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One of the strangest cases in Florida prison history was before the board responsible for parole today at the state Capitol. It involves a man who was sentenced to four years for prematurely taking possession of his fathers tools. 34 years later he is still behind bars after earning the nickname Florida’s Houdini.

Mark DeFriest was 19 when he was sent to jail for taking possession of his deceased fathers tools before the will was probated. He’s still in prison today, almost 35 years later.

The reason: Defriest tried to escape 13 times. He succeeded 7 of them, earning the monicker Florida’s Houdini and inspiring a documentary.  His lawyer John Middleton says he wasn’t just escaping, he was trying to survive. “The terrible rapes, from being beaten and everything else, and he reacted by escaping.”

Former jailer David Gantt told parole officials DeFriest was different than any other prisoner he ever supervised. “I don’t think I ever arrested anybody that intelligent” says Gantt.

The case gets even more interesting. Mark DeFriest isn’t even in a Florida Prison.

DeFriest was transferred to an out of state prison after witnessing guards beat inmate Frank Valdez  to death.

On Wednesday, the Commission on Offender Review cut his release date from 2085 to next year. Commission Richard Davison was the lone dissenter, calling him  “A  prisoner of his own making.”

DeFriest’s pending release is due largely to the efforts of film maker Gabriel London “A prisoner of his own making. No, he;s a prisoner of his own mental problems” says the film maker.

DeFriest has gone from being disciplined dozens of times a year to being a model prisoner. All since being told there was a light at the end of the tunnel leading to his release.

It will be at least a year before Mark DeFriest is likely released. That’s because he still faces one year sentences in Alabama and  California for possessing marijuana and escape tools.  His lawyer says his case is not unlike that of thousands of other inmates with mental illnesses.