News Summary
A significant jailbreak at the Orleans Justice Center has left two inmates, Antoine Massey and Derrick Groves, at large, raising alarms over security practices. Eight of the ten escapees have been recaptured, while the search for Massey and Groves continues. A former employee, Darriana Burton, has been arrested for conspiracy in the escape. Systemic failures in management and staffing have been cited as contributing factors to the incident, prompting calls for major reforms within the facility and the correctional system.
New Orleans – Two inmates, Antoine Massey and Derrick Groves, remain at large after a significant jailbreak from the Orleans Justice Center. This escape, which occurred on May 16, has revealed serious lapses in security and sparked widespread concern among law enforcement and the public regarding the safety and management of the correctional facility. In connection with the escape, Darriana Burton, a former employee at the jail and the girlfriend of escaped inmate Derrick Groves, has been arrested for conspiracy to commit simple escape.
Burton’s arrest follows investigations that identified her as having exchanged texts and video calls with Groves while he was incarcerated. This interaction raised alarms, especially as she had been terminated from her position at the Orleans Justice Center in January 2024 for allegedly smuggling contraband into the facility. The jailbreak reportedly involved ten inmates who breached the facility by creating a hole in a cell wall, marking it as one of the largest and most brazen escapes in recent U.S. history.
Following the escape, eight of the ten inmates have been recaptured, but the search for Massey and Groves continues. Law enforcement agencies have initiated a manhunt for the two escapees and have set up a rewards program offering $50,000 for information leading to their capture. The Orleans Parish Sheriff, Susan Hutson, acknowledged taking responsibility for the incident and cited systemic failures within the jail as contributing factors to the escape, including issues with staffing shortages and poor infrastructure.
City Councilmember JP Morrell has criticized the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office for potentially allowing former employees, like Burton, to retain access to keys, raising concerns about security protocols. Observations from law enforcement officials and experts suggest that the escape likely had assistance from internal sources, further intensifying scrutiny over the management and safety standards within the correctional facility.
To compound the situation, a viral video surfaced where Antoine Massey claimed he was “let out” of jail, prompting law enforcement to conduct a raid based on the video footage. About this raid, authorities recovered clothing matching what Massey wore during the video, but he was not located. The alarming circumstances surrounding the escape have led to calls for immediate investigations into jail security and management practices.
The Orleans Justice Center, built in 2015, has long been plagued by operational difficulties, with officials indicating about $13 million in necessary upgrades to improve the facility’s infrastructure. Ongoing discussions emphasize the need for significant changes to the Orleans Parish prison system to prevent future incidents like this one. The escape has triggered ongoing conversations about public safety concerns, particularly as the facility has been under increasing scrutiny regarding its management and the safety of both inmates and the surrounding community.
As the investigation continues, authorities are pursuing various leads. A multi-agency task force has been mobilized to aid in locating the remaining escapees. The situation remains fluid, with ongoing efforts to ensure that public safety is prioritized amid the turmoil experienced by the prison system in Orleans Parish. The combination of significant events in recent weeks has highlighted the critical need for reform and accountability within the correctional environment.
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Additional Resources
- WWLTV: New Orleans Jail Escape
- USA Today: New Orleans Jailbreak Manhunt
- NBC News: Girlfriend of New Orleans Fugitive Arrested
- CBS News: New Orleans Jail Escapee Antoine Massey
- CNN: New Orleans Escape of Massey and Groves
- Wikipedia: New Orleans Jail Escape
- Google Search: New Orleans Jail Escape
- Google Scholar: New Orleans Jail Escape
- Encyclopedia Britannica: New Orleans Jail Escape
- Google News: New Orleans Jail Escape
