A prisoner from the Netflix experiment ‘Unlocked: a jail experiment’ has tragically passed away at the age of 29, as reported by American media. John McAllister, also known as Eastside in the series, was found lifeless in his bed on Sunday. He was swiftly taken to a medical unit in Arkansas, where he was pronounced dead shortly afterwards. Investigations suggest that there was no foul play involved, and it does not appear to be suicide.
McAllister had been incarcerated last year at Williams Prison in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, after receiving a three-year sentence on charges related to drugs, burglary, theft, and weapons possession. Prior to this, he had already been imprisoned fourteen times. During his time in prison, he had taken up the role of a tattoo artist, providing tattoos to his fellow inmates.
He was featured in the Netflix series ‘Unlocked: a jail experiment’ in April. The series explores the monitoring of prisoners and experiments with giving detainees more autonomy and control. In the show, McAllister confessed that he enjoyed the thrill of criminal activities, stating, “I have been surrounded by criminals all my life. I like the adrenaline rush you get when you know you could get caught.”
John McAllister was only 29 years old at the time of his passing.