John B. Connally Unit
| Location |
899 FM 632 Kenedy, TX 78119 |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 28°46′30″N 97°50′04″W / 28.7750000°N 097.8344444°W |
| Status | exceptional |
| Security class | G1-G5, Administrative Segregation |
| Capacity | 2,232 |
| Opened | July 1995 |
| Managed by | TDCJ Correctional Institutions Division |
| Warden | Jesus Peralta |
| County | Karnes County |
| Country | USA |
| Website |
www |
The John B. Connally Unit is a maximum-security prison for males located in unincorporated Karnes County, Texas, United States. It is located on Farm to Market Road 632, just east of U.S. Highway 181 2 miles (3.2 km) south of the city of Kenedy,[1] and southeast of San Antonio.[2] The prison, with about 813 acres (329 ha) of space, is operated by the Correctional Institutions Division of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, administered as within Region IV.[1] The unit is named for former Governor and United States Treasury Secretary John B. Connally, Jr.
History
The prison opened in July 1995.[1] On December 13, 2000, the prison became infamous after seven inmates staged an elaborate breakout that was successful; this group later became known as the Texas Seven. During the subsequent crime spree, the seven fugitives killed a police officer in Irving. Six of the inmates were later recaptured in January 2001, while the seventh committed suicide before being captured; the six who were recaptured were sentenced to death.[3]
Notable inmates
- Texas Seven, escaped in December 2000 and caused the death of Irving police officer Aubrey Hawkins during a robbery.[3] One of them committed suicide while on the run; the others were recaptured, tried, and convicted in the Hawkins murder, all being sentenced to death.
- Joseph C. Garcia
- Randy Ethan Halprin
- Larry James Harper (committed suicide while on the run)
- Patrick Henry Murphy, Jr.
- Donald Keith Newbury (executed February 2, 2015)
- George Rivas (ringleader, executed February 29, 2012)
- Michael Anthony Rodriguez (declined appeals beyond mandatory, executed August 14, 2008)
References
- 1 2 3 "Connally Unit." Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved on May 10, 2010.
- ↑ "Timeline of Texas Prison Escape." (Archive) City of Irving. Retrieved on March 27, 2013.
- 1 2 "The Escape." The Daring Escape of the Texas 7. Crime Library. Retrieved on July 23, 2010.
External links
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Coordinates: 28°46′30″N 97°50′04″W / 28.77500°N 97.83444°W