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Wednesday October 25, 2006 8:55 pm

Prison Break—Stolen Idea?




Posted by Wendy Michaels Categories: Drama, Prime Time, FOX, Prison Break,

Prison BreakHooked on Prison Break‘s storyline? There may be more truth to it than fiction. Two brothers are alleging that Prison Break was their idea—based on their experience in the 1960s. Robert Hughes was wrongfully imprisoned and his brother, Donald, helped him escape. They were on the run for four years following the break out from a juvenile facility.

The Hughes brothers have filed a lawsuit against Fox, saying their agent had sent the network their manuscript in 2001, but the net passed on it. Donald Hughes, now 63, told the Associated Press, “It’s a classic case of the rich trampling on the poor.” No details yet on the damages and costs that the Hughes brothers are seeking.

Their story does share some commonalities with Prison Break—Robert, then 16, was wrongfully accused of threatening his mentally ill mother with an ice pick. Even though she later took back the accusation, the court ruled that he serve time until he turned 21. His brother, Donald, effectively busted Robert out of jail just two months later. For four years, they lived as fugitives—they were exonerated in 1968. Even some of the names and places in Prison Break are similar to those in their manuscript, the brothers contend.

Read More | Access Hollywood

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