new mexico state penitentiary tours

In the resulting melee, guards killed two inmates and wounded many others. Explore Eastern States historic cellblocks. Attorney General: Jeff Bingaman, Walk the Straight Line | It was an inmate rebellion . Aside from being highly knowledgeable and a good story teller, Allan was thought provoking. Inmates protesting the use of excessive force seized Deputy Warden Ralph Tahash and twelve guards and held them hostage. Penitentiary of New Mexico. The peak population of the New Mexico State Penitentiary reached 1,272 inmates. They came away stimulated, and a little spooked (in a good way). Note: Background checks and liability forms are required for access to this location. This section of the prison was closed in 1998 and is now referred to as Old Main.. In February 1980, inmates took over the facility for 36 hours. When rehabilitation [the carrot of correctional control] was taken away, only sticks remained. The New Mexico Department of Corrections said this week the state is selling tickets for "Old Main" prison tours that begin in May. As former NMCD spokewoman Alex Tomlin said in 2014 to the local Santa Fe New Mexican newspaper: The corrections department has been very open in the past years in saying we fell into a culture after the riot of overuse of segregation. In February 1980, inmates took over the facility for 36 hours. Al was a lot of fun to talk with and listen to. Full tour. We need to change that, and were working on it.. Unfortunately we were not allowed to video tape or photograph cell block 4 where most of the killings took place. At least 90 other inmates were seriously injured in the riot, suffering from drug overdoses or beatings, stabbings, and rapes inflicted by other convicts. He kept us safe and made sure we got back to our car after we heard a gunshot. He suffered continuous retaliation for behaviours caused by his mental disability. Guards had also failed to secure several doors that were supposed to be locked. You are subject to their [the prison guards] whims, their anger, their frustration whatever [problems] they had at home was brought out on you, says Chavez, whose experiences reflect the devolution of what was once a short-term punishment into an institutionalised prison tool. Both the respect we have for the seriousness of what happened and the recognition of the departments failures has made people respond very positively, says Tomlin, who wrote the script for the tour that is part. After the riot, new facilities were constructed to the north and south of the main prison. His experience kept the tour from seeming morbid or voyeuristic. While some prisoners simply tried to find a safe place to wait out the riot, others banded together to rampage through Old Main, torturing and murdering other inmates. 7 Quirky Facts About New Mexico That Sound Made Up, But Are 100% Accurate, The Tsankawi Unit At Bandelier National Monument In New Mexico Will Be Closing In Mid-March: Heres What To Do In The Meantime, Open For More Than Half A Century, Dining At The Shed In New Mexico Is Always A Timeless Experience, The Marvelous 2-Mile Trail In New Mexico Leads Adventurers To A Little-Known Overlook, The Deadly History Of This New Mexico Penitentiary Is Terrifying But True, The Story Of The Serial Killer Who Terrorized This Small New Mexico Town Is Truly Frightening, The Remnants Of This Abandoned Fort In New Mexico Are Hauntingly Beautiful, This One Tiny New Mexico Town Transports You To The Days Of The Wild West, New Mexico Corrections Department website. Visitors are subject to searches and must sign a waiver. Penitentiary of New Mexico prisoners don't have telephones, so you can't call an inmate, however, there are cases when it may be useful to know the phone number to Penitentiary of New Mexico. Almost two decades after the deadly prison riots, could old souls still be doing time? So, yes, please, teach the gang leaders how to decorate cakes that they can give to their kids when they visit. A look into the 1980 Old Main prison riot and the resulting institutionalisation of solitary confinement in US prisons. upspeak? The territorial legislature authorized the prison in 1884, but the University of New Mexico was not authorized until 1889. You know the whole Bin Laden complex [from the filmset]? A total of 33 prisoners are believed to have died during the riot and about 100 more were injured or suffering from drug overdoses. SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) -- Tickets are now available for upcoming tours of a closed New Mexico prison where one of the nation's deadliest riots took place. A great, customizable tour with an excellent guide. But the riot, fueled by drugs and hate, was running out of gas. In the years since its final closure in 1998, the prison has come to occupy a near-celebrity status in New Mexico, engendering its own folklore, ghost stories and becoming a popular set for the burgeoning New Mexico TV and film industry. Maximum of 20 people per scout). North was a mausoleum for the living, says Chavez, who would spend more than seven years in several periods of isolation at North after his transfer from Old Main. The tour is about respecting our past to create a better future, says Tomlin, echoing the departmental motto found on the website and repeated during the intro video. tours? The riot became a black mark on New Mexicos history as the national press was captivated by the horror stories that leaked out of Santa Fe. I took the tour in 2012. We had an awesome time and learned so much history from Allan! The riot started in the early morning of Saturday, Feb. 2, when guards entered dormitory E-2 on the south side of the Prison to do their nightly head counts. One such case is that of the defendant David Ballejos, who was confined at the SCFs. The emergency room at St. Vincent Hospital in Santa Fe was overwhelmed with more than 100 inmates. Now, for under $20, customers can explore one the darkest moments in US penal history,. By 1980, Old Main was overcrowded, understaffed, sorely lacking in educational and rehabilitation programmes and further plagued by inmate abuse and mistreatment. Eventually, all the inmates from the main facility were moved out to the other sites, and former Gov. The original 1885 facility was demolished shortly thereafter. more, Ghost & Vampire Tours Historical & Heritage Tours Walking Tours Night Tours Private Tours, The Best of Santa Fe & The Georgia O'Keeffe Museum: Private Tour, Small-Group E-Bike Adventure Tour through Hidden Santa Fe, New Mexican Flavors Food Tour of the Santa Fe Plaza. Training standards [for officers], security measures [the riot] changed a lot of things, he says, as the lessons of the riot would lead to a punitive shift within the state. Staff writer for Only In Your State and freelance writer. 2-Hour Photography Class While Touring Downtown Santa Fe, Smart Phones Welcome! The Level VI Supermax site contains New Mexico's Death Row. Inmate Records call(505) 383-2804Probation/Parole office1-866-416-9867, 4337 NM 14, Santa Fe NM 87508 P.O. Visit New Mexico for a unique family vacation filled with exciting activities like skiing, hiking, shopping and sight seeing. [13], In 1980, Cell Block 4, at the far northern end from the Control Center, was the scene of one of the most violent prison riots in the correctional history of the United States. The ghost stories and history of New Mexico's most haunted places are fascinating, but are they really haunted by ghosts? Gary Maciel Director Office: 505.827.8519 Fax: 505.827.8801 Timothy Hatch Deputy Director Office: 505.827.8519 Fax: 505.827.8801 James Yates Deputy Director Corrections Officer: Call for hourly fee per officer while on property. According to the Annual Survey of Jails and data from the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the number of US prisoners was 2,306,100 in 2014, up from 500,000 in 1980. (505) 827-8205. We were a group of 4 adults on his 3 pm two hour tour and the cost was $125. SANTA FE, N.M.- Tickets are now available for upcoming tours of a closed New Mexico prison where one of the nation's deadliest riots took place. On 19 July 1922, prisoners at the pen rioted against overcrowding, the mediocre food, and the use of excessive force by the prison authorities. While we didn't see any paranormal activity, I do believe I heard a presence walk up behind me just before we headed down a very dark alley. Haney added that security responses to heightened violence and overcrowding during the prison explosion in the 1980s led to an emphasis on segregation as a means of punishment and control. Prep: Call for daily fee Shoot: Call for daily fee Corrections Officer: Call for hourly fee per officer while on property. In 2013, the prison reopened its doors to the public with a two-hour guided tour, operated by the NMCD. Nelson, who had only arrived at the prison a month earlier, described how some of the inmates were getting drunk as they often did on homemade hooch. One unfortunate inmate was hung from the upper tier of the cellblock, another had been decapitated. For decades ghostly tales have been told across the land of enchantment. Ensure you arrive before 2 pm to get entry into the Penitentiary of New Mexico. Some of the victims were also tortured and their bodies mutilated. Once there they smashed their way into the main control center and gained access to every part of the main penitentiary building where 1,157 male inmates were under the custody and care of 25 correctional employees. Forgotten Youth: Inside Americas prisons. Warden J.E. Since then a new prison has been built next to the remains of Old Main.. Tours sell out quickly. Public Tours are not available at this time. Authority. Inmates who were gang members started hunting their enemies and found them. The New Mexico Department of. The door to the dormitory wasnt locked after the guards entered the room to complete their rounds. After I got over the cognitive dissonance (prisons? According to the NMCD, in 2013, the combined average length of stay for prisoners confined to Levels V and VI in New Mexicos supermax is 1,072 days that is, almost three years. The complex consists of three separate facilities. PNM is the Department's only super-max facility, housing the highest security classification of offenders in the state of New Mexico. There were only 34 guards working in the prison. [9], On 19 July 1922, prisoners at the penitentiary rioted against overcrowding, the poor food, and the use of excessive force by the prison authorities. We are currently accepting reservations for guide-led group tours, self-guided audio tours, and virtual group tours. It was a pressure cooker, adds Nelson, describing the violent make up of the inmates, which included members of Mexican mafia and the Aryan Brotherhood all together in an overcrowded and dilapidated space considered one of the least secure in the prison. It was amazing that not a single guards had been killed. This second riot led to the construction in 1956 of a new facility about 11 miles south of the original prison, in open country along State Road 14, which came to be called "the main unit." Public Tours are not available at this time. "Old Main" was virtually destroyed and 33 inmates were murdered. Very glad we booked with him and would go again. The design was based on the same plans used for Sing Sing and Joliet. Lets just say I learned a bit about mans inhumanity to man, with a blowtorch, at an early age. Some of them had been severely beaten while others were suffering from drug overdoses. of enchantment. The New Mexico Department of Corrections conducts tours of Old Main at the New Mexico Prison in Santa Fe. This mass incarceration is connected to shifts in policy and public opinion dating back to the 1970s and 1980s, when prisons moved away from a rehabilitation model to the so-called tough on crime approach that views punishment as a prisons main function. The best hidden gems and little known destinations - straight to your inbox. The New Mexico Department of Corrections conducts tours of Old Main at the New Mexico Prison in Santa Fe. Data from some states suggest that recidivism inmates returning to prison rates for imprisoned people who have been held in segregated housing is significantly higher than for those who have not spent time in segregated housing while in prison, according to a 2015 report on solitary confinement by the Vera Justice Institute. When State Police marched into the Penitentiary of New Mexico on Feb. 3, 1980, they didnt retake the prison from rioting inmates so much as they occupied the charred shell after the riot had burned itself out. Old Main was virtually destroyed and 33 inmates were murdered. I was playing guitar and singing songs with some fellow inmates.. While more than a decade old, the lawsuit still speaks to an ongoing problem with New Mexicos prison system. Four experts talk about how The facilities are now referred to as Level V (opened 1985), Level VI (opened 1985) and Level II (opened 1990) for the minimum restrict facility, based upon the New Mexico adaptation of the Federal Bureau of Prisons system for inmate classification and restriction. While more than a decade old, the lawsuit still speaks to an ongoing problem with New Mexicos prison system. A lot may have hinged on our particular guide, a retired guard who started work in the facility in 1981, not too long after the riots. It became clear later that neither the inmates nor the state had a single spokesman during the negotiations. To this end, the NMCD in 1985 built a Level V supermax facility known to prisoners simply as North. [6][8] Beginning in 1903, New Mexico became the first western state to employ prisoners in building highways. Some invitations already have gone out for the Oct. 25 tours. Prisoners receive no meaningful programmes, jobs, entertainment or other stimulation, and are frequently and arbitrarily put in stripped cells small rooms completely bare except for a mattress for between 48 and 72 hours at a time. https://www.cd.nm.gov/old-main-photos/. On a recent trip we were able to take a Ghost/History tour with Allen. According to the states corrections department, approximately 16 percent of New Mexicos incarcerated population is housed in some form of solitary confinement, making the state the second-worst in the country according to the ACLU report. He spent the better part of a decade unjustifiably isolated at both Old Main and another supermax, known simply as North. Eight of the twelve guards who had been taken hostage were also treated for injuries. According to the Attorney General Report, by 7am execution squads armed with power tools and many of whom were intoxicated from prescription drugs, hooch and paint thinners had gained access to E-4, where supposed snitches were housed. potential to be a hotbed of supernatural activity for obvious reasons. [10] When the inmates refused to return to their cells, the tower guards opened fire, killing one inmate and injuring five others. This section of the prison was closed in 1998 and is now referred to as the "Old Main. I happened to overhear the grownups talking about what went down, and happened to see photos (a family friend, unfortunately for her, was a paralegal with the state attorney generals office and had to deal with all the materials). Explaining what led to an emphasis on segregation, Haney says that by the late 1970s, politicians and prison policymakers increasingly abandoned the goal of rehabilitating prisoners and adopted a prison punishment for punishments sake policy. That is where the riot began. (It does contain some graphic descriptions of the violence.). It is often described as the scene of one of the most violent prison riots in the correctional history of America. Cell block five contained some of the most dangerous inmates in the facility. The lawsuit was settled in 2003, and the ruling required the corrections department to provide for expanded and improved mental healthcare, visitation rights, personal property allowances, staff training, education and access to legal recourse, among other amenities. Simultaneously there was much less transparency about what goes on in prisons. All of our daytime programming . The Penitentiary of New Mexico ( PNM) is a men's maximum-security prison located in unincorporated Santa Fe County, [1] 15 miles (24 km) south of central Santa Fe, on New Mexico State Road 14. He remains, as of 2017, the only execution in New Mexico since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976.[5]. Eastern State Penitentiary is currently open for daytime tours every day from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information. Destinations. Eventually, inmates made 11 basic demands. But they should also remember all that happened afterward. Santa Fe Ghost and History Tours - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go, Hotels near The Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi, Hotels near Museum of International Folk Art, Hotels near New Mexico State Capitol (Roundhouse), Hotels near St. John's College New Mexico, Hotels near Southwest Acupuncture College, Hotels near Institute of American Indian Arts, Hotels near New Mexico Highlands University, Points of Interest & Landmarks in Santa Fe, Georgia O'Keeffe Museum: Tickets & Tours, The Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi: Tickets & Tours, New Mexico State Capitol (Roundhouse): Tickets & Tours, Palace of the Governors: Tickets & Tours, Randall Davey Audubon Center: Tickets & Tours, New Mexico Museum of Art: Tickets & Tours, Houston City Tour and Downtown Aquarium All Rides Pass, Day Pass to Delfins Beach Resort (cruise ship friendly), Preveli Beach and Plakias Full-Day Trip From Rethymno, Yarra Valley Wildlife & Wine Day Tour from Melbourne with Healesville Sanctuary, Chauffeured Vineyard Adventure to local San Diego vineyards. While some prisoners simply tried to find a safe place to wait out the riot, others banded together to rampage through Old Main, torturing and murdering other inmates. Best Prices. Allan is really knowledgeable about the history of Santa Fe, UFO's, ghosts, energy lines, and really anything else you may be interested in. The only contact you had was with guards handcuffing you, putting you on dog leashes, beating you, says Chavez, explaining the conditions he faced living in a cell the size of a parking space. PNM maintains its national accredited status by the American Correctional Association and continues to intensify its efforts to achieve the mission of the Corrections Department by providing a balanced system approach to corrections from incarceration to community-based supervision with training, education, programs and services that provide opportunities for offenders to transition to communities. Not only is Allan incredibly knowledgeable about the history of Santa Fe (in general and in terms of paranormal activity), but he was also our pit bull. You find them all here in every one of New Mexico's six regions. Opened in 1885, the New Mexico Penitentiary had been authorized by Congress since 1853. Maybe I will cross-post it this week. The majority of the snitches met a horrible end. So here we have a great example of when the conclusions of the Southwest Ghost Hunter's Association and myself differ. National and state treasures are easy to find. The tour took about two hours. This past summer, the Old Main was a flurry of activity as film crews busied themselves with preparation for upcoming television shows five that summer alone according to former NMCD media spokeswoman Alex Tomlin. This prison holds inmates in solitary confinement, which, New Mexico over-built its prison system in reaction to the security failures in 1980, says Mark Donatelli, one of the lawyers instrumental in establishing the, His work quickly made him several enemies within the administration, a fate, Between 1992 and 1995, he was left in isolation at North for a 32-month stretch. The tours focused on the events of the riot and the locations where previous movies had been shot. In 2013, the prison reopened its doors to the public with a two-hour guided tour, operated by the NMCD. First Scout is free of charge (Scouts and tech scouts are limited to 6 hours on first scout. It was here, on the early morning of February 2, 1980, that a group of inmates from an overcrowded dormitory overpowered guards during the nightly headcount, setting in motion one of the most brutal riots in the United States prison history. Though there is a gift shop, "with no ghost stories" [2] doesn't mean that there are no ghosts. Al Jazeera Centre for Public Liberties & Human Rights, widespread abuse of inmates by prison officials. First Scout is free of charge (Scouts and tech scouts are limited to 6 hours on first scout. Smoke poured out of the prison gymnasium. You couldnt really make up a worse set of unfortunate factors and bad management: recently installed but untested bulletproof glass; an unsecured construction site in one cell block (thats where the blowtorches came from); prison policy that dressed vulnerable prisoners (pedophiles, snitches, etc) in different-color jumpsuits, and so on. [6] The design of the original facility on Cerrillos Road was based on the same plans used for Sing Sing and Joliet. All Major Brands. In the riots aftermath, the corrections department would adopt a philosophy of never again. The New Mexico Prison Riot left plenty of mutilated corpses in it's wake. Our 19 year old twins went on this private tour with Allan and loved it. As the riot escalated, so did the violence. ), If youd like to learn more about the riot, view this BBC documentary that includes interviews with both corrections officers and ex-inmates of Old Main. The prison opened in 1956, and closed it's doors for good in 1998. Facility Type. Would definitely recommend this tour. Visiting Hours Monday: Tuesday: Wednesday: Thursday: Friday: Saturday: 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM Sunday: One important thing to understand about all , The areas of the prison where the most unusual phenomena are reported are Cell Blocks 3, 4, the tool room and the laundry room. Woven in were details about how the corrections department learned and changed following the incident. Before it was over, thirty-three of the inmates had died at the hands of fellow prisoners. The Adult Prisons Division is dedicated to ensuring our prisons are operated with a priority of public safety. When he didnt stop [his work as a jailhouse lawyer] they just threw him in there forever, said Macias, noting the 2000 Writ of Habeas Corpusfiled by Samuel Chavez. Now mind you, this is a maximum security prison. Early Saturday morning, fitful negotiations began with some inmate leaders. Both the respect we have for the seriousness of what happened and the recognition of the departments failures has made people respond very positively, says Tomlin, who wrote the script for the tour that is partapology and part promotional for the corrections department. The design was based on the same plans used for Sing Sing and Joliet. It convinced New Mexico prison authorities to harden their isolation and segregation units and build newer, tougher and frankly much nastier [units] than those at [Old Main] pre-riot, says Haney, referring to the Level V North that was built just up the road from Old Main. It led prison administrators to increasingly relying on solitary confinement as a prison management tool. That was built here, she said, as the once-isolated prison complex has been steadily encroached upon by the sprawl of Santa Fe, including a state-of-the-art film studio built just across the road. If there was ever a Your email address will not be published. Sonow its a tourist attraction? On the nearby walls, two colourful plaques, painted by former inmates, commemorate the 33 dead and the 12 officers taken hostage during the riot. for a location that is believed by many to be the most haunted site in the land Limited numbers of visitors walk through the building, where hatchet marks are still visible on the floor. We learned from the mistakes of the riot, says Lucero, speaking to Al Jazeera after the tour group moved past the infamous green rooms, where inmates like Chavez were held in tiny cells devoid of water, toilets, bedding, ventilation or even adequate breathable air. Indeed, the door was left unlocked. The tour has the effect of placing the riot firmly in the past, reduced to a cautionary tale, a glimpse into a more brutal and antiquated period in US penal history, something learned from and corrected. The death penalty was repealed in New Mexico in 2009, and therefore no further executions have taken place. The inmates had also ripped out plumbing fixtures, flooding parts of the building. The abuse, however, Chavez says, began years before. You must know an offender's first and/or last name or NMCD Number to begin the search process. The riot has a legacy that extends beyond those two days.. It fuels the cycle of violence, leading to more violence and terror.. OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. He was denied outdoor privileges, denied attorney and telephone privileges, and even had his glasses taken away for eight months, leaving him unable to read or write. Thirty-three inmates were found dead inside some of them horribly butchered by their fellow prisoners. New prison facilities were also built near Las Cruces, Los Lunas and Grants to ease the overcrowding issue. Craig Haney, an expert on correctional mental healthand a professor of psychology at the University of California at Santa Cruz, who has written extensively about the rise of the super-maximum-security isolation prisons, or supermax prisons, notes that the riot caused New Mexico to shift very decisively towards a policy of isolation and segregation. The New Mexico State Penitentiary riot, which took place on February 2 and 3, 1980, in the state's maximum security prison south of Santa Fe, was the most vi. Tickets are available online or at the door, subject to availability. The inmates charged the guards and subdued them quickly. He captivated us with his stories for the entire tour. New Mexico State Penitentiary, Santa Fe, NM (My Opinion), New Mexico State Penitentiary, Santa Fe, NM (More Witness Accounts and Ghost Stories), New Mexico State Penitentiary, Santa Fe, NM (Investigations Summary of 2005), 94 Rock's visit to the New Mexico State Pen, New Mexico State Penitentiary, Santa Fe, NM (Personal Experiences), New Mexico State Penitentiary, Santa Fe, NM (Paranormal Claims), New Mexico State Penitentiary, Santa Fe, NM (History). His work quickly made him several enemies within the administration, a fate not uncommon for jailhouse lawyers throughout the country. ), I quickly googled and foundyes, the New Mexico Corrections Department runs tours of the Old Main prison facility outside Santa Fe. This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. I would try to keep my body occupied so I didnt go insane, Chavez said, adding that hed have absolutely no contact with other prisoners during this time. Enjoy this tour of the Old Main Prison located near Santa Fe, New Mexico. Security and recidivism reduction are the priorities of the Division. Men were brutally butchered, dismembered, and decapitated and hung up on the cells and burned alive. Browse the best tours in New Mexico with 6 reviews visiting places like Santa Fe and Albuquerque. In the 80s no one was paying attention. But not before a severely violent riot had occurred in 1980. Special affiliated group tours are available: Call or email for details. 4331 State . These details included not just practical things, such as the more secure way they store cell-block keys now, but also softer stuff, all the various programs for prisoners and the like. It was a great experience; a highlight of our familys trip to Santa Fe. The violence in E-4 that day was fuelled, in part, by a sinister snitch game orchestrated by the administration that used violence, coercion and segregation to get inmates to inform on one another. One was tied to a chair. Biggest selection. Video was shot August, 2016 and filmed with permission of staff and tour guide. PNM is the Departments only super-max facility, housing the highest security classification of offenders in the state of New Mexico. We really dropped the ball on this one, says Trinidad Lucero, an officer with NMCD who spoke to Al Jazeera last summer from inside Old Main. In 2002 inmates confined at the Special Control Facilities (SCFs), a 544-bed segregation facility in both the high-security North and South units of the current New Mexico Prison, filed a class-action lawsuit alleging widespread rights violations inside the prison. [2] [3] It is operated by the New Mexico Corrections Department . For injuries the locations where previous movies had been shot supermax, known simply as North 4! Were working on it Mexico State Penitentiary reached 1,272 inmates say I a! 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Maximum security prison fee Shoot: Call for daily fee Shoot: Call for hourly fee Officer... The correctional history of New Mexico for a unique family vacation filled with exciting activities skiing. Were also tortured and their bodies mutilated a philosophy of never again prison officials have been across! The gang leaders how to decorate cakes that they can give to their kids when they visit heard gunshot. Jeff Bingaman, Walk the Straight Line | it was an inmate rebellion continuous retaliation for behaviours by... The New Mexico Penitentiary had been severely beaten while others were suffering from drug overdoses, operated the. Were able to take a Ghost/History tour with Allan and loved it s wake in! Inmates protesting the use of excessive force seized Deputy Warden Ralph Tahash and twelve and... Facility were moved out to the other sites, and virtual group tours self-guided... Old souls still be doing time mind you, this is the Departments only super-max facility, housing the security! United States tortured and their bodies mutilated the same plans used for Sing and...

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