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The Tribune is calling today's story about "Dark Knight" director Christopher Nolan's incarcerated brother and his planned prison escape "Batman-like," which is good bait to get you into the story. But when you read deeper, it turns out that the tale being told isn't terribly Batty at all - it's only barely Dark Knight related. Which is not to say it's not a hell of a story - one which we're surprised hasn't been talked about much to date. (The conspirator part of our brain is saying "yeah, but that kind of talk might keep away other film companies, and that's bad for the city, so maybe...")
Matthew Nolan has been incarcerated in the Metropolitan Correctional Center for the past few months, and over that time amassed a cache of escape tools, including a razor, 31 feet of "rope" made from bedsheets and a metal pick that could open locks. He was arrested as he left bankruptcy court in Chicago on charges of involvement with a murder and kidnapping in Costa Rica, where he posed as a jewel dealer. Beyond that, the rest of Nolan's troubles stem from a check scam that allegedly took place in Chicago during the filming of "TDK," and he's also claimed to be part of the British Special Forces as part of his shady dealings. Again, none of this sounds like something that the World's Greatest Detective would be involved with.
"Mission Impossible?" Maybe. "The Thomas Crown Affair?" Getting closer. Any "James Bond" movie? Much more like it. "Escape from Alcatraz?" Since very few prisoners, if any, have ever escaped from the MCC, totally. But "Batman-like?" Considering there's no bats, no true wealthy playboys, no maniacs with green hair, no leather-clad S&M catpeople - unless it turns out that Nolan's parents were killed as they were leaving a screening of "The Mark of Zorro," we're going to go ahead and call BS bat guano on the misleading Batmannery.
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If you read the comments online at the Trib story, several commenters have called BS on the MCC for claiming there haven't been any prior escapes.
That's also my recollection.
I also remember an escaped where a window was somehow removed & the opening enlarged to get out. I don't remember how the got down or how long it was before they were recaptured.
Based on your comment and a couple of other emails, since I'm not sure that there's never been an escape I've amended the post.
Seems like with some of these places, if you can figure out how to get escape, they should salute your ingenuity and just let you skate.
There was once an escape from the maximum security Marion Federal Prison that was ingenious beyond belief.
Apparently various security doors were controlled by handheld remotes, just like you open a garage door.
So some inmates got a garage door opener remote & modified it to open the doors at Marion.
That was the first escape from Marion, which was built as the fed's most secure facility as a replacement for Alcatraz. I don't know if there have been any more from there.