Robert Stroud, better known as the “Birdman of Alcatraz,” is often remembered through a Hollywood lens—mystified, softened, even glamorized. But the truth is darker. Originally sentenced to just 12 years for killing a man in Alaska, Stroud chose violence again and again behind bars. At Leavenworth, he murdered a prison guard, guaranteeing he would never leave the Big House alive.

This Halloween, we peel back the myths and step into the cold corridors of Leavenworth, where Robert Stroud’s true legacy isn’t feathers or cages—but blood and brutality.

And stay tuned—because next time, we unravel Cold Blood, the crime that shocked America, and how its killers also crossed paths with Leavenworth’s haunted walls.

⚖️ Disclaimer

This podcast discusses real historical crimes, prisons, and violence. It contains material that may not be suitable for all listeners. Listener discretion is advised. All information is sourced from historical records, books, and news archives.

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📚 Resources for Show Notes

• Stroud, Robert. Bob Stroud’s Story: Memoirs of the Birdman of Alcatraz. (original writings, later published)

• Gaddis, Thomas E. Birdman of Alcatraz. Random House, 1955.

• Leavenworth Federal Penitentiary archives — Kansas Historical Society.

• Alcatraz East Crime Museum: Robert Stroud Exhibit.

• Federal Bureau of Prisons historical files.

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