After New Orleans jailbreak, blame game begins
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Sheriff Susan Hutson is up for reelection this fall. Photo: Courtesy of Orleans Parish Sheriff's Department
After Friday's jailbreak, investigations are due to begin digging into why it took so long for word to get out about the "armed and dangerous" escapees.
The latest: Gov. Jeff Landry is calling for immediate investigations into what led to the escape, he said in a press conference Sunday.
- "The public deserves to know who, what and how this happened," he said.
Catch up quick: Seven of 10 escaped inmates remain at large, as of Sunday evening. Investigators believe they are being helped to evade capture, Louisiana State Police Superintendent Col. Robert Hodges said Sunday.
- Since Friday, authorities have maintained that New Orleans residents are safe to go about their business as usual, while keeping an eye out for suspicious activity.
The intrigue: Orleans Parish Sheriff Susan Hutson, who manages the Orleans Justice Center, was not in attendance at Landry's press conference Sunday.
- When asked where she was, Landry quipped, "I don't know. Hopefully minding the jail."
It was the latest crack as some local elected officials are lambasting Hutson, taking issue with how long it took her staff to learn of the jailbreak, as well as how long it took OPSO to inform other agencies and the public.
- District Attorney Jason Williams called the escape "a complete failure of the most basic responsibilities entrusted to a sheriff or jail administrator."
- Councilwoman Helena Moreno said in a Facebook video that the length of time between the department noticing and informing others was "totally unacceptable and ... incredibly irresponsible."
- At Sunday's press conference, Mayor LaToya Cantrell deflected questions about whether she was pleased with how quickly the public was informed, instead praising the investigation since the escape.
The other side: On Friday, Hutson laid blame on a jail she says is in dire need of upgrades.
- About one third of the jail's security cameras are inoperable, according to the department, including three in the area where the escape occurred.
- The inmates also were aided in their escape by faulty cell doors and the removal of toilets and other jail "infrastructure," said Deputy Chief of Corrections Jeworski "Jay" Mallett, which could only have been accomplished by someone inside the facility.
- The department is already investigating "if this was an inside job," Mallett said.
Up for re-election this fall, Hutson characterized the jailbreak as suspicious, suggesting in a press conference late Friday that the timing was too coincidental to be an accident.
- Before the jailbreak, Hutson was heading into the race with a recent, albeit narrow, win when voters approved a millage to support OPSO operations.
- That millage, however, won't be enough to make all the upgrades she says the jail needs. Replacing the faulty locks alone would cost about $5.2 million, officials said.
The timeline of the escape, according to OPSO officials:
- 10:30pm: Inmates are typically locked down.
- 12:23am: Detainees began yanking on a first-floor sliding cell door to pull it off its track while a civilian department employee, who was charged with watching that "pod" of cells, stepped away to get food. They succeeded in passing through the door before she returned.
- 1am: The inmates exited the jail, scaling a wall while using blankets to cover razor wire, and ran across Interstate 10.
- 8:30am: Department officials discovered 10 inmates are missing, initially believing the number to be 11.
- By 9am: Hutson is notified.
- 9:30am: Hutson's staff notifies the U.S. Marshals' office. She says her staff also notified other agencies at this time.
- About 11am: OPSO posted to Facebook and issues a press release.
Yes, but: NOPD wasn't notified until around 10:30 a.m., police chief Anne Kirkpatrick said Friday.
What's next: Expect to see multiple investigations into OPSO's day-to-day operations and budget get underway quickly, as well as new legislation requiring immediate public notification of any escape from an adult jail or prison. (A similar law already exists for juvenile facilities.)
- Landry said he's called for Attorney General Liz Murrill to begin an investigation, as well as a Department of Corrections Audit of the Orleans Justice Center that should be complete this week, he said. Landry also plans to issue an executive order Monday calling on the state Inspector General to review the statuses of inmates inside the jail.
- Moreno said State Rep. Jason Hughes has also already tapped the Louisiana Legislative Auditor to inspect OPSO.
- And City Council is holding a meeting Tuesday to begin its own inquiries.