S20 Ep69: Chasson's Run: The Prison Break That Captivated America w/Daniel Zimmerman
Darkness Radio
Darkness Radio
4.8 • 3.2K Ratings
🗓️ 10 June 2025
⏱️ 152 minutes
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Summary
CHASSON'S RUN: The Prison Break That Captivated America And the Love Story That Fueled It is a gripping true crime tale that will leave you on the edge of your seat. On September 6, 1982, convicted murderer Leroy James Chasson made a daring break for freedom from the Massachusetts Correctional Institute-Walpole-one of the most infamous, escape-proof prisons in the country. But this wasn't just any prison break. It was a meticulously planned, five-year effort, made possible by an unlikely accomplice-Kathleen MacDonald, Chasson's former pen-pal turned wife. Leroy Chasson, wounded and bleeding from self-inflicted wounds was first transferred to a hospital for treatment. Then, using a .45 automatic smuggled to him by his wife who was disguised as a nurse, took hospital guards and staff hostage, before fleeing under a hail of gunfire. Dubbed the "Bonnie and Clyde" of Massachusetts, the couple's daring run across the country captivated the nation and they would evade capture for years. Living under assumed identities, they nearly made it-until a tip from America's Most Wanted led to their eventual capture in 1989.
On today's TCT, Dan tells us what separated LeRoy Chasson from other psychopaths and killers. He also tells us why people were attracted to such a volatile man and how he and his wife were able to elude police for so long...
Get your copy of "Chasson's Run...;" here: https://wildbluepress.com/chassons-run-daniel-zimmerman-true-crime/
PLUS: DUMB CRIMES AND STUPID CRIMINALS WITH JESSICA FREEBURG!
Meet the Boogie Burglar and watch him get down... watch him get down! https://www.9news.com.au/national/man-caught-dancing-on-camera-before-stealing-from-school-melbourne/c4dd9d00-213d-4e7d-949b-546e30e0a000?utm_source=fark&utm_medium=website&utm_content=link&ICID=ref_fark
Check out the video of the Doordash driver who went back for more (of a cash tip, that is...) armed WITH A GUN: https://thesmokinggun.com/documents/stupid/doordash-gun-arrest-093842
Check out Jessica Freeburg's website and order her new books: https://jessicafreeburg.com/books/
and check out Jess on Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jessicafreeburgwrites
There are new and different (and really cool) items all the time in the Darkness Radio Online store at our website! . check out the Darkness Radio Store! https://www.darknessradioshow.com/store/
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Welcome into the best in true crime podcasting. |
| 0:25.0 | This is True Crime Tuesday. |
| 0:26.1 | I'm your host, Tim Dennis. |
| 0:27.6 | Boy, we have a story for you today, folks. |
| 0:30.9 | It is a story that, you know what, I always am intrigued by true crime stories that happened. I hate to say in my childhood, |
| 0:39.0 | but you know what? I'm that old now. 70s and 80s crime to me is fascinating. Because to me, |
| 0:46.6 | you know, I'm the Steve McQueen, Clint Eastwood type where I like to look at stuff in that era. And we have a story today that's, |
| 0:56.7 | well, let's face it, it's in that era. Chasen's run is the name of the book. Daniel Zimmerman |
| 1:01.7 | is our author today. And we're going to take a look at a story where the men were men and the sheep |
| 1:08.3 | were scared. I guess we could put it that way, maybe. But it's a great book, and I want to bring him on today and talk about Leroy Chasing, |
| 1:16.3 | and a story where, let's face it, this guy was a little tough, a little crazy, a little brave, |
| 1:22.2 | but maybe we shouldn't hold him in a hero's light because there was no hero to this guy. He was just plain a criminal. |
| 1:33.6 | We'll put it that way. That's what we're here for. Yeah, he's talking about criminal. |
| 1:36.4 | Yes, he was. So let's bring in Dan now. Dan Zimmerman is the author of the action pack. Shots in |
| 1:42.5 | the Dark has added a highly anticipated second |
| 1:45.8 | book to his true crime resume and chasen's run the book we're talking about today uh dan chronicles |
| 1:51.2 | the notorious escape of convicted killer leroy james chason from massachusetts wapel state prison |
| 1:58.8 | armed with equal parts ingenuity g guile, and a 45 automatic. |
| 2:03.5 | We'll tell you a little bit about Lerite Chasing here. |
| 2:05.5 | He took flight from a hospital ER with his accomplice wife at his side. |
| 2:08.9 | We're going to hold that story for a little bit here and get into it. |
| 2:12.7 | As a former emergency medical technician, working for the ambulance firm tasked with treating and transporting prison inmates. |
... |
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