Inside America's Most NOTORIOUS Prison: Inmate Exposes Truth About ADX Supermax Prison

The Connect- with Johnny Mitchell

Johnny Mitchell

True Crime

4.3 • 562 Ratings

🗓️ 31 May 2026

⏱️ 142 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Former federal inmate Eric King joins to expose what life is really like inside ADX Florence, America’s most notorious supermax prison. After being sentenced to 10 years for firebombing a politician’s office in 2014, King says he endured brutal treatment in federal custody, including beatings, starvation, solitary confinement, four-point restraints, and years of communication restrictions. In this episode, Eric opens up about his radicalization in Kansas City, the Ferguson protests, his federal case, surviving violent prison politics, fighting a guard in self-defense, winning at trial, and later being sent to ADX Florence in what he believes was retaliation. He also explains the psychological toll of extreme isolation, the myths surrounding ADX, how prisoners communicate inside, and what it took to rebuild his life after release. Eric is the author of A Clean Hell: Anarchy and Abolition Inside America’s Most Notorious Dungeon, a firsthand account of survival, resistance, and humanity inside the federal prison system. Topics include: -Eric King’s childhood and political awakening -Ferguson, direct action, and his federal charges -Violence, solitary confinement, and prison retaliation -Life inside ADX Florence -The psychological effects of extreme isolation -Reentry, trauma, family, and healing after prison Go Support Eric! Book: https://pmpress.org/index.php?l=product_detail&p=1872 IG: https://www.instagram.com/supportericking/ This Episode Is #Sponsored By The Following: Hims! To get simple, online access to personalized, affordable care for ED, Hair Loss, Weight Loss, and more, visit https://hims.com/connect Prescription required. See website for details and important safety information. Sildenafil is the generic version of Viagra®. Viagra® is a registered trademark of Viatris Specialty LLC. Hims is not affiliated with or endorsed by Viatris. Cash App! Download Cash App Today: https://capl.onelink.me/vFut/1ekoiacn #CashAppPod. Cash App is a financial services platform, not a bank. Banking services provided by Cash App’s bank partner(s). Prepaid debit cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC. See terms and conditions at https://cash.app/legal/us/en-us/card-agreement. Cash App Green, overdraft coverage, borrow, cash back offers and promotions provided by Cash App, a Block, Inc. brand. Visit http://cash.app/legal/podcast for full disclosures. Join The Patreon For Bonus Content! https://www.patreon.com/theconnectshow 00:00 Eric King Introduction 02:00 Eric's Early Life & Radicalization 06:00 Growing Up: Crime, Poverty, and Activism 12:00 Losing Faith & Early Legal Troubles 18:00 Protest, Ferguson, and Political Activism 21:06 This Episode Is Sponsored By Hims 22:41 The Crime: Ferguson Response & Arrest 29:00 Prison: First Experiences & Racial Politics 34:00 Surviving Prison Culture & Targeting 40:00 Abuse by Guards & Florence Medium Incident 45:42 This Episode Is Sponsored By Cash App 47:00 Torture, Four-Point Room & Transfer Hell 53:00 Isolation, Violence, and Solitary Life 01:00:00 Fighting Back: Resistance & Prison Protests 01:14:00 Second Trial: Self-Defense, Winning in Court 01:20:00 ADX Florence: Punishment & Reprisal Transfers 01:28:00 Arriving at ADX: Conditions and Isolation 01:37:00 ADX Daily Life & Psychological Impact 01:49:00 Punitive System, Corruption, and Quota Reality 01:56:00 Surviving Isolation: Mental Discipline & Gratitude 02:00:00 Reentry: Life After Prison & Its Challenges 02:06:00 Reflection: Regrets, Growth, and Activism Now 02:12:00 ADX Realities, Mythbusting & Book Release 02:18:00 ADX Procedures, High-Profile Inmates & Closing Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Changes in sexual performance are more common than most people realize, and support doesn't need to feel awkward.
0:05.8	With MedExpress, everything happens privately online. Start by completing a short consultation reviewed by UK-registered clinicians. If eligible, treatment is delivered discreetly to your home with ongoing support whenever you need it. You're not alone in this. Visit Medexpress.com. Dot-uk-Uk slash podcast to learn more. Pieces over. Piece is dead. I walked down the streets of Kansas City with a backpack full of guns and cocktails. I decided to throw the mall tops at the office. For the next five days, I just went around shooting up places. A-E-X is not a joke mentally. That level of isolation has a deep impact on people.
0:38.3	They chain you like a human X on a metal bed. Just please don't let me get killed to this
0:41.8	prison. Please. Big roided up. Cops don't like it when you laugh in their face. They want to
0:46.5	hurt us. They want to hurt you. Fight for yourself. Fight to win. My guest today is Eric King,
0:51.6	a former federal inmate who survived two years inside of the infamous
0:56.3	ADX Florence, the highest security supermax prison in the United States.
1:01.6	Eric is a radical left-wing activist who is sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for fire
1:07.2	bombing a politician's office back in 2014.
1:10.7	And while he was down, he suffered constant
1:13.1	abuse at the hands of the prison guards, including beatings, starvation, and torture. But Eric is
1:19.3	no punk. He fought back and f***ed up one of the guards so bad that they sent him to ADX
1:24.8	Florence as punishment. Eric exposes what it's really like inside of one of the
1:29.5	most hellish, isolating prisons in the world and what it took for him to survive. He's written an
1:35.3	amazing book about his experience called A Clean Hell, Anarchy and Abolition Inside America's Most Notorious
1:42.1	Dungeon. I highly recommend it.
1:46.0	A link to that will be in the description below.
1:49.1	Ladies and gentlemen, what a fascinating conversation.
1:51.2	This will make you want to stay out of prison.
1:55.7	It's Eric King right here on The Connect with Johnny Mitchell.
2:01.1	Okay, get ready for this one, you guys. Before we get started, do me a quick favor.
2:03.4	If you haven't subscribed to the channel yet, please just hit that subscribe button and
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