10 inmates escape from New Orleans jail amid suspected inside help

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: New websites
17 May 2025 09:45

Amid the prison break from Orleans Parish Justice Center, officials have cited security failures and possible staff involvement.

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This combination of pictures released by Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office and created on May 16, 2025, shows (top L/R) Dennis Dkenan, Gary Price, Robert Moody, (middle top L/R) Corey Boyd, Lenton Vanburen Jr., Jermaine Donald, (bottom L/R) Antoine Massey, Derrick Groves and Leo Tate (Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office / AFP)

Ten inmates broke out of the Orleans Parish Justice Center early Friday in a dramatic and alarming escape that exposed serious security lapses and prompted calls for accountability, The New York Times reported.

Officials suspect the detainees received assistance from inside the facility.

Inmates break through cell wall, exit jail grounds

The escape began when inmates breached a rectangular hole in a cell wall just large enough for a person to squeeze through. Nearby, a metal toilet and sink had been torn from the wall. Above the hole, graffiti depicted a taunting face and read “easy. LOL,” mocking the Sheriff’s office.

Surveillance footage showed the inmates leaving through a loading dock door, scaling a wall, and fleeing across an interstate. The escape took place at approximately 1:00 am, according to Orleans Parish Sheriff Susan Hutson.

Broken locks, defective doors

The Sheriff’s office attributed the breach in part to “defective locks and doors.” Sheriff Hutson noted she had previously raised concerns about the infrastructure with both a judge and city officials.

Chief of Corrections Jeworski Mallett added that the section of the jail used sliding doors that could be forcibly removed from their tracks, enabling free movement.

The metal fixtures in the cell had also been dismantled, with bolts removed, evidence suggesting outside assistance.

“We know that this could not be removed from the inside, so we are investigating that to see exactly who entered these areas, what kind of work was done, if there was work being done, and if this was an inside job,” Mallett indicated.

Inoperable security cameras

Adding insult to injury, nearly a third of the jail’s security cameras, including three in the unit where the escape occurred, were "inoperable" at the time, according to the Sheriff’s office.

The facility had been placed on lockdown at 10:30 pm, but the inmates began tampering with the cell door just after midnight, the office added.

A routine head count at 8:30 am revealed the inmates were missing, hours after the escape.

Sheriff’s office investigates possible inside help

Sheriff Hutson confirmed the department is investigating the role of staff, stating, “We have indications that these detainees received assistance from individuals inside of our department.” At the time of the escape, four supervisors and 36 staff members were on duty.

Major Silas Phipps Jr., head of the investigative bureau, said authorities are “working every angle” to recapture the inmates and will prosecute anyone found to have assisted them.

Jail conditions exceed capacity limits

The incident also highlighted long-standing issues at the Orleans Parish Justice Center. Sheriff Hutson had previously told the New Orleans City Council that the facility held about 1,500 inmates, far above the 1,250 cap and nearly double what her staff could manage.

She cited a rise in detainees charged with misdemeanors, such as trespassing and shoplifting, which has further strained the jail’s capacity.

Louisiana State Police recaptures one escapee

By Friday evening, Louisiana State Police had recaptured one escapee, Kendell Myles, in the French Quarter. The remaining inmates are considered “armed and dangerous,” the Sheriff’s office warned.

Initial reports said 11 inmates had escaped, but the number was later corrected to 10 after one individual was confirmed to still be in custody.

Attorney General, District Attorney demand accountability

Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill criticized the Sheriff’s Office, calling the situation “beyond unacceptable”. She demanded a full investigation and accountability for what she described as an “inexcusable” lapse.

Orleans Parish District Attorney Jason Williams echoed these sentiments in an interview with local media, calling the escape “an unprecedented failure.”

He raised concerns for witnesses in ongoing cases, saying, “This is a very dangerous situation that has only been made more dangerous because of the poor leadership and lack of transparency.”

Williams suggested a grand jury investigation might be warranted and confirmed his office had reached out to witnesses in the escapees’ cases.

The Sheriff’s office defended its timeline of notifications, stating that the US Marshals, Louisiana State Police, and the Division of Probation and Parole were informed by 9:30 am, with the New Orleans Police Department contacted shortly thereafter.