Criminal. He was arrested in March of 1945 for murdering Amarillo police officer Lemuel Savage and the kidnapping of three people. Receiving a 99 year sentence, he was transferred to Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary in October 1945 after making several failed escape attempts. Once on the island, he soon became involved in planning an escape attempt with fellow inmates Bernard Coy, Marvin Hubbard, Joseph Cretzer, Sam Shockley, and Clarence Carnes. On May 2, 1946, the six inmates set their plans in motion and quickly took over the main cellblock and locked up most of the on-duty guards before any alarm was sounded. In what became known as the "Battle of Alcatraz," the two day fight came to an end after Thompson, Carnes, and Shockley retreated back to their cells to be captured while Coy, Cretzer, and Hubbard were shot and killed in a utility corridor. In addition to the three inmates, prison guards Harold Stites and William Miller were also killed. The three surviving inmates were quickly placed on trial for the deaths of the two guards and as a result, Thompson and Shockley received the death penalty while Carnes received a sentence of 99 years. Both Thompson and Shockley were executed two years later at San Quentin State Prison.
Criminal. He was arrested in March of 1945 for murdering Amarillo police officer Lemuel Savage and the kidnapping of three people. Receiving a 99 year sentence, he was transferred to Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary in October 1945 after making several failed escape attempts. Once on the island, he soon became involved in planning an escape attempt with fellow inmates Bernard Coy, Marvin Hubbard, Joseph Cretzer, Sam Shockley, and Clarence Carnes. On May 2, 1946, the six inmates set their plans in motion and quickly took over the main cellblock and locked up most of the on-duty guards before any alarm was sounded. In what became known as the "Battle of Alcatraz," the two day fight came to an end after Thompson, Carnes, and Shockley retreated back to their cells to be captured while Coy, Cretzer, and Hubbard were shot and killed in a utility corridor. In addition to the three inmates, prison guards Harold Stites and William Miller were also killed. The three surviving inmates were quickly placed on trial for the deaths of the two guards and as a result, Thompson and Shockley received the death penalty while Carnes received a sentence of 99 years. Both Thompson and Shockley were executed two years later at San Quentin State Prison.
Bio by: G.Photographer
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