The headline refers to Francis Clifford Smith, who died at age 101 after spending over 70 years behind bars.

The “bizarre prison habit” guards turned a blind eye to was his routine of stuffing his pockets and clothes with bread to feed local birds around the prison yard. The habit earned him the nickname “The Birdman of Osborn” among staff and fellow inmates.

Key Details About His Life:

• Conviction: He was convicted in 1950 for the 1949 murder of a night watchman at a Connecticut yacht club, a crime he maintained his innocence for throughout his life.
• Close Calls: His execution was scheduled and stayed eight different times—he was served a final meal eight separate times before his sentence was commuted to life imprisonment.
• Later Years: He spent his final years paroled into a specialized nursing care facility before passing away from natural causes.