. Escape at Dannemora is based on the real-life prison escape of 2015, in which two inmates, Richard Matt and Matthew Sweat, seduced a married prison employee to gain her help in the first US prison break in decades.
Escape at Dannemora has been praised for its accuracy, and much of the details surrounding Matt and Sweat’s escape are depicted in the series as it is believed to have happened in real life. Joyce “Tilly” Mitchell snuck tools into Clinton Correctional Facility by hiding them within frozen ground beef, and the inmate duo used these to cut holes in their cell walls to gain access to a utility area below the prison. After months of planning and navigating, Sweat and Matt finally made their escape on June 6, 2015. Escape at Dannemora explored the before, during, and after—but what’s the real story of David Sweat’s capture and punishment?
David Sweat Was Captured On June 28, 2015
David Sweat Was Captured Three Weeks After His Escape
David Sweat and Richard Matt (played by Paul Dano and Benicio del Toro, respectively, in Escape at Dannemora) were officially noted absent on the morning of June 6, 2015. Though they had intended to be picked up by Tilly Mitchell (Patricia Arquette), the prison employee was a no-show. So, the escapees set out on foot into the forests of Dannemora with the intent of heading toward the Canadian border. A multimillion-dollar manhunt ensued, and there was minimal sign of Sweat and Matt for three weeks. However, on June 26, 2015, Richard Matt was found, shot, and killed.
Because David Sweat was no longer with Richard Matt, it was momentarily believed that the former might have already been killed. However, two days later, on June 28, 2015, Sweat was spotted by a state trooper, Sergeant Jay Cook, walking along a road in Constable, New York—only a couple miles from the Canadian border (via ABC News). Cook attempted to engage Sweat in conversation, but the inmate only told him he was “good” and kept walking. When Cook continued to pursue, Sweat made a break for the treeline. Cook gave several warnings but ultimately shot and subdued Sweat before he could disappear into the trees.
David Sweat Was Moved To A Maximum Security Prison After Being In The Hospital
David Sweat Is Even Less Free Than He Was Before
Sweat survived his gunshot wounds, though he was brought to a hospital in Albany in critical condition. His condition was upgraded to “fair” a couple of days later, so police were cleared to interrogate the escaped inmate, who explained leaving Richard Matt behind due to his slow movement and drunken recklessness. This is also when the final pieces of the puzzle regarding the Clinton Correctional Facility escape came together, as Sweat cooperated with police by telling them his and Matt’s full plan and method.
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Once Sweat made his full recovery, he was moved to the Five Points Correctional Facility in Romulus, New York. He was placed in solitary confinement with 24-hour video surveillance—a far cry from his “honor block” living situation in Clinton Correctional. This is where Sweat has remained since his brief period of freedom following his Shawshank-style escape in 2015.
David Sweat’s Punishment For The Clinton Correctional Facility Escape Explained
David Sweat Essentially Continued His Life Sentence
In October 2019, Sweat pled guilty to his escape and was sentenced to an additional seven years in his maximum security prison. That may not seem like much, but it’s important to remember that Sweat was already serving a life sentence for first-degree murder when he and Matt broke free. The inmate has no possibility of parole, so the additional sentence is more symbolic than anything. Sweat’s true punishment, in the end, is the solitary confinement he must live in for the rest of his life.
Sweat’s true punishment, in the end, is the solitary confinement he must live in for the rest of his life.
Living under 24-hour video surveillance ensures that Sweat will never again have the opportunity to escape as he did in 2015. Additionally, the inmate can no longer create the friendships and relationships that made his escape possible. Ultimately, Sweat is even less free today than he was when he made a desperate bid for freedom. Escape at Dannemora may detail the real man’s efforts and very near success, but his story and punishment extend far beyond anything we will ever see on screen.
Escape at Dannemora
is available to stream on Netflix.
Source: ABC News
Escape at Dannemora is a crime drama based on a real-life prison break in upstate New York. The series explores the complex relationships and manipulations among two convicted murderers and the facility’s staff member who becomes entangled in their escape plan, revealing underlying themes of desperation and vulnerability.
- Cast
- Benicio Del Toro , Paul Dano , Patricia Arquette , David Morse , Eric Lange , Bonnie Hunt , Gregory Dann , Daniel Johnson , Dominic Colon , Jeremy Bobb , Skipp Sudduth , Amber Gray , Micah Stock , Michael Imperioli , Leo James Davis , Charlie Hofheimer , Jim Parrack , Richie Allan , Carolyn Mignini , Charles Prendergast , David Neal Levin
- Character(s)
- Richard Matt , David Sweat , Joyce Tilly Mitchell , Gene Palmer , Lyle Mitchell , Catherine Scott , Corrections Officer Boyd , Inmate , Odell Martinez , Dennis Lambert , Clinton Superintendent Steve Racette , Annie , Kenny Mitchell , New York Governor Andrew Cuomo , Kenny Barille Jr. , Kenny Barille Sr. , Kevin Tarsia , William Rickerson , Ilene Mulvaney , Domino , George Armistead
- Release Date
- November 18, 2018
- Seasons
- 1
- Creator(s)
- Brett Johnson , Michael Tolkin