Back to Brushy Mountain: A WBIR documentary

[@DangerousDevilOfficial]

What an absolutely fascinating documentary! I don’t know if I will ever end up on Tennessee. But if I do, I plan to visit this place. The Hopi story is absolutely awesome to learn about. The older I get, the more fascinating history becomes!

[@jonathanlawson4667]

I know Mr Gibson and talked with him more than once he's a genuine real man with a great honest heart

[@ryannwenck7595]

I actually just went here today and wanted to learn even more and watch a documentary, if you are in Tennessee anytime this is DEFINITELY worth it if your into stuff like this! There was even real inmates there to awnser questions and told us about the prison and his story

[@amandawolfe1054]

My older brother was an inmate at Brushy Mountain, back when I was a kid, from 1990-‘93. For most of the time my brother was incarcerated at Brushy, he was one of the inmates that was allowed to have family members come and visit at the outdoor pavilion/picnic area, but that didn’t mean that spending every Sunday, and all the holidays (including Christmas, of course) at Brushy wasn’t difficult for us all. Brushy Mountain was a tough prison to be incarcerated in, and on many different levels; Visiting a loved one in Brushy was depressing, and not just because you’re visiting someone you love in prison. Every Sunday and holiday I’d visit my brother, as soon as I could see the prison come into view, I would get this horrible feeling inside, because the building was big, old, and (at least for a 10-13 year old) had an ominous and foreboding feel to it. In the early ‘90’s, Brushy Mountain was already old, run-down looking, depressing, and in disrepair, so how it didn’t get shut down before 2009, I’ll never understand. This is the first time since my brother’s release in 1993, that I’ve seen even so much as a picture of Brushy, and honestly, all I can feel is extreme relief and gratitude to the Lord, that I’ll never have to see Brushy Mountain Prison ever again. I’m also extremely glad that no one else will ever have to be incarcerated at Brushy, because a lot of the things that went on behind those walls were just bad and messed up, and the living conditions the inmates had to deal with were extremely difficult, too. As much as a lot of people would try to disagree with me on this, even prisoners should be treated humanely when incarcerated, and they should be allowed to have the basic necessities.

[@darrenpope6807]

I was an inmate there for 7 weeks in late 1992. I was sent there for classification before going to NECC. I was convicted of a minor crime and should never have been there, or in prison at all, but that's another story. When the bus first pulled in and I saw it for the first time I honestly wondered if I would ever make it out alive. I had heard so many stories over the years of how violent it was. It should have been closed long before it was. If you never spent time there you cannot imagine what it was like. Touring it now will never give you a true idea. However, it was my short time there that turned my life around and where I came to the realization that I never wanted to be in a place like that again. They say Brushy was the damnation of many an evil man, and the salvation of a humble few. I am one of those humble few. I hope your brother turned his life around and is doing well.

[@amandawolfe1054]

@@darrenpope6807 I’m so happy that you were able to turn your life around, because that doesn’t happen for a lot of people, especially when they enter places like Brushy. I’m also thankful that you only had to do seven weeks there, because some of the stories that my brother told me- and these are the only a he would actually share with me or anyone else-were absolutely horrible. My brother was sentenced to serve three years in prison, and he served all three years, and he did the majority of it at Brushy. For three years, my family had to spend every holiday Brushy so we could celebrate together as a family as best we could under the horrible circumstance-I was in my early teens when all this was going on, so although my brother was going through a lot worse than I was because he was the one actually in the prison, it still made an big impression on my young mind, to say the least. I remember when my brother first went to prison, for a while, my mother used to make me go with her every weekend to go see him, but after a while I started revolting and I absolutely refuse to go every weekend..... I just couldn’t handle it, not every weekend; I began visiting only once a month on regular weekends. As for my brother, I wish I could say that he turned himself around like you have, and although my brother has had periods where he’s done pretty well, he has damaged himself with drugs and has been battling drug addiction on and off since he was a teenager, and he is just emotionally and mentally damaged I guess you could say; In fact, I haven’t spoken to him in probably eight months because he’s gone off the ledge and he’s super angry all the time and since he has a tendency to be violent, I’ve pulled away from him, and he’s basically said he doesn’t want to talk to me my son or my mother. I love him, but I have to love him from a far because he is dangerous when he’s like he’s been, on and off, for the past 2 years. Hell, he said he didn’t want to speak to me, our mom or my son many months ago so we’ve had very little contact with him -well my mom’s had a little bit of contact with him, but I’ve had absolutely none, and I’ve had to tell my son to steer clear of him. Going to prison, especially a prison like Brushy Mountain made him come out worse and more damaged than when he went in, I will say that. Heck, if you were in there ‘92 you might’ve actually met my brother; my brother’s last name is Wolfenbarger, and he was kind of a big guy and weight lifted.

[@darrenpope6807]

Sorry to hear that about your brother, but I can see how a place like that could damage a person of they were there for a long time. Drugs have taken so many good people too. My sister overdosed and died a few years ago. As long as he lives there is still hope. God bless you and yours.

[@amandawolfe1054]

@@darrenpope6807 thank you. And God bless you and yours as well.

[@elevatorman427]

@@amandawolfe1054 I toured this place today and granted I have no idea what went on I really enjoyed the place and tour. I can't say I disagree with you though regardless even inmates need to be treated humanely. I read about some of what went on but, I know I will still never have any idea of how it affected people such as you even though it was your brother who was incarcerated still affects family as well.

[@petesadventures6486]

Was just there today first time , thank you for all who saved this place I look forward to going back when I have more time

[@Nalla762]

Really enjoyed this documentary. A comment in the Fourman brothers' investigation of Brushy brought me here. 2 years, but better late than never.

[@feliciac.5981]

Same!

[@Adrian-zd4cs]

This was a really great video! Thanks y'all!

[@kathmandu1575]

Mr. Gibson is an inspiring story.

[@tennesseesmoky9012]

About time for an update on the status of the ol Brushy Mountain prison.

[@tennesseegirl5539]

Awesome! Love the story of Robert Gibson! 💜🙏

[@Diddley-js6lf]

I had a cousin that spent all of his adult life there even escaped back to Knoxville in the late Seventies. He has spent more time locked up then he did as a free man starting in early youth in the Boys home in Knoxville.

[@jackiemarini3203]

Sad just sad 💔

[@mechcavandy986]

A distillery! WTH, my two uncles went to prison there for distilling whiskey! 🙀🙀

[@Pinthetic]

In April 2018 I commissioned the new 15 PSI boiler for the distillery. I was able to see the beginning of the transformation. They did a great job with this project.

[@nathanlaw2675]

I’ve met mr.gibson in person, he’s a great person with a good heart

[@paulrogersfishing469]

I was there in 2006 and 2007 and there was no ac or anything. Crazy being locked up there on A block. That place was crazy.

[@amandawolfe1054]

They should have closed that prison down so many decades ago. My brother was incarcerated there back from '90-'93, and the conditions were really bad back then, too.

[@LordOfThePancakes]

@@amandawolfe1054I disagree. I think they should have expanded the prison. These animals who were incarcerated there deserve everything they had coming.

[@lambsblood_]

The deer Geronimo was a awesome piece of history. Very fitting name as well haha.

[@ugoboy99]

A few friends and I took a Bike ride up there , it’s well worth the visit.

[@franklintempleton7169]

James Wright was the first inmate to ever break out he started THE Wright and Templeton Gang

[@jedediahbc]

Texas department of Corrections uses thier inmates for work in the state that supports all state departments.

[@Infiniti_Rico]

Back in 2011 I met a girl from Petros online. We ended up hanging out one night. She lived across the street from the prison in a big red and white house. It turns out that her father was the warden at Brushy Creek when it closed. When I met her he was the warden at Morgan County about 30 minutes away. He offered to take me on a tour of Brushy Creek but it never happened. I went to that house several times to chill with her. But she turned out to be a little crazy and was doing pills real bad. So we stopped talking. About 2 years later I ended up at Morgan County for a 3 month stint. One day we were told to make sure our rooms were clean and our beds made properly because some higher ups were doing an inspection. He came in the pod with a few others. At this time he had been promoted and was the regional director. We inmates were standing outside out cells for the inspection. As he was walking by we made eye contact. He slowed down and briefly stared at me. He recognized me. He gave me a look of disappointment, shook his head, and walked away.

[@blakeledbetter7682]

I live near there and the influence has spread to fentress county and Clarkrange where I live

[@highcaliberexclusive9890]

This is sick. The state using humans as slaves under the guise of prison.

[@patriciatoomingtheplantpar2558]

why? the prisoners are using the tax payer to pay for 3 hots and a cot, they should have some skin in the game

[@WouldntULikeToKnow.]

​@@patriciatoomingtheplantpar2558 ignorant comment.

[@WouldntULikeToKnow.]

This still happens, sadly.

[@12345678989814]

​@@patriciatoomingtheplantpar2558here's something that you need to remember the prisoners work using taxpayers money by choice they were locked up according to the crimes and the laws that they committed and I'm pretty sure if they had their choice they'd rather not be in there so and I'll tell you having the mindset that if you beat somebody whether they committed a crime or not is playing out wrong to treat somebody as though they are not a human and they have no rights whatsoever no matter what they've done does that make you or them or the authority any better than that person that did the crime know it sure does

[@mikehartsook5281]

I REMEMBER WHEN JAMES EARL RAY ESCAPED IN 1977 I WAS 15 YEARS OLD AND ONE OF THE PRISONERS WITH HIM THAT ESCAPED WAS NAMED WILLIAM BILL BLEVINS, HE WAS FROM MY HOMETOWN AND THE SAME NEIGHBORHOOD AS ME HIM AND HIS FAMILY WAS GREAT FRIENDS WITH MY MOM AND DAD AND MY GRANDPA AND GRANDMA AND THE REST OF MY MOMS FAMILY BILLS MOM AND DAD LIVED ACROSS THE STREET FROM US IN JOHNSON CITY TENNESSEE HE GOT PUT IN PRISON FOR MANSLAUGHTER HE WAS DRUNK AND GOT IN A FIGHT WITH THIS GUY AND SHOT THE GUY AND KILLED HIM HE WAS CHARGED WITH INVOLUNTARY MANSLAUGHTER HE SHOWED ME A PICTURE TAKEN AT BRUSHY MOUNTAIN PRISON OF HIM AND JAMES EARL RAY SITTING ON SOME STEPS, I DON'T KNOW WHY HE ESCAPED BECAUSE HE DIDN'T HAVE A LONG SENTENCE I BELIEVE HE PULLED 8 YEARS AND GOT OUT IN 1980 OR 1981 HE NEVER GOT IN TROUBLE AGAIN HE WAS A GREAT GUY REAL GOOD HEARTED I HAVE KNOWN HIM SINCE I WAS A BABY I DRANK A FEW BEERS WITH HIM WHEN I CAME HOME ON LEAVE IN THE ARMY. I DON'T KNOW IF HE IS STILL LIVING OR NOT .

[@Deplorable_Garbage]

There's are marathon due to him...

[@mbuck253]

@@Deplorable_Garbage there’s things a lot more notable than marathons that are attributed to him…

[@rameshr2939]

😊

[@rameshr2939]

😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊

[@fabledfantasty7343]

Mike... Gezz, why are u yelling??

[@BlondeVolDoll]

Very interesting!

[@petejones6827]

they said if we cant own slaves we will make them out of "criminals"

[@xxBrokenDreams666xx]

well documented yet people still deny the school-to-prison pipeline "theory"

[@DavidMccallister65]

What a great testimony! ☝️🙌

[@taylorswemley]

went there to visit the prison today!

[@eliplayz1233]

I did Saturday

[@jasonanfinson9346]

Did time there from 2005-2009

[@mrgallagher7072]

I guess,,,, don't break the law would be the moral to this story.

[@jade_lawson70]

I actually went here b4 over the summer! They are doing tours all around the prison and it looks COOL!

[@kymburriss4260]

Very interesting history.

[@patriciacomedyandlife3716]

I'm extremely proud of the prison in my Lil town of Petros Tn. Absolutely love it I got pics of ghost in that prison

[@eddieglover3090]

OMG that prison bring back so many painful memories, I was there when they closed Brushy down in 1972 and they inmates to different prison. I was there when inmates got the gun and when James Earl Ray was stabbed 22 times by 3 inmates. 1972 was the bloodiest year in history at Nashville because most of the guys came from Brushy and terrorize those guys. The Guards were really racist in Brushy and as a matter of fact white Guards brought the guns in to shoot the blacks. Wow I should write a book. Lol

[@russelmurray9268]

I had chain gangs working on the road where I lived as a kid n I'd climb a tree n when they were underneath me I'd say hello the guards rode horses n everyone was chained together

[@bettyallred8883]

America needs to get back to this now. You get out you want want to go back again.

[@dalekundtz760]

​​@@bettyallred8883The only reason "former inmates" want to go back as you put it, is that once people on the outside never think of them as former. People make mistakes and do their time. Used to be that once you "paid your debt to society" you were a free man and could live again. Today, once a convict, hard to prove yourself to many who have never been there or had family who have been there. Yes, prisons are needed for those repeat offenders who decide crime is better and easier then honest living, but many learn their lesson and, if given the chance" can be productive citizens if given the chance. For those who have family in prison, give them hope by giving them support, and I don't mean money wise. Let them know they have not been forgotten and that they are still loved. The hard and dangerous time in prison is a major learning experience and for many, they do not want to go back to ever.

[@WouldntULikeToKnow.]

​@@bettyallred8883 what an ignorant comment. That not how it works at all.

[@raidenwolfe6495]

Brushy Mountain penitentiary in the shape of a cross...an upside down cross 😳

[@jasonherman2126]

The sate of Tennessee sent me there when i was 21 and i was non violent and really should never have been there ..

[@marksealy7255]

In date and out date , I can get every record and inmate name from opening til closing. Let me know please

[@seanoneil1716]

​@@marksealy7255 Who was in cell 28 and 27 ?

[@LordOfThePancakes]

You were exactly where you belonged…

[@flstffatboy3910]

The new plans for this old prison sounds like a great idea

[@jeffreykidd4248]

At 23:38, does anyone (maybe a former CO) know who the 5 other inmates sitting with Robert Gibson are? Especially the one talking to the reporter?

[@ryanwaddell6278]

I know alot of people that spent time in brushy before it closed. Rough place to do time. Rip to officer McCowan blount county deputy that was shot and killed a few day ago assisting in a traffic stop. The body cam footage is here on KZbin on WBIR channel 10 news Knoxville Tennessee. The suspect got away but they caught him 5 days later in Knoxville. Another female officer was shot but she survived the body cam footage is very sad to sit there and watch his body laying their lifeless and people trying to see if he's still alive and trying to give her assistance and this is why the public kind of needs to take it upon herself to be trained on how to help in situations and apply tourniquets and chest seals. I advise everybody to go take some firearms and medical training there are plenty of good places out there especially in the state of Tennessee because the police can't always get there to help you in time and you need to be your own first responder.

[@MsRotorwings]

Yes. And put together a trauma kit.

[@tashachaffins1879]

That's where angry grandma is from

[@hannahm131]

Yes it is! Her father was actually the Constable of the prison.

[@williambush7971]

I did the tour. It is a real eye opener just to drive up to the prison. Grim, GRIM. I would rather die than do 20 or 30 years there. We need prisons like that now. If they got out they would do whatever it takes to not come out. GRIM...

[@WouldntULikeToKnow.]

Harsh prisons do nothing but make violent prisoners.

[@Deplorable_Garbage]

My dad worked here. Also, Barkley Marathons...

[@bobbieashworth5436]

My cousin Wayne Crutchfield was locked up in Brushy Mountain for like 9 years but he said Federal pain was worse than Brushy Mountain

[@thesilentgeneration]

The State built the new prison? I've heard it was the inmates who had to build the prison!

[@allthingsbegin]

Amazing story

[@ryanwaddell6278]

Yeah it's wild that they used to have a pet deer that fell off the side of the mountain down into the yard and got injured and they took care of it. Brushy mountain is always been talked about in my family even if you ripped a loose fart my uncle would say that sound like a brushy mountain fart. Crazy uncle i miss him.

[@michaelatkin9649]

I see no problem with forcing prisoners to work for their housing food etc. Why do citizens have to pay for these pos

[@mbuck253]

The State “leased” inmates… yeah, that’s one way to put it.

[@andresdelgado6778]

Fascinating story, full of incredible events. However, I find a bit disturbing to preserve the site historical value converting it into a for profit hard liquor "tourist attarction". Don't forget behind those walls many attrocities were committed, humans endured suffering and pain, I don't know, like Amanda Wolfe commented on this thread it is just "bad and messed up"...

[@jedediahbc]

You know the inmates make thier own alcoholic drink called mint Jul lip. They would take fruit juice and put bread in it and had to have a sugary base and let it set and start to work. After about a month it would be ferminting then strain the juice and drink it and it would give you a good buzz.

[@MsRotorwings]

I lived in San Francisco for eight years before I agreed to tour Alcatraz with a friend. I didn’t believe a prison should be a tourist attraction. However, the tours were done by the Park Service. It was more educational, not exploitative. Surrounded by all those walls and steel bars you get a sense of the suffering the prisoners had to endure.

[@michaelmosley254]

The guy un the red shirt is robert gibson he spent 30 years there he has been to our church to give his testimony

[@lorenzomedina3419]

22:27 I wrote a book called (Suicidal Prevention) Now on Amazon/Kindle Book under Larry Medina I like to be a speaker to the Inmates and to let them know that there is still Hope. and yes I saw the inside of a Prison.

[@ericlakota1847]

I wouldn't dought government did kill martin king

[@russelmurray9268]

1958 my dad died n my mom took me to brushy mountain prison n told me this was where I was going to live if I was a bad boy they let me sit in the electric chair it was a tour I guess she read about in the paper but she died before i could ask about it

[@pogmo84]

Brushy only housed the electric chair from Nashville while the Nashville prison was being remodeled. There were no executions done at Brushy. There was, however, a shoe shine chair that could have been mistaken, by a child, for an electric chair. But it didn’t have anything hooked up to it.

[@russelmurray9268]

@@pogmo84 your incorrect I sat in the electric chair in 58 as well as other people I toured the place n also remember the summer cells that we're outside the main cells. They stopped the tours sometime later because they said many of the kids that visited ended up back there. There was a radio program about the man who developed the electric chair who speaks about it and I believe there's a guest register that may exist

[@russelmurray9268]

@@pogmo84 you could be right there's lots of conflicting information about the electric chair some say there never was an electric chair there yet the person who developed the electric chair claims to have started at brushy mountain. Where was old sparky?

[@russelmurray9268]

@@pogmo84 I just heard a story about a person who escaped from brushy mountain n killed people and was electricuted in the electric chair so I'm guessing there was an electric chair there when I went

[@joshuagibson2520]

Wow. 1 year and 6 days later, I'm the first comment.

[@ScooterPoot]

Make me number 2. LoL

[@amandawolfe1054]

Guess that makes my comment, comment #3. But when I was a kid, back between ‘90-‘93, my older brother (and my only sibling) who’s 16 years my senior, was incarcerated at Brushy Mountain, and this is the first time I’ve seen even a glimpse of the prison since 1993. I live in Maryville, TN, which is driving distance to Brushy, so my family and I spent all the holidays, and just about every single Sunday at Brushy visiting my brother; to say I am glad that, that time in my brother’s and my family’s lives is over and done with would be an enormous understatement.

[@joshuagibson2520]

@@amandawolfe1054 yeah I live out past Wartburg a little ways. I hope to see the place in person maybe someday.

[@addisonarmes6844]

Joshua Gibson i live right beside the prison lol

[@joshuagibson2520]

@@addisonarmes6844 I live closest to Deer Lodge.

[@Mack8361]

My great grandfather was there for half his life Thurman Johnson aka poppy

[@dereklaw4192]

anybody know where i can find info on the escapes

[@billiewest429]

Search James Earl Ray escapes from Brushy Mountain I just watched that myself

[@bobbynelson2481]

What do you want to know

[@_007B]

“Make money is the reason they built the prison” Alabama building a billion dollar prison and so is Atlanta 😂 What kind of investment did those states make??

[@jeremyt419]

If yall didnt mention old crow medicine show, i would've.

[@york1881]

Nothing beats an old prison with character !

[@stevegwinn2639]

I was at Turney center and it is violent, but south central is the worst!!! Actually all the cca prison r extremely violent.

[@WouldntULikeToKnow.]

The music is weirdly upbeat for the subject matter.

[@TennesseeTrio]

If those walls could talk!

[@speedfreak8200]

Great documentary ..But they didn't mention John Hiatt's song "Tennessee Plates" (license plates) give it a listen 🎶 🎵 🎶

[@DavidWilliams-tr1yx]

I done time at Brushy it was a spooky place

[@fabledfantasty7343]

David... Bad enough to do a crime, but a bish when it comes to being spooked?

[@deepwood4]

He was a patsy.

[@itsme2365]

Wasn’t Manson a prisoner here?

[@jasonanfinson9346]

No. Definitely not

[@kewsiyehboah6058]

James Earl Ray..

[@jasonden1866]

What did James earl ray do?

[@izzyrainydayz]

@@jasonden1866 He was the guy who killed Martin Luther King Jr.

[@jasonden1866]

Izzy well the cia killed mlk not James

[@GregCoxTV]

When it comes to shoveling coal, I have done that and at the end of the day your spit is black just like the inside of your nose. Before Brushy Mountain, there was the West Virginia Penitentiary complete with electric chair and hangings. No wonder it is haunted.

[@bettyallred8883]

Death penalty needs to be reinstated.

[@MsRotorwings]

My grandfather spent a day in the mines, somewhere in West Virginia. The entrance collapsed. He got out. But he never went back. He became a finish carpenter instead.

[@jamesmurray5934]

That place was a hell hole. 4 years of my life was wasted there. Over what's legal now. People who couldn't fight didn't last long.

[@kcstafford2784]

hard to enjoy with the bachground music so loud

[@guttermastersplus5613]

Look like a pretty good prison to me I think all inmates should work for the crime they did why should they lay around and have colored TV and gyms and free doctor's treatment and everything else if you do the crime you must do the time and we need to bring it back today

[@mr.christopher79]

an inverted cross

[@mechcavandy986]

James Earl Ray was a punk when he was there. 🙀 He admitted he killed King to a friend of mine at Brushy Mountain.

[@mr.willywinker4u849]

Oh well he had a dream 😂

[@lukemajorv.1331]

Ugh. I remember driving by this while incarnated and them telling us how lucky we were not to be there.

[@robertahill929]

Truly pathetic & sad making prisoners into slaves. I know you shouldn't take a persons life which over half is in there for that. That Warden to bad they didn't get ahold of his butt. Like one of the ghost hunters said..... Their feet was only off the floor for a 1/2 hour. 😧☹️😫🥱 they said 10,000 died there. God will have their destiny. 🌠☀️🙏

[@gringodog111]

Way to turn Human torture into a cash cow

[@sdingus1]

Another way for inmates to give back for their crimes.

[@bobbieashworth5436]

This is so screwed up they are still making money off of Brushy Mountain ghost tours that's so screwed up😢

[@royhobbs4766]

My peepaw do time in brushy. When he walked in his cell he said there was a sheman in der and once he seen that he runned as hard as he could but no where to run. Then sheman started whoopin him with hers mulliit.

[@nightlife7231]

And ur name is Mike

[@mr.willywinker4u849]

WTF r u even saying 😂😂😂

[@robertahill929]

If I had lived there when prisoners escaped i would have left town until they were caught. 😱 👍

[@mr.willywinker4u849]

Omfg wtf 😂😂😂😂😂

[@lvtuckerrvb]

Built like an upside down cross more like it

[@obscuritymaster1880]

It was definitely the fbi

[@jerrychappell6402]

I did time there in the early 80's

[@christophermcguire27]

Brushy Mountain nick, Lord elp us

[@deepwood4]

FBI absolutely did it.

[@kewsiyehboah6058]

Uhuru..

[@ronniemiles9522]

B

[@tayloreslick7542]

It wasn't Jesus brother, it was your good karma you built up. You got yourself freed from prison my good man and don't give anyone or anything else that credit except yourself.

[@mr.willywinker4u849]

You are so very very wrong he got right with the Lord and he set him free. Maybe you should try talking to the Lord. He will set you free from bondage and sin.

[@marksealy7255]

This is a bunch of LIES, you can hike right across the mountain to hwy 62 if you have skills, i have known many people who have done this more than once just to prove that this is a myth. IT CAN BE AND HAS BEEN DONE. this is just a STORY, thats all this is A STORY

[@terryakins2288]

You can thank your hero Rhino Abe. He so good.

[@mr.willywinker4u849]

Hey James Earl ray WASN'T trying to escape he just had a dream