Eight men on the run after audacious ‘Shawshank’ escape from New Orleans jail
Eight prisoners could be “frankly anywhere” in the US after breaking out of a New Orleans jail. Authorities have been left wondering – how did they do it?
The audacious escape saw 10 men flee the jail on Friday through a hole behind a toilet and scale a wall, in scenes reminiscent of The Shawshank Redemption movie.
The men are believed to have made their jailbreak while the lone guard assigned to their cell pod was away getting food.
While two have been recaptured, eight of the men – among them accused murderers – remain at large. Prison officials believe they may have had inside help.
Surveillance footage showed the escapees sprinting out of the Orleans Justice Centre, using blankets to scale a barbed wire fence and then sprinting across a nearby highway.
The absence of the men went unnoticed for more than seven hours – officers only learned of their escape the next morning during a routine headcount.
The hole the men are believed to have escaped through. Pic: AP
A photograph showing the hole the prisoners escaped through also revealed scrawled messages – including one saying “To Easy LoL” with an arrow pointing at the gap.
They ditched their jail uniforms after leaving the facility – and it is still unclear how some of them obtained regular clothes so quickly, officials said.
Orleans Parish Sheriff Susan Hutson said the men were able to get out because of “defective locks”.
Sheriff Hutson said there are indications that people inside her department helped the fugitives escape.
“It’s almost impossible, not completely, but almost impossible for anybody to get out of this facility without help.”
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Inmates who escaped from the jail. From left top: Keith A Lewis, Dkenan Dennis, Gary C Price. Bottom from left: Robert Moody, Kendell Myles, Corey E Boyd. Pic: AP
Who are the escaped men?
The men range from 19 years old to 42, with most being in their 20s.
One of the fugitives, Derrick Groves, was convicted on two charges of murder and two charges of attempted murder for his role in the 2018 Mardi Gras Day shootings of two men.
Another escapee, Corey Boyd, had pleaded not guilty to a murder charge.
The Orleans Justice Center in New Orleans. Pic: AP
Orleans Parish District Attorney Jason Williams said some of the men “have a history of witness intimidation of citizens who were brave enough to speak up”.
Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill called the escape “beyond unacceptable” and said local authorities waited too long to inform the public.
She said she reached out to neighbouring states to alert them about the escape, saying they have had plenty of time to get to “frankly anywhere across the country”.
Rudy Giuliani has been hospitalised following a car crash in New Hampshire, a spokesperson for the former New York City mayor said.
Mr Giuliani suffered “a fractured thoracic vertebrae, multiple lacerations and contusions, as well as injuries to his left arm and lower leg” when his vehicle was struck from behind while driving on a highway near Manchester on Saturday evening, according to Michael Ragusa, Mr Giuliani’s head of security.
“He sustained injuries but is in good spirits and recovering tremendously,” Mr Ragusa said in a statement on X, adding: “This was not a targeted attack.”
Mr Giuliani was in a rental car and “no one knew it was him”, according to Mr Ragusa.
His head of security said the 81-year-old had been “flagged down by a woman who was the victim of a domestic violence incident” and contacted police on her behalf. The crash shortly after was “random and unrelated” to the domestic violence incident, Mr Ragusa said.
Rudy Giuliani attended Donald Trump’s inauguration ceremony in January. Pic: Julia Demaree Nikhinson/Pool via Reuters
Mr Giuliani, who worked as an attorney for Donald Trump in his failed efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election, is expected to be released from hospital in a few days.
His son, Andrew Giuliani, thanked people for reaching out after hearing about his father’s accident, writing on X: “Your prayers mean the world.”
“As a son, I can tell you that I’m honored to have a Dad that I can call the toughest SOB I’ve ever seen,” he added.
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US
US blocks Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and 80 other officials from United Nations’ annual meeting in New York
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and 80 other officials have been blocked from attending September’s annual meeting of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
US secretary of state Marco Rubio has revoked the US visas of delegates from the Palestinian Authority (PA) and Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO), and denied others from applying for one.
It is the latest step by Donald Trump’s administration to target Palestinians with visa restrictions, and follows the suspension of a programme to allow injured children from Gaza to receive treatment in the US.
Mahmoud Abbas addressed the general assembly in 2024, but is barred from next month’s meeting. Pic: Reuters
“It is in our national security interests to hold the PLO and PA accountable for not complying with their commitments, and for undermining the prospects for peace,” a statement from the US State Department said.
It added that, to be considered partners for peace, both groups “must consistently repudiate terrorism, and end incitement to terrorism in education, as required by US law and as promised by the PLO”.
Offensive will cause ‘intolerable deaths’
Several US allies, including France, Malta, and Australia have announced plans to recognise Palestine as a state at September’s United Nations General Assembly. Canada and the UK will too, unless Israel meets certain conditions.
Israel declared Gaza’s largest city a dangerous combat zone on Friday.
The army launched a planned offensive that has drawn international condemnation.
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Thick smoke rises from Gaza City after Israeli strikes
Foreign ministers from Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Norway, Slovenia and Spain released a joint statement saying the military operations in Gaza City will cause “intolerable deaths of innocent Palestinian civilians”.
Gaza latest: Israel’s Gaza City offensive condemned
Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians are sheltering in Gaza City while enduring famine.
An Israeli armoured vehicle in northern Gaza on Friday. Pic: AP
Palestinians ride a truck carrying humanitarian aid in Gaza City. Pic: AP
The Palestinian ambassador to the United Nations (UN), Riyad Mansour, said Mr Abbas had planned to lead the delegation to the UN meetings and was expected to address the general assembly at the general debate, which begins on 23 September.
He was also expected to attend a high-level meeting co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia on 22 September about a two-state solution, a broad idea involving Israel coexisting with an independent Palestinian state.
The State of Palestine is an observer member of the UN, meaning it can speak at meetings but not vote on resolutions.
The State of Palestine cannot vote on UN resolutions. Pic: AP
US decision ‘contravenes international law’
The Palestinian Authority “expressed its deep regret and astonishment” at the visa decision, calling it “a violation of US commitments” as the host of the UN, and claiming it “contravenes international law”.
UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said the world body would be seeking clarification in the “hope that this will be resolved”.
Hundreds of diplomats left when Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu began speaking at the general assembly in 2024. Pic: Reuters
The State Department said that the Palestinian Authority’s mission to the UN, comprising officials who are permanently based there, would not be included in the restrictions.
Under a 1947 UN agreement, the US is generally required to allow access for foreign diplomats to the UN in New York.
But Washington has said it can deny visas for security, extremism and foreign policy reasons.
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The death toll in Gaza has now risen to 63,025, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, which does not differentiate between civilians and combatants.
It also reported five more malnutrition-related deaths in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number during the war to 322, with 121 of them children.
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