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Attorney Ian Friedman Discusses T.J. Lane Escape and Capture

Cleveland Criminal Defense Lawyer Ian Friedman
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Last night T.J. Lane and two other prisoners escaped from Allen Oakwood Correctional Institute in Lima, Ohio around 7:45 pm. Lane, now 19, walked into the Chardon High School cafeteria in 2012 and shot at random. He killed three of his peers and injured another three. Lane was sentenced to three life terms in prison in 2013.

Lane and the men escaped by scaling the facility's main perimeter fence. One of the men, Lindsey Bruce, was quickly apprehended. Lane was captured around 1:20 am early Friday morning. Officers found him about 100 yards away from the prison outside of a church. Lane was taken into custody without incident. The third escaped inmate, Clifford Opperud, was captured early Friday morning.

Ian Friedman, Lane's former attorney, was shocked when he heard the news. "I learned like everybody else, and then I did confirm with the authorities just to make sure it was not a hoax," Attorney Friedman said.

People across Ohio, and especially in the small community of Chardon, were shaken and outraged upon learning that Lane had escaped. "You never plan on someone escaping and certainly someone of that notoriety, you would think that they would take special precautions to prevent this," said Attorney Friedman.

Attorney Friedman hasn't spoken to his former client in about a year, but he noted that the convicted killer was very intelligent. Attorney Friedman told ABC News, "T.J. Lane is exceptionally smart there is no doubt about that. If anyone could escape it would have to be someone of that level of intelligence."

In Ohio and across the nation, people are asking how Lane and the others could have escaped. "He wasn't in the maximum security facility. That is something we have to sit down and take a look at," said Warden Kevin Jones of the Allen Oakwood Correctional Institute.

Lane's total lack of remorse and profane behavior during his trial and sentencing stunned the victims and their families, the prosecution, the judge, and the defense. "There was no way to fully comprehend what happened in the courtroom that afternoon," Attorney Friedman told reporters.

"I'm sorry that we're all still here even talking about him," Attorney Friedman said.

Follow coverage of the escape and capture of T.J. Lane and hear what Attorney Ian Friedman had to say about his former client on these media outlets:

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