Chapter 1: The Grim Background

In 1982, a wave of panic swept through the Mecklenburg Correctional Center in Virginia. The execution of Frank Coppola, a notorious death row inmate, via electric chair, sent shockwaves through the prison. Coppola had been sentenced for the brutal murder of a woman during a robbery and had spent five years on death row before asking for his execution.

The execution, however, went horrifically wrong. Coppola caught fire during the process, and witnesses eagerly shared the gruesome details, making him a martyr among the inmates. His death sparked fears that more executions were imminent, a grim reminder that any of them could face the same fate.

Rumors soon circulated about a bomb plot concocted by the inmates, prompting a thorough search of the facility. The prison officials found no evidence, leading many to wonder whether the inmates had cleverly hidden their plans. The double-gated entrance served as the only way in or out, making any escape seem impossible.

Shortly after Coppola's execution, an emergency a