Jackson Stoever
Jun 11, 2025
ALBANY, N.Y. — Many people from the North Country know where they were the day convicted murderers David Sweat and Richard Matt escaped from Clinton Correctional Facility.
Ten years after their escape, New York's current inspector general, Lucy Lang, remembers vividly what she was doing when the escape made headlines in 2015.
"I was in Manhattan, working as a homicide prosecutor," said Lang. "I was watching it transfixed, as was the rest of the state."
On Wednesday, Lang held a special presentation in New York's capital city to commemorate the ten-year anniversary of the prison break that shook the North Country and reflected on how the New York prison system has evolved. Many of the changes were prompted, in part, because of the investigation conducted by her predecessor, former inspector general Catherine Leahy-Scott.
"The lessons of Dannemora reflect how important it is to follow the protocols that are put in place. The rules are there for a reason. We hope nothing like this ever happens again," said Lang.
Guests got the chance to hear from the big players who had a role in the investigation, and the 22-day manhunt across our region that followed.
"People were highly motivated. You couldn't ask for a better shot of adrenaline than that," said former New York State Police superintendent Joseph D'Amico.
D'Amico led the manhunt in 2015 and says the escape at Dannemora was something he will never forget.
"We critiqued it heavily after it was done. There were things we could have done better and things that I thought we did very well. Out of the things we could have done better, none of them would have changed the way the case ended up," said D'Amico.
By the time of the escape, D'Amico had more than 30 years in law enforcement under his belt. But in all that time wearing the badge, the lengths it took to bring Sweat and Matt to justice still haunt him.
"Every day I lost sleep," said D'Amico. "I thought we were going to start to see victims, or robberies, or burglaries or car thefts. We knew they [Matt and Sweat] had no resources in hand."
Plattsburgh native Keshia Clukey was just beginning her career as a journalist reporting for the Times Union. Like NBC5, she spent long hours on the air.
"This was really a once-in-a-lifetime career story," said Clukey. "These things don't usually happen."
What she remembers most in her time covering the story, is the kindness from the community, and the willingness to lend a helping hand to local law enforcement.
"The residents were just phenomenal. Everyone was helping law enforcement. They were giving haircuts, they were donating socks and drinks. There was this phrase, 'Clinton Strong'. It created a sort of bonded feeling," said Clukey.
That is something D'Amico echoes. He says they could not have done it without the help of the folks who call Clinton County home.
"There was one day that I remember. It was a rainy day, we had officers along the roadway as a human barrier. I saw a resident come out with a fold-up tent so that a trooper could stand under it and shelter from the rain," said D'Amico. "What do I say to the community? I give them my sincere respect and gratitude."
If you missed the livestream, a link to the full presentation can be found online.
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