Ten Inmates Escape New Orleans Jail, Manhunt Ongoing \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ Authorities in Louisiana are searching for 10 escaped inmates from a New Orleans jail. One was already recaptured after a foot chase in the French Quarter. Officials confirmed one escapee is a convicted murderer, and security failures at the jail are under review.
Quick Looks
- Inmate Escape: 11 inmates were found missing during a headcount at a New Orleans jail Friday morning.
- Manhunt Underway: At least 10 remain at large; one was captured after a chase through the French Quarter.
- High-Risk Fugitive: Derrick Groves, convicted of murder and attempted murder, is among the escapees.
- Security Breach: Inmates likely escaped through a maintenance corridor accessed via a cell opening.
- Official Response: Local, state, and federal agencies including the FBI and U.S. Marshals are involved.
- Public Safety Risk: One family has been relocated for protection; law enforcement warns against aiding escapees.
- Facility Review: Jail protocols and physical security are under full investigation following the breach.
- Accountability Demanded: Louisiana’s attorney general criticized delayed public notification and pledged reforms.
Deep Look
Escape at Orleans Justice Center Exposes Systemic Failures, Sparks National Manhunt
The dramatic escape of 11 inmates from the Orleans Justice Center in New Orleans has revealed not only a stunning security lapse but also a deeper crisis brewing within Louisiana’s corrections system. As law enforcement scrambles to recapture 10 of the escaped prisoners—one of whom is a convicted murderer—scrutiny is intensifying around the facility’s management, maintenance protocols, and political oversight.
The Escape: What We Know
On Friday morning, a routine headcount at the jail revealed that 11 inmates were missing. Shortly afterward, one was recaptured after a foot chase in the French Quarter, but 10 others, including Derrick Groves, remain at large. Groves was convicted in 2023 on two counts of second-degree murder and two counts of attempted murder tied to a 2018 Mardi Gras shooting. He also faces charges for assaulting a correctional officer.
The escape was reportedly facilitated by an opening inside a cell, which led to a maintenance corridor—a typically restricted and unmonitored area. According to law enforcement officials speaking anonymously to the Associated Press, this breach likely involved the removal of a sink or toilet, granting access to a space not designed for inmate movement. Surveillance footage is believed to show at least one inmate slipping through the opening during the night.
Institutional Breakdown and Public Outrage
The incident has sparked intense public backlash and renewed criticism of the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office. Sheriff Susan Hutson—under pressure—vowed to launch a comprehensive investigation, promising to hold accountable any staff or policies responsible for enabling the escape. “This is not just about the escape. It’s about how a facility meant to hold dangerous individuals allowed this to happen in the first place,” Hutson said.
Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill was less diplomatic, calling the escape “beyond unacceptable” and lambasting the sheriff’s office for failing to alert the public in a timely manner. “The delay in informing the public about dangerous criminals being on the loose could have had deadly consequences,” she wrote in a statement. “There must be consequences for such failure.”
Murrill pledged to conduct an independent investigation through the Attorney General’s office and said her team will demand access to internal communications and maintenance records at the jail.
Political Fallout and Security Reform
The escape is the latest in a string of troubling developments tied to Louisiana’s justice system, which has long struggled with overcrowding, underfunding, and inadequate infrastructure. The Orleans Justice Center, opened in 2015 to replace the notorious Orleans Parish Prison, was designed as a model of reform—but critics argue that chronic staffing shortages and lax oversight have led to a deterioration in standards.
The New Orleans Police Department, in coordination with the FBI and U.S. Marshals, is now leading the multi-agency manhunt. Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick emphasized that investigators are also probing whether external assistance helped the inmates disappear undetected. “We are tracking down every lead,” she said, warning that any individuals found harboring escapees will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
One family has already been relocated after authorities determined they might be at risk due to their cooperation in a trial involving one of the fugitives. “This isn’t just a manhunt,” Kirkpatrick added. “This is about protecting our community.”
How Did It Happen?
While the investigation is still ongoing, multiple sources confirmed that maintenance records and logs were not properly secured or reviewed, making it difficult to know how long the escape route had existed. A photograph obtained by AP reportedly shows the hole in the cell, estimated to be several feet wide—easily large enough for an adult male to crawl through.
A former corrections official told reporters that such areas should be covered and inaccessible. “This is a serious design and operational flaw,” said the official. “To have an area like that unsecured inside a maximum-security facility is inexcusable.”
Impact on Public Safety
The escape is especially concerning because it involves high-risk offenders. Derrick Groves is not only a convicted murderer but is also alleged to have continued gang affiliations. His presence in the community poses a severe risk, and authorities fear the other escapees may also have violent histories or are facing charges for serious crimes.
New Orleans residents are being urged to stay vigilant, especially near transportation hubs and the city’s outskirts, where escapees may attempt to flee the state.
The city’s tourism-heavy French Quarter has seen a visible increase in police presence since the escape, and local businesses have been advised to review surveillance camera footage and report any suspicious individuals.
Long-Term Repercussions
The incident has already spurred political discussions about the need for federal oversight or intervention. U.S. Representative Troy Carter, who represents parts of New Orleans, said he was “deeply concerned” about the safety of residents and the integrity of the facility. “This is not just a local issue anymore,” he said. “When violent offenders escape a detention center in the middle of a major city, it becomes a federal concern.”
Meanwhile, civil rights groups are demanding more transparency, raising questions about how many inmates might be living under unsafe conditions, and whether broader systemic failures contributed to the breach.
As the manhunt continues, the future of the Orleans Justice Center hangs in the balance. Calls for leadership change and structural reform are growing louder, and the coming days will test the capability of Louisiana’s justice system to respond—not only to the immediate crisis, but to the deeper problems now exposed.
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