One year ago, Orleans Justice Center jailbreak drew national attention
NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) - It was just “to easy.”
One year ago Saturday (May 16), 10 inmates of the Orleans Justice Center jail squeezed through a hole created by tearing a toilet and sink off a cell wall and wormed their way to an unmanned loading dock exit. From there, they escaped the poorly supervised facility at 12:23 a.m. and ran across Interstate 10 to temporary freedom.
Before making their escape, the inmates scrawled graffiti and obscene messages around the makeshift hole, taunting then-Sheriff Susan Hutson and jail guards with their conclusion that the escape was “to easy lol.”
While the message wasn’t grammatically correct, it was nonetheless received. Getting out of the New Orleans jail was indeed too easy.
All 10 inmates, who ranged in age from 20-43, were recaptured and transferred to the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola.
Three were caught within hours of the escape, five more within 10 days. But accused (since convicted) rapist Antoine Massey stayed on the loose until June 27, 2025. And convicted killer Derrick Groves wasn’t apprehended until nearly five months later -- on Oct. 8, 2025 -- hiding out in a home near Atlanta.
In addition to the 10 inmates charged in the escape, 16 other people -- mostly jail staff or relatives -- were arrested on accusations of being accessories to the escape or abetting the fugitives.
The escape drew embarrassing national attention to the inexperienced sheriff and troubled lockup. It doomed Hutson’s bid for a second term -- she would received just 17 percent of the vote six months later -- and eventually formed the factual basis for a 30-count state special grand jury indictment alleging malfeasance, obstruction of justice and a conspiracy to cover up or falsify records related to the jailbreak and her handling of the facility and its funds before and after the escape.
Outgoing Orleans Parish Sheriff Susan Hutson, aide indicted on malfeasance, obstruction charges
In a farewell address to staff the day before the indictment, Hutson insisted the state’s largest-known jailbreak was “not going to define me.” But Attorney General Liz Murrill said her agency’s investigation into the massive security failure eventually led to the criminal charges returned by the grand jury.
“Nearly a year ago, I made a commitment to the people of New Orleans and the people of our state that those responsible for the Orleans Parish prison break would be held accountable,” Murrill said. “While Sheriff Hutson did not personally open the doors of the jail for the escapees, her refusal to comply with basic legal requirements and to take even minimal precautions in the discharge of her duties directly contributed to and enabled the escape.”
Hutson was scheduled to enter a plea to the charges Friday, along with accused co-conspirator Bianka Brown, who served as Hutson’s chief financial officer. But Criminal District Court Judge Leon Roche recused himself from the case before allowing pleas to be entered, leaving the case brought by Attorney General Liz Murrill’s office temporarily stalled.
Newly elected Orleans Parish Sheriff Michelle Woodfork took charge of the Orleans Justice Center jail after being sworn in on May 4.
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