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Yahoo
5 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
New Orleans jail security 'train wreck' helped 4-time escapee, 9 others break out: former warden
Deficient security protocols allowed a serial escape artist and nine others to break out of a New Orleans jail, according to a former federal prison warden. "First of all, that jail had been deemed a train wreck in terms of just basic jail operations," Cameron Lindsay told Fox News Digital. Lindsay worked for 20 years in the federal prison system, seven of them as a warden. He was once the warden of the infamous Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn. He also served as a warden at two private prisons. Now, he is a consultant and expert witness. "It would appear that basic security inspections were not taking place at the jail. Inmates should never be able to tear a toilet off of a wall and just be able to go right to the perimeter fence," he said. "I mean, I just can't believe that." Democrat Lawmakers Demand Louisiana Sheriff Resign After 10 Inmates Escape Jail In 2013, the Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office (OPSO), which runs the Orleans Parish Correctional Facility, entered into a consent decree with the Department of Justice to keep the jail operational. The decree stemmed from civil rights abuses, and OPSO agreed to federal government oversight and biannual compliance checks. Read On The Fox News App The latest of those compliance check reports shows that the jail was fully compliant with 42% of the decree's measures and completely noncompliant with at least 5% of them. It is partially compliant with about 53% of the measures. The report, released in October 2024, paints a picture of completely inadequate inmate supervision, leading to violence and the use of illicit drugs, shakedown and extortion schemes, and inmates having limitless time to fashion weapons out of everyday jail items. "There were significant incidents of violence occurring within the facilities during the monitoring period; including inmate-on-inmate assaults and assaults on staff," according to the report. "The level of violence in the facility continued to be at all-time high levels during this monitoring period." Louisiana Governor Blasts 'Progressive Promises' After New Orleans Jail Escape "The inmates appear to be emboldened in their refusal to follow the rules and obey the orders of the security staff," the report said. "Very concerning is that both staff and inmates continue to relay to the Monitors that there are inmates who are acting as 'tank bosses' and are extorting other inmates and requiring payment for protection." There was also no jail monitoring system to verify that security checks were taking place and being reported at regular intervals. Those failures have come into focus since the early morning hours of May 17, when 10 inmates broke out of the jail and ran amok in the New Orleans area. As of Friday afternoon, five of them remained at large. WATCH: 'Many points of failure' in jailbreak, says FBI special agent "Inmate security checks represent a critical, industry-accepted minimum standard," Lindsay told Fox News Digital. "Failure to conduct them is a serious threat to the overall basic security of any correctional facility. It speaks to [a] lack of effective correctional leadership and possibly a lack of appropriate funding." Louisiana Jail Worker Arrested For Allegedly Helping 10 Inmates Escape Orleans Parish Facility One of the 10 escapees was Antoine Massey, who was being held in the jail on charges of domestic abuse involving strangulation, theft of a motor vehicle and a parole violation. He was also wanted for rape and kidnapping in St. Tammany Parish, according to Fox 8. Massey had escaped from custody three times since 2007 and was no longer eligible to be released with an electronic ankle monitor because he kept cutting them off. Massey was still at large on Friday afternoon. Linsday said that from his perspective as a warden, OPSO should have taken extraordinary precautions with Massey, knowing that he had such a history. "He would be housed in the most secure location within the jail," he said. "All staff would be apprised of this individual, and given his incredibly high risk for escape, I would require documented frequent checks at least once every 30 minutes on an irregular schedule." "I would also insist on documented correctional supervisor rounds, ensuring line staff are strictly following guidelines for inmates of this caliber who present the greatest threat to the community," he said. New Orleans Jail Inmates Charged With Murder And Other Crimes Escape Lindsay was critical of the leadership at the jail. "I don't know why you would have nine high-security-level individuals in one cell like that," he said. "It just doesn't sound like it's a well-operated correctional facility. It sounds like it's a mess." "And I tell you what, here's another thing that speaks to me about the ineffectiveness of this facility," he said. "I would tell you that they don't know the first thing about emergency preparedness, because when you have an escape, there should be an immediate response. There should be no delay whatsoever. That information should go out to law enforcement and through the community." The inmates escaped in the early morning hours of May 16, but jail staff did not realize they were missing until about 8:30 a.m., they said in a City Council meeting after the escape. New Orleans Police Department Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick was notified of the escape by one of her captains, who heard about it in the media. "An escape is the quintessential failure in corrections," Lindsay said. "It is the quintessential failure because your No. 1 objective is to protect the community and then to protect the staff and to protect the inmates. But your No. 1 objective is to ensure that these inmates are segregated from free society, so you have to prevent an escape." The Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office did not respond to a request for article source: New Orleans jail security 'train wreck' helped 4-time escapee, 9 others break out: former warden
Fox News
5 days ago
- Fox News
New Orleans jail security 'train wreck' helped 4-time escapee, 9 others break out: former warden
Print Close By Peter D'Abrosca Published May 25, 2025 Deficient security protocols allowed a serial escape artist and nine others to break out of a New Orleans jail, according to a former federal prison warden. "First of all, that jail had been deemed a train wreck in terms of just basic jail operations," Cameron Lindsay told Fox News Digital. Lindsay worked for 20 years in the federal prison system, seven of them as a warden. He was once the warden of the infamous Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn. He also served as a warden at two private prisons. Now, he is a consultant and expert witness. "It would appear that basic security inspections were not taking place at the jail. Inmates should never be able to tear a toilet off of a wall and just be able to go right to the perimeter fence," he said. "I mean, I just can't believe that." DEMOCRAT LAWMAKERS DEMAND LOUISIANA SHERIFF RESIGN AFTER 10 INMATES ESCAPE JAIL In 2013, the Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office (OPSO), which runs the Orleans Parish Correctional Facility, entered into a consent decree with the Department of Justice to keep the jail operational. The decree stemmed from civil rights abuses, and OPSO agreed to federal government oversight and biannual compliance checks. The latest of those compliance check reports shows that the jail was fully compliant with 42% of the decree's measures and completely noncompliant with at least 5% of them. It is partially compliant with about 53% of the measures. The report, released in October 2024, paints a picture of completely inadequate inmate supervision, leading to violence and the use of illicit drugs, shakedown and extortion schemes, and inmates having limitless time to fashion weapons out of everyday jail items. "There were significant incidents of violence occurring within the facilities during the monitoring period; including inmate-on-inmate assaults and assaults on staff," according to the report. "The level of violence in the facility continued to be at all-time high levels during this monitoring period." LOUISIANA GOVERNOR BLASTS 'PROGRESSIVE PROMISES' AFTER NEW ORLEANS JAIL ESCAPE "The inmates appear to be emboldened in their refusal to follow the rules and obey the orders of the security staff," the report said. "Very concerning is that both staff and inmates continue to relay to the Monitors that there are inmates who are acting as 'tank bosses' and are extorting other inmates and requiring payment for protection." There was also no jail monitoring system to verify that security checks were taking place and being reported at regular intervals. Those failures have come into focus since the early morning hours of May 17, when 10 inmates broke out of the jail and ran amok in the New Orleans area. As of Friday afternoon, five of them remained at large. WATCH: 'Many points of failure' in jailbreak, says FBI special agent "Inmate security checks represent a critical, industry-accepted minimum standard," Lindsay told Fox News Digital. "Failure to conduct them is a serious threat to the overall basic security of any correctional facility. It speaks to [a] lack of effective correctional leadership and possibly a lack of appropriate funding." LOUISIANA JAIL WORKER ARRESTED FOR ALLEGEDLY HELPING 10 INMATES ESCAPE ORLEANS PARISH FACILITY One of the 10 escapees was Antoine Massey, who was being held in the jail on charges of domestic abuse involving strangulation, theft of a motor vehicle and a parole violation. He was also wanted for rape and kidnapping in St. Tammany Parish, according to Fox 8. Massey had escaped from custody three times since 2007 and was no longer eligible to be released with an electronic ankle monitor because he kept cutting them off. Massey was still at large on Friday afternoon. Linsday said that from his perspective as a warden, OPSO should have taken extraordinary precautions with Massey, knowing that he had such a history. "He would be housed in the most secure location within the jail," he said. "All staff would be apprised of this individual, and given his incredibly high risk for escape, I would require documented frequent checks at least once every 30 minutes on an irregular schedule." "I would also insist on documented correctional supervisor rounds, ensuring line staff are strictly following guidelines for inmates of this caliber who present the greatest threat to the community," he said. NEW ORLEANS JAIL INMATES CHARGED WITH MURDER AND OTHER CRIMES ESCAPE Lindsay was critical of the leadership at the jail. "I don't know why you would have nine high-security-level individuals in one cell like that," he said. "It just doesn't sound like it's a well-operated correctional facility. It sounds like it's a mess." "And I tell you what, here's another thing that speaks to me about the ineffectiveness of this facility," he said. "I would tell you that they don't know the first thing about emergency preparedness, because when you have an escape, there should be an immediate response. There should be no delay whatsoever. That information should go out to law enforcement and through the community." The inmates escaped in the early morning hours of May 16, but jail staff did not realize they were missing until about 8:30 a.m., they said in a City Council meeting after the escape. New Orleans Police Department Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick was notified of the escape by one of her captains, who heard about it in the media. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP "An escape is the quintessential failure in corrections," Lindsay said. "It is the quintessential failure because your No. 1 objective is to protect the community and then to protect the staff and to protect the inmates. But your No. 1 objective is to ensure that these inmates are segregated from free society, so you have to prevent an escape." The Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office did not respond to a request for comment. Print Close URL
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
District attorney issues subpoenas requesting compliance from Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office after jailbreak
NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — Orleans Parish District Attorney Jason Williams issued two subpoenas requiring compliance from the Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office following the New Orleans jailbreak. Williams said one of the subpoenas will request the sheriff's office to preserve relevant logs, surveillance and data leading up to and after the escape. The other subpoena requests voluntary compliance from OPSO employees, staff and contractors as part of the investigation. Five inmates still on run from Orleans Parish jailbreak; U.S. Marshals says possible help could be involved Thursday's subpoenas come after Williams said he learned that the sheriff's office did not request any forensic processing from the New Orleans Police Department in the cell used during the escape. 'As part of the ongoing inquiry, I reached out to Superintendent Kirkpatrick to ask whether the Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office had requested formal forensic processing of the scene of the escape. The Superintendent confirmed that the NOPD Crime Lab had received no such request, and she immediately made Crime Lab Director Dr. Shamika Kelley available to conduct an on-site assessment. Dr. Kelley, along with Chief Nicole Powell and their team, quickly mobilized and accompanied me to the OJC facility to begin processing the crime scene,' said Williams in a statement after visiting the jail Thursday afternoon. Attorney General Murrill and District Attorney Jason Williams tour Orleans Parish Jail Williams' statement also discussed accountability. 'It is critically important to get all fugitives back into custody. But it is equally important that we identify and hold accountable anyone who facilitated or assisted with this historic jailbreak,' said attorney issues subpoenas requesting compliance from Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office after jailbreak Lawsuit filed against Louisiana air monitoring law alleges first amendment violation Isolated storm chances Friday Saints HC Kellen Moore, QB Tyler Shough discuss first week of OTAs GOP campaign arm tells Republicans to 'go on offense' messaging Trump agenda bill Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Orleans Parish Sheriff Susan Hutson suspends re-election campaign
NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — Orleans Parish Sheriff Susan Hutson has announced that she is temporarily suspending her campaign for re-election. In a Facebook post, Hutson cited the current investigation into the prisoner escapes that occurred at Orleans Justice Center as her reasoning for the suspension. OPSO maintenance worker allegedly aided in prison break arrested 'I cannot spend a moment putting politics over your needs. Now is the time to focus on security, accountability, and public safety' Hutson said. Hutson also pointed out actions taken so far in the form of suspensions, an arrest and cooperation with the Attorney General's investigation as law enforcement still seeks to capture the remaining inmate captured following Orleans Justice Center escapes More info on criminal charges of remaining OJC escapees Orleans Parish Sheriff Susan Hutson suspends re-election campaign Loyola looks for consistent respect after historic tournament run, making first-ever NAIA World Series WATCH: UNO baseball preview Southland Conference Championship Series, first-ever appearance since joining the league in 2013 Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Fox News
21-05-2025
- Fox News
'Dog the Bounty Hunter' confident NoLa prison break was an 'inside job'
Ten inmates escaping from Orleans Parish Justice Center is no coincidence, according to "Dog the Bounty Hunter." Although the investigation is ongoing, Duane Chapman told Fox News he believes the escape is "definitely an inside job." Ten inmates escaped from the New Orleans jail early Friday morning, and six remain on the run as of Tuesday evening. "What is 10 felons doing in one cell? How did they ever get out of there without anyone watching them? So I think that far, not seeing surveillance and all that, I think it is definitely an inside job," Chapman said Tuesday on "The Ingraham Angle." The Orleans Parish Sheriff's Department suggested an "inside job" was a possibility during a news conference. The most recent arrest came on Monday night when officials announced the capture of inmate Gary C. Price. A source confirmed to Fox News that authorities have come close to detaining others, but the "timing has been off." The source added it's possible the remaining fugitives left New Orleans, but it's believed most, if not all of them, are still there. Chapman reasoned that it could be expected the inmates would reunite at a "meeting place" some days after the escape, but given the investigation, "somewhere, some way, somebody" could be "hiding the majority of them." Sterling Williams, 33, an employee of the Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office (OPSO), was arrested and charged with 10 counts of principal to simple escape and malfeasance in office, according to a Tuesday morning statement from Attorney General Liz Murrill's office. Williams reportedly said he was threatened with violence by the escapees before allegedly helping them get loose. Chapman pushed back on Williams' claims, asking, "How did anyone even have a shank?" Officials are still searching for six escaped inmates, but the Louisiana Department of Public Safety released new booking pictures of four captured inmates who escaped the New Orleans jail. Chapman told Fox News host Laura Ingraham he feels "sorry for them when they get caught because they just added many more years" to their sentences.
