New Orleans jailbreak: 10 inmates dug a hole, wrote ‘to easy’ before fleeing; escape plan found
New Orleans inmates who escaped prison had carved a hole behind the toilet, photos show
Almost a dozen inmates escaped from a New Orleans jail on Friday. Louisiana Police first said that 11 inmates had fled, before noting that one of them was captured after a brief foot chase through the French Quarter. Now, photos from inside a jail cell have surfaced, showing the inmates' potential escape route.
The photos show a large hole cut from behind a toilet, in a typical ‘Shawshank Redemption ’- like manner. Messages like ‘to easy’ were written near the hole.
Authorities said that they found out about the jailbreak during the morning headcount. One of the fugitive inmates, Derrick Groves, was convicted on two charges of second-degree murder and two charges of attempted second-degree murder last year.
Read More: Prison break: 11 ‘dangerous’ inmates escape from Orleans Justice Center, jail on lockdown
“We are launching a full investigation to determine how this escape occurred, including reviewing facility protocols, staff performance and physical security measures. Any lapses or failures that contributed to this incident will be addressed swiftly and with full accountability," Orleans Parish Sheriff Susan Hutson.
The AP, after obtaining the photograph, reported that a former law enforcement official who worked in the jail for several years said such an opening, of just a few feet, would typically be covered by a sink and toilet that may have been removed in this case.
“Someone clearly dropped the ball and there’s no excuse for this. My office will do whatever it takes to determine how this happened and make sure that it won’t happen again," Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill said.
The escapees should be considered armed and dangerous, police noted.
List of New Orleans inmates who escaped prison
Antoine Massey
Lenton Vanburen
Jermaine Donald
Leo Tate
Kendell Myles (captured by NOPD)
Derrick Groves
Corey Boyd
Gary Price
Robert Moody
Decannon Dennis
Keith Lewis
