New Orleans Prison Escape Update
A fourth inmate has been recaptured following an escape from a New Orleans prison, but six others are still on the run after ten inmates fled Orleans Parish Prison on Friday.
Orleans Parish District Attorney Jason Williams expressed concern, stating, “I personally fear not only for myself but also for the lawyers who tried filing a lawsuit against the still-at-large escapee, Delic Groves, who was convicted of murdering two individuals in 2018.”
Williams was taken aback to learn about the jailbreak through the media rather than through official channels, as reported by CNN.
Currently, the inmates who remain at large include Corey Boyd, Jermaine Donald, Antoine Massey, Leo Tate, and Renton Vanbren. They are considered “armed and dangerous” with charges including aggravated assault, false imprisonment, and even murder.
According to reports, the escape occurred around 8:30 PM on Friday, after some inmates broke through a wall behind a toilet and fled through a small hole they had created. Authorities suggested that internal assistance was likely involved.
Sheriff Susan Hutson detailed the situation, revealing that inmates had managed to tear down a toilet and use the materials to aid their escape. Williams criticized the facility’s security, noting numerous failures, including staff not monitoring the cameras in real time. “It’s absurd that they had to go back and review footage,” he added.
In a strange twist, inmates left behind messages for the guards, including a bizarre one that simply read, “Simply, lol.”
Williams further highlighted chronic lapses at the facility, remarking that the destruction of the toilet and wall should have been noticed. He added, “This isn’t just a lunch break.”
Additionally, it took several hours before authorities notified victims and witnesses about the escape. Williams only found out about it through the news, with the sheriff learning of it around 9 AM, nearly eight hours after it began.
Given the potential for the escapees to cross state lines, Louisiana Attorney General Liz Maril asked law enforcement agencies in Texas, Mississippi, Arkansas, Georgia, Oklahoma, and Tennessee to remain vigilant.
Criticism has been directed at Sheriff Hutson, with Democratic Louisiana Rep. Amy Addat Freeman calling for her resignation and labeling the escape a “significant leadership failure.” Meanwhile, Republican Rep. Mike Bayham added that New Orleans could select a qualified candidate from the phone book over Sheriff Hutson.
Despite the backlash, Hutson stated she has no intentions of resigning, asserting her commitment to leading the office through this crisis while continuing long-term reform efforts. “This suggests that these detainees received assistance from individuals within our department,” she remarked.
