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Police say Ronald Tackman, whose 56th birthday was Thursday, was at Manhattan Supreme Court for an appearance on a string of robbery charges.

While in the custody of corrections officers, Tackman was left unshackled.

Dressed in a business suit, he apparently made his way to a holding area for prisoners and convinced a court officer he was an attorney. The officer let him into a public area of the building and he calmly strolled out the front door.

His attorney, Joseph Heinzmann, said his client wanted to go to trial but likely panicked due to the possibility of spending life in prison. Heinzmann also stressed that Tackman is in poor health and should not be considered violent.

"He's a 56-year-old man who is not in the best of health," Heinzmann said. "He is not a violent man. He's never raised his fists at a police officer. He is not accused, in this case, of having a gun, firing a gun, or using any violence at all. And his escape was aided by wit, not by force or by weapons."

Tackman's mother told NY1 Wednesday that her son returned to her Upper East Side home to change, and managed to flee again before police showed up.

"He came home and he was all dressed up and I figured that he was discharged from prison," said his mother Gene Devine. "So I didn't say anything and he asked me to change his clothes and that was it."

Tackman was last seen wearing a black jacket and blue jeans.

The city jails commissioner has called for a thorough review of security procedures.