Charlie Hopkins, at 93, might be Alcatraz's final living inmate, and he's got something to say about Donald Trump's bold idea to reopen this iconic prison. Spending three years there in the '50s, Hopkins remembers the "deathly quiet" and isolation of life on the notorious rock.
Sent to Alcatraz in 1955 after trouble at other prisons, Hopkins served a 17-year sentence for kidnapping and robbery. Known for its infamous residents—like Al Capone and the "Birdman" Robert Stroud—Hopkins described the prison as clean but devoid of distractions. "There was nothing to do," he recalls—just push-ups and solitary walks back and forth in his cell.
Despite his tough environment, Hopkins once aided a failed escape plan. Unfortunately, after trying to help notorious bank robber Forrest Tucker, he spent time in solitary confinement. Ultimately, his plans did not pan out, leading to his eventual transfer and release in 1963.
Now a resident of Florida, a National Archives notification suggests he might be the only former inmate left. So, what does he think of Trump’s proposition to turn Alcatraz into a federal prison again for "the nation's most ruthless offenders"?
Hopkins pointed out the challenges, saying it would be "so expensive", especially given the prison's current dilapidated state. "They'd have to come up with another way of handling [sewage]." He also indicated that Trump's aims might be more about making a statement than feasible policy.
Reflecting on his past life, which includes writing a one-thousand-page memoir about his experiences, Hopkins acknowledges his previous mistakes. Ultimately, while he's supportive of Trump's rallying call for tougher criminal punishment, he feels the idea of reopening Alcatraz remains unlikely.
