Nine inmates, including accused murderers, have escaped from the Orleans Parish Justice Center in New Orleans
Sheriff Susan Hutson confirmed that video surveillance shows the inmates exiting through a supply dock door and scaling a wall
An internal investigation is underway to determine how the security lapses occurred
Nine inmates, including accused murderers, are on the loose in New Orleans after escaping jail.
At a press conference on Friday, May 16, Orleans Parish Sheriff Susan Hutson said the men escaped from the Orleans Parish Justice Center around 1 a.m. early Friday morning.
“We do acknowledge there is no way people can get out of this facility without there being some type of lapse in security,” Hutson said. “There’s no way. It’s almost impossible, not completely, but almost impossible for anybody to get out of this facility without help from the outside. We intend to find out exactly what happened.”
Hutson said the inmates were able to escape because of defective locks on their cells and then breached a wall behind a toilet.
“Based on video surveillance, they were seen exiting a door on the docks where we normally bring in supplies, scaling a wall, and running across the interstate,” Hutson said. “Shortly thereafter, we have indication that these detainees received assistance in their escape from individuals inside of our department.”
Jail officials realized the men escaped during a routine headcount at 8:30 a.m. Friday.
Photos released by the sheriff’s office showed a large hole cut behind a toilet with “We Innocent” and “Too Easy LOL” written above it, according to NBC News.
One of the escapees, Kendell Myles, has since been captured and was rebooked at the jail on a new charge of simple escape. Deputies found the inmate hiding beneath a car in a parking garage at the Hotel Monteleone.
Still on the run are Antoine Massey, Lenton Vanburen, Leo Tate, Derrick Groves, Jermaine Donald, Corey Boyd, Gary Price, Robert Moody and Dkenan Dennis, CNN reported.
Boyd, Donald and Groves are facing murder charges, per Fox News.
“We’re still gathering information,” Hutson said. “We are investigating our own to find out exactly what happened and where those lapses were.”
The jail was placed on lockdown after the escapes.
