Mistrust in law enforcement complicates the search for the New Orleans jail escapees
May 22, 2025
As authorities scour New Orleans for escapees from a jailbreak, they’re also confronting a history of mistrust in law enforcement and the criminal justice system. Nearly a week after 10 inmates yanked open a faulty cell door inside a city jail and moved the toilet to squeeze through a hole, five remain on the lam despite hefty financial rewards for tips leading to their capture. Police have said most of the fugitives are likely still in the city. Complicating efforts is a history of misconduct and racial bias against Black people by city police, a state police record of excessive force, and a jail system found to violate constitutional rights.
