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Global News
20-05-2025
- Global News
Inmates still on the run, manhunt continues after New Orleans jail break
The manhunt continues after 10 inmates escaped from a New Orleans jail on May 16 by fleeing through a hole behind a toilet. The inmates escaped from the Orleans Parish jail, a correctional facility where 1,400 people are being held, while the lone guard watching them went to get food. The Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office said at least one of the steel bars protecting plumbing fixtures 'appeared to have been intentionally cut using a tool.' After exiting through the hole behind the toilet, the inmates scaled a barbed wire fence, quickly shed their uniforms, changed into regular clothes and fled into the dark. The absence of the inmates was not reported until a routine morning headcount — more than seven hours later. Many of those inmates, ranging in age from 19 to 42, have been charged with or convicted of violent offences such as murder. As of publication time, four have since been apprehended and six remain at large. Story continues below advertisement The manhunt for the six remaining inmates entered its fifth day on Tuesday, with FBI Special Agent Jonathan Trapp announcing that the FBI is offering US$10,000 per inmate instead of the $5,000 previously announced. Authorities are searching for Antoine Massey, Lenton Vanburen, Jermaine Donald, Leo Tate, Derrick Groves and Corey Boyd. Trapp said he believes that members of the public may be aiding the men and authorities will arrest those found aiding and abetting the escaped inmates. The FBI reward is in addition to $5,000 rewards offered by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and by CrimeStoppers. View image in full screen The manhunt continues for the six inmates who escaped from the Orleans Justice Center. Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office One of the escaped inmates was captured based on a tip from the public, according to a statement from the FBI. It was a tip from the public that led #FBI agents to one of the escaped inmates. We still need your help to locate the seven still on the run, if you have any information call 1-800-Call-FBI or submit a digital tip at — FBI New Orleans (@FBINewOrleans) May 17, 2025 Story continues below advertisement The latest arrest came late Monday when a fourth fugitive, Gary Price, was taken into custody. He was taken to a state facility outside of the New Orleans area and booked with additional counts of simple escape and possession of a Schedule II drug. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Price was initially jailed on a May 6 count of attempted first-degree murder along with six domestic offences last month, including aggravated second-degree battery, aggravated assault with a firearm and domestic abuse battery. He hadn't entered a plea before he escaped the Orleans Parish Correctional Facility last week. Fourth Fugitive Arrested from OPSO Inmate Escape Law enforcement agencies working collectively to locate the inmates who escaped from the Orleans Parish Correctional Facility on May 16, 2025, have arrested 21-year-old Gary C. Price. — LA State Police (@LAStatePolice) May 20, 2025 Soon after the escape, one of the men, Kendall Myles, 20, was apprehended in the French Quarter after a brief foot chase. Story continues below advertisement Myles and the other two men who were captured earlier, Robert Moody, 21, and Dkenan Dennis, 24, were taken by helicopter to a state correctional facility outside the New Orleans area, Louisiana State Police said. Dennis had been charged with armed robbery with a firearm and illegal carrying of a weapon during a crime of violence, according to Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill. Moody was facing a weapons charge as well as charges of attempted second-degree battery and obstruction. Murrill said both men will face additional charges for the escape. 1:56 Alberta inmate missing after alleged forged letter led to her accidental release Authorities have confirmed that they have arrested an Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office employee in connection with the escape of the inmates, according to a statement from the Louisiana attorney general's office on Tuesday. Sheriff Susan Hutson has said she believes the jailbreak was an inside job and told reporters last week that her agency had suspended three employees pending an investigation. Story continues below advertisement 'It's almost impossible, not completely, but almost impossible for anybody to get out of this facility without help,' Hutson said of the Orleans Justice Center. A maintenance worker at the Orleans Parish jail was arrested after authorities said he helped facilitate the jailbreak, according to NBC News. Sterling Williams, 33, is accused of cutting off the water so the inmates could pull the toilet from the wall, Murrill said in a press release. He is currently being held at Plaquemines Parish Detention Center on charges of principle to simple escape and malfeasance in office. The guard who left to get food was not the employee arrested, said Lester Duhe, a spokesperson for the attorney general's office. Police released a photo last week to show a hole in the wall behind the toilet with the phrase 'To Easy Lol' and 'We Innocent' written above it. Prisoners at the Orleans Parish jail escaped through in the wall behind a toilet. Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office 'Williams admitted to agents that one of the escapees advised him to turn the water off in the cell where the inmates escaped from,' Murrill said in a news release. 'Instead of reporting the inmate, Williams turned the water off as directed allowing the inmates to carry out their scheme to successfully escape.' Story continues below advertisement Since the escape, Hutson has pointed to long-standing deficiencies such as faulty locks and staffing shortages. But a growing number of state and local officials have said blame for the escape rests squarely on her for failing her responsibility to keep inmates locked up. In a separate statement, Murrill said on Sunday that her office's 'main priority remains recovering the prisoners, protecting the public, securing and stabilizing the facility staff, and building.' 2:05 Pair of escaped inmates charged in 2019 murder of Vancouver Island man New Orleans Police Department Supt. Anne Kirkpatrick warned that the fugitives are dangerous in a news conference on May 16 but also urged the public 'not to panic.' Hutson said the men were able to get out of the Orleans Justice Center because of 'defective locks.' She said she has continuously raised concerns about the locks to officials and, as recently as this week, advocated for money to fix the aged infrastructure. Story continues below advertisement 'This massive jailbreak could be the largest jailbreak in the history of the state, and it never should have happened. The public deserves to know who, what and how this happened,' Gov. Jeff Landry said at the Sunday news conference. Landry said an audit of the jail by the Department of Corrections will be done by the end of the week. He said everyone in the criminal justice system needs to be held accountable 'except for the police, who seem to be doing their job.' Landry also spoke about the delays in bringing charges against people accused of crimes, prosecutions and sentencing as factors that contribute to jail populations. He blamed the escape on what he called a 'progressive justice system,' saying that 'there is also no excuse for the way these cases are currently being mismanaged in our criminal justice system.' 1:29 Over 100 inmates killed in attempted prison break in Congo — With files from The Associated Press
Epoch Times
20-05-2025
- Epoch Times
4th Inmate Captured, Manhunt Continues for 6 Others Who Escaped From New Orleans Jail
NEW ORLEANS—Days after 10 men escaped from a New Orleans jail by slipping through a hole behind a toilet and scaling a wall, six of them remained on the run Monday, and up to $20,000 in rewards was being offered for information leading to the capture of each escapee. The FBI on Sunday increased its reward amount from $5,000 to $10,000 per escapee, while the CrimeStoppers reward was increased from $2,000 to $5,000, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives was offering $5,000. The latest arrest came late Monday when a fourth fugitive, Gary Price, was taken into custody. FBI Special Agent Jonathan Trapp said during a news conference that he believes members of the public may be helping them and, if that's the case, would be arrested on charges of aiding or abetting them. The men range in age from 19 to 42 and face a variety of charges including aggravated assault, domestic abuse battery and murder. While three of the men were quickly caught and a fourth later, a multiagency task force has been assembled to scour the region for the remaining fugitives. What Are Jail Officials Saying? Orleans Parish Sheriff Susan Hutson said the men were able to get out of the Orleans Justice Center because of 'defective locks,' and possibly with help from people inside her department. 'It's almost impossible, not completely, but almost impossible for anybody to get out of this facility without help,' she said Friday of the jail where 1,400 people are being held. Just days before the escape, Hutson's office had asked for money to fix faulty locks and cell doors. During the city's Capital Improvement Plan hearing on May 12, Jeworski 'Jay' Mallet, Chief of Corrections for the Orleans Justice Center, said the current system at the jail was built for a 'minimum custody type of inmate.' Related Stories 5/18/2025 5/17/2025 Mallet went on to say that some of the cell unit doors and locks have been 'manipulated' to the point that not only are they not secure, but some can't even be closed properly. But he classified many at the jail as 'high security' inmates who are awaiting trials for violent offenses, including charges such as murder, assault and rape. Surveillance footage, shared with media during a news conference, showed the escapees sprinting out of the facility—some wearing orange clothing and others in white. They scaled a fence, using blankets to protect themselves from barbed wire, and some sprinted across an interstate and into a neighborhood. The Escape A law enforcement photograph obtained by The Associated Press shows the opening through which the men escaped. Above the hole are scrawled messages that include 'To Easy LoL' with an arrow pointing at the gap. Friday's escape is drawing intense scrutiny and criticism. It took hours for sheriff's officials to realize the men had escaped and then more time still to alert New Orleans police, even though some of the missing men are accused of violent offenses and they escaped into a neighborhood less than 2 miles from the city's famous French Quarter. 'Someone clearly dropped the ball and there's no excuse for this,' Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill said on X. Orleans Parish District Attorney Jason Williams, who said he prosecuted one of the people who escaped, told New Orleans news station WWL-TV he was 'angry.' 'This is absurd,' he said. 'I don't understand how it is feasible that it could have occurred.' Why Did It Take Hours to Learn About the Escape? The escapees yanked open a door to enter the cell with the hole around 12:30 a.m. By 1:30 a.m., they were outside the jail, according to the sheriff's office. But it was not until a routine morning headcount more than seven hours later that law enforcement learned they were missing. Officials from the sheriff's office say no deputy was at the pod where the fugitives had been held. There was a civilian employee there, but she had stepped away to get food, they said. There appeared to be a further delay before New Orleans police were notified. 'You've given a head start to some very dangerous people,' Williams told WWL-TV Friday. Soon after the escape, one of the men, Kendall Myles, 20, was apprehended in the French Quarter after a brief foot chase. Three sheriff's employees have been placed on suspension pending the outcome of an investigation. It was not immediately clear whether any of the employees were suspected of helping with the escape. Officials also didn't say if the employee who left to get food was among the three suspended. Who Are the Men Who Escaped? Most of the men are in their 20s. Myles and the other two men who were earlier captured, Robert Moody, 21, and Dkenan Dennis, 24, were taken by helicopter to a state correctional facility outside the New Orleans area, Louisiana State Police said Saturday. The agency said one of the men became hostile during the transfer, requiring troopers to use a 'spit hood.' They did not identify the man. Dennis had been charged with armed robbery with a firearm and illegal carrying of a weapon during a crime of violence, according to Murrill, the attorney general. Moody was facing a weapons charge as well as charges of attempted second-degree battery and obstruction. Murrill said both men will face additional charges stemming from the escape. One of the fugitives, Derrick Groves, was convicted on two charges of second-degree murder and two charges of attempted second-degree murder last year for his role in the 2018 Mardi Gras Day shootings of two men. Another escapee, Corey Boyd, had pleaded not guilty to a pending second-degree murder charge. The Jail Has Had Problems Before The justice center opened in 2015, making it a relatively new facility, but it has still experienced violence and security problems. Hutson said the facility is around 60 percent staffed, so the staff is 'stretched thin.' Bianka Brown, chief financial officer of the Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office, said the jail can't afford a maintenance and service contract to fix problems such as broken doors, lock replacements and other ailing infrastructure. The jail contained numerous 'high security' people convicted of violent offenses who required a 'restrictive housing environment that did not exist,' said Jay Mallett, Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office chief of corrections. The sheriff's office was in the process of transferring dozens to more secure locations. Hutson is facing reelection this year, and at least one of her opponents, former interim New Orleans Police Superintendent Michelle Woodfork, demanded she answer questions about the escape. Williams, the district attorney, appointed Woodfork to a position in his office last year. Noting the sheriff's race was starting, Hutson called the timing of the escape 'suspicious.' She did not elaborate.
Toronto Sun
19-05-2025
- Toronto Sun
Search continues for 7 of 10 men who escaped from New Orleans jail
Published May 19, 2025 • 4 minute read This image provided by Louisiana State Police shows one of New Orleans jail escapees, Kendall Myles, captured in the French Quarter Friday, May 16, 2025 in New Orleans. Photo by Louisiana State Police / AP NEW ORLEANS — Three days after a 10 men escaped a New Orleans jail by slipping through a hole behind a toilet and scaling a wall, seven of them remain on the run Monday, and up to $20,000 in rewards was being offered for information leading to the capture of each escapee. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account The FBI on Sunday increased its reward amount from $5,000 to $10,000 per escapee, while the CrimeStoppers reward was increased from $2,000 to $5,000, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives was offering $5,000. FBI Special Agent Jonathan Trapp said during a news conference that he believes members of the public may be helping them and, if that's the case, would be arrested on charges of aiding or abetting them. The men range in age from 19 to 42 and face a variety of charges including aggravated assault, domestic abuse battery and murder. While three men were quickly caught, a multiagency task force has been assembled to scour the region for the seven remaining fugitives. The escape A law enforcement photograph obtained by The Associated Press shows the opening through which the men escaped. Above the hole are scrawled messages that include 'To Easy LoL' with an arrow pointing at the gap. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Friday's escape is drawing intense scrutiny and criticism. It took hours for sheriff's officials to realize the men had escaped and then more time still to alert New Orleans police, even though some of the missing men are accused of violent offenses and they escaped into a neighborhood less than 2 miles (3.2 km) from the city's famous French Quarter. 'Someone clearly dropped the ball and there's no excuse for this,' Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill said on X. Orleans Parish District Attorney Jason Williams, who said he prosecuted one of the people who escaped, told New Orleans news station WWL-TV he was 'angry.' 'This is absurd,' he said. 'I don't understand how it is feasible that it could have occurred.' Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. What are jail officials saying? Orleans Parish Sheriff Susan Hutson said the men were able to get out of the Orleans Justice Center because of 'defective locks,' and possibly with help from people inside her department. 'It's almost impossible, not completely, but almost impossible for anybody to get out of this facility without help,' she said Friday of the jail where 1,400 people are being held. Hutson said she has repeatedly raised concerns about the locks and again this week pushed for funding to fix jail infrastructure. Surveillance footage, shared with media during a news conference, showed the escapees sprinting out of the facility — some wearing orange clothing and others in white. They scaled a fence, using blankets to protect themselves from barbed wire, and some sprinted across an interstate and into a neighborhood. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Why did it take hours to learn about the escape? The escapees yanked open a door to enter the cell with the hole around 12:30 a.m. By 1:30 a.m., they were outside the jail, according to the sheriff's office. But it was not until a routine morning headcount more than seven hours later that law enforcement learned they were missing. Officials from the sheriff's office say no deputy was at the pod where the fugitives had been held. There was a civilian employee there, but she had stepped away to get food, they said. There appeared to be a further delay before New Orleans police were notified. 'You've given a head start to some very dangerous people,' Williams told WWL-TV Friday. Soon after the escape, one of the men, Kendall Myles, 20, was apprehended in the French Quarter after a brief foot chase. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Three sheriff's employees have been placed on suspension pending the outcome of an investigation. It was not immediately clear whether any of the employees were suspected of helping with the escape. Officials also didn't say if the employee who left to get food was among the three suspended. Who are the men who escaped? Most of the men are in their 20s. Myles and the other two men who were captured, Robert Moody, 21, and Dkenan Dennis, 24, were taken by helicopter to a state correctional facility outside the New Orleans area, Louisiana State Police said Saturday. The agency said one of the men became hostile during the transfer, requiring troopers to use a 'spit hood.' They did not identify the man. Dennis had been charged with armed robbery with a firearm and illegal carrying of a weapon during a crime of violence, according to Murrill, the attorney general. Moody was facing a weapons charge as well as charges of attempted second-degree battery and obstruction. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Murrill said both men will face additional charges stemming from the escape. One of the fugitives, Derrick Groves, was convicted on two charges of second-degree murder and two charges of attempted second-degree murder last year for his role in the 2018 Mardi Gras Day shootings of two men. Another escapee, Corey Boyd, had pled not guilty to a pending second-degree murder charge. The jail has had problems before The justice center opened in 2015, making it a relatively new facility, but it has still experienced violence and security problems. Hutson said the facility is around 60% staffed, so the staff is 'stretched thin.' Bianka Brown, chief financial officer of the Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office, said the jail can't afford a maintenance and service contract to fix problems such as broken doors, lock replacements and other ailing infrastructure. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The jail contained numerous 'high security' people convicted of violent offenses who required a 'restrictive housing environment that did not exist,' said Jay Mallett, Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office chief of corrections. The sheriff's office was in the process of transferring dozens to more secure locations. Hutson is facing reelection this year, and at least one of her opponents, former interim New Orleans Police Superintendent Michelle Woodfork, demanded she answer questions about the escape. Williams, the district attorney, appointed Woodfork to a position in his office last year. Noting the sheriff's race was starting, Hutson called the timing of the escape 'suspicious.' She did not elaborate.
USA Today
19-05-2025
- USA Today
Manhunt for 7 inmates who escaped New Orleans jail reaches 4th day
Manhunt for 7 inmates who escaped New Orleans jail reaches 4th day Show Caption Hide Caption New Orleans jail escape: 3 inmates recaptured Authorities are searching for inmates who escaped from a New Orleans jail after they went through a hole in a wall. The city of New Orleans remained on edge for a fourth day on May 19 as the massive manhunt continued for seven inmates who fled a New Orleans jail by climbing through a hole behind a toilet. Hundreds of federal, state and local law enforcement officials were pursuing the escapees, who face a range of charges from aggravated assault and domestic abuse to murder. The youngest is 19, the oldest is 42. Three other inmates have been recaptured. "It was a tip from the public that led FBI agents to one of the escaped inmates," the FBI in New Orleans said in a social media post. "We still need your help to locate the seven still on the run." FBI Special Agent Jonathan Trapp said he believes members of the public were helping the seven inmates elude authorities. The FBI is now offering $10,000 per inmate for information leading to an arrest. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) is offering $5,000 per inmate and Crime Stoppers is offering another $5,000 per inmate. "The FBI will work together to ensure that those people helping these inmates evade recapture will be held accountable," Trapp said at the news conference. "These inmates are accused of serious crimes, and until they are back in custody, we should all remain vigilant." Reward increases as search for escaped New Orleans inmates intensifies The inmates, some of whom are facing murder charges, escaped from Orleans Parish Prison around 1 a.m. on May 16. The men pulled a "defective" cell door off its tracks and escaped through a hole in the wall behind a toilet and sink unit, according to Susan Hutson, sheriff of Orleans Parish. Kendell Myles, Robert Moody, and Dkenan Dennis were back into custody within hours. "3 down 7 to go, and we ARE NOT slowing down! LOCK THEM UP!" Louisian Gov. Jeff Landry said in a social media post May 16 after they were recaptured. Corey Boyd, Leo Tate, Jermaine Donald, Derrick Groves, Lenton Vanburen, Antoine Massey, and Gary Price remain at large. 7 inmates still on the run after New Orleans jailbreak; watch video: live updates Did the inmates have help? Orleans Parish Chief of Corrections Jeworski Mallett said the inmates couldn't have breached the wall near the toilets without outside assistance. 'It was more than just a breach of security, it was some type of help,' Mallett said. Security footage captured the men tampering with a cell door, fleeing via a loading dock, and running across a highway. Hutson said a jail employee saw the men escaping through surveillance and failed to report it. "We have indication that these detainees received assistance in their escape from individuals inside of our department," Hutson said. Following the incident, Hutson announced that three sheriff's office employees were suspended without pay, and local television station WGNO reported. What were the inmates initially in jail for? At least three of the escaped inmates are charged with murder or attempted murder, according to parish records. Myles, Moody, and Dennis ‒ the three recaptured inmates ‒ were awaiting trial on various felony charges, including attempted murder, armed robberies, aggravated assault, battery, extortion, illegally carrying weapons and illegal drug possession offenses, according to the Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office. It is unclear what additional charges any of the inmates might face following their escape. Louisiana Gov. Landry calls for audit into New Orleans jail During the May 18 news conference, Landry said the Louisiana Attorney General's Office will lead the investigation into the "massive jailbreak." The governor also said he ordered the state Department of Public Safety and Corrections to audit the Orleans Parish Prison for compliance with basic jail guidelines and to remove all inmates currently in the facility. "There is no excuse for the escape of these violent offenders," Landry said. "There is also no excuse for the way these cases are currently being mismanaged in our criminal justice system."
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Yahoo
Manhunt for escaped New Orleans inmates escalates as seven remain at large
An extensive manhunt for seven inmates who escaped from a New Orleans jail by digging a hole behind a toilet has seen the reward for each fugitive doubled. As the search entered a third day on Sunday, FBI Special Agent Jonathan Trapp confirmed seven of the 10 men who originally escaped on Friday are still at large. He added that the FBI is offering $10,000 per inmate instead of the $5,000 previously announced. The FBI reward is in addition to $5,000 rewards offered by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and $2,000 from CrimeStoppers. Special Agent Trapp adds he believes members of the public may be aiding the men, and authorities will arrest those found aiding or abetting them. The men, who range in age from 19 to 42, face a variety of charges including aggravated assault, domestic abuse battery and murder. A spokesperson for the Louisiana State Police said that the agency was unable to provide details about the scope and target of the investigation for security reasons. The spokesperson added that a multiagency task force was scouring the region for the remaining fugitives. In a separate statement, Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill said on Sunday her office's 'main priority remains recovering the prisoners, protecting the public, securing and stabilising the facility staff, and building." At least one of the escaped inmates was captured based on a tip from the public, according to a statement from the FBI on the social media platform X. New Orleans Police Department Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick warned that the fugitives are dangerous in a news conference on Friday night but also urged the public 'not to panic.' Orleans Parish Sheriff Susan Hutson said the men were able to get out of the Orleans Justice Center because of 'defective locks.' Hutson said she has continuously raised concerns about the locks to officials and, as recently as this week, advocated for money to fix the aged infrastructure. 'This massive jail break could be the largest jail break in the history of the state, and it never should have happened. The public deserves to know who, what and how this happened,' Gov. Jeff Landry said at the Sunday news conference. Landry said an audit of the jail by the Department of Corrections will be done by the end of the week. He said everyone in the criminal justice system needs to be held accountable 'except for the police, who seem to be doing their job.' Landry cited delays in bringing charges against people accused of crimes, prosecutions and in sentencing as factors he said contribute to jail populations. He blamed Friday's escape on what he called a 'progressive justice system,' saying that 'there is also no excuse for the way these cases are currently being mismanaged in our criminal justice system.' Landry declined to comment on whether the escape was an inside job or how it happened. On Friday, Orleans Parish Sheriff Susan Hutson said the men were able to get out of the Orleans Justice Center because of 'defective locks,' and possibly with help from people inside her department. 'It's almost impossible, not completely, but almost impossible for anybody to get out of this facility without help,' she said of the jail where 1,400 people are being held. The escape is drawing intense scrutiny and opprobrium. It took hours for sheriff's officials to learn of the escape and then more time still to alert New Orleans police, even though some of the missing inmates are accused of violent offenses and they escaped into a neighborhood less than 2 miles (3.2 km) from the city's famous French Quarter. Louisiana State Police Superintendent Colonel Robert Hodges said authorities in neighboring states have been notified but that officials do not believe the men have left the state yet. Leads for the men have not panned out, he said.
