The manhunt continues for two remaining inmates who escaped from the Orleans Parish Prison in New Orleans nearly two weeks ago. Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill confirmed that Antoine Massey and Derrick Groves may have fled the city, but emphasized that their escape won’t last forever. “They can keep running, but they can’t hide forever,” she stated, expressing confidence in their eventual apprehension.
Eight of the ten escapees have already been recaptured, some within New Orleans’ French Quarter and others in Louisiana and even Texas. The extensive manhunt, involving the U.S. Marshals, highlights the seriousness of the situation and the determination of authorities to bring all escapees to justice. The escape itself, unnoticed for hours, has sparked a thorough investigation into the facility’s security failures. At least thirteen individuals have been arrested in connection with the breakout, which Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry called the worst jailbreak in recent state history.
Investigations point to a multitude of contributing factors, including court system inefficiencies leading to overcrowding, inadequate jail staffing, and significant infrastructure issues. A third of the jail’s security cameras were reportedly malfunctioning at the time of the escape, and surveillance footage revealed inmates breaching a cell door and a wall before escaping through a loading dock. The escape went unnoticed for several hours, with no deputy assigned to the area where the breach occurred. Further compounding the problems, the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office recently reported significant flooding issues at the jail, with inmates even shouting “we need water” to reporters outside the facility. These plumbing challenges, despite weekend repairs, continue to cause problems within the already troubled facility.
The problems at the Orleans Parish Prison are not new. A federal judge declared the jail unconstitutionally overcrowded in 1970, and issues have persisted through Hurricane Katrina, past incidents involving drug use and weapons within the facility, and even after the 2015 opening of the Orleans Justice Center. Following this recent escape, Governor Landry ordered the removal of all remaining state Department of Corrections inmates from the facility.
Attorney General Murrill highlighted the need for both physical improvements to the facility, including replacing locks and light bulbs, and systemic changes, especially concerning the efficient processing of criminal cases to reduce overcrowding. Orleans Parish Sheriff Susan Hutson has accepted full responsibility, temporarily suspending her reelection campaign to focus on improving security and accountability. District Attorney Jason Williams has expressed concerns about the facility’s security, even planning to request a private security detail for the New Orleans courthouse. The escape serves as a stark reminder of the complex challenges facing the New Orleans justice system, emphasizing the need for collaborative efforts to address both immediate security concerns and long-term systemic issues.
The ongoing investigations promise to shed further light on the failures that led to this unprecedented jailbreak, and the community awaits answers and concrete solutions to prevent future incidents.
