Eight New Orleans Jail Escapees Recaptured; Staff Charged

Eight of the ten inmates who escaped from New Orleans' Orleans Parish Jail have been recaptured, with two fugitives, Derrick Groves and Antoine Massey, still at large and considered armed and dangerous. The escape was facilitated not only by faulty cell locks and a wall breach behind a toilet but also by assistance from jail staff and outsiders, who provided logistics such as food, transportation, and disabling cell utilities. Authorities have detained a dozen people, including jail staff, on charges ranging from accessory after the fact to malfeasance. The escapees left taunting graffiti and exploited serious security lapses at the Orleans Justice Center. Recent arrests include Lenton VanBuren Jr. in Baton Rouge and Leo Tate and Jermaine Donald in Texas after a high-speed chase. The manhunt continues, with searches extending to Natchez, Mississippi, and law enforcement warning that anyone aiding the fugitives will be prosecuted.