Louisiana lawmakers call for Orleans Parish sheriff to resign after jail escapes

Two Louisiana House members used floor time Monday to criticize Orleans Parish Sheriff Susan Hudson and to call for her resignation after a recent jail break that freed 10 inmates, six of whom had not been recaptured at the time of the comments.

Representative Amy Adato Freeman, who said she had conducted media interviews about the incident, called the sheriff’s leadership “incompetent” and urged her to step down. Representative (first name not given in transcript) Hughes joined the call and described the episode as a public‑safety failure that required accountability.

Lawmakers said the escape has prompted a large interagency response. They said the governor, the state attorney general, Louisiana State Police and U.S. Marshals were assisting local authorities in searching for the remaining escapees, and that reward money totaling about $20,000 had been offered for information leading to captures. Members said some prosecutors and families had temporarily relocated because of safety concerns for witnesses and staff.

Representative Freeman said 10 inmates initially escaped and that six remained at large, and she urged her colleagues to be aware of the public‑safety implications for Orleans Parish and neighboring jurisdictions. Representative Hughes urged accountability at the top levels of the sheriff’s office and said lower‑level suspensions had not satisfied calls for leadership change; she said, “Sheriff Hudson, in my opinion, has committed malfeasance,” and concluded that the sheriff “must resign immediately.”

No formal motion to force removal of the sheriff was made on the House floor; the remarks were floor statements by members representing districts affected by the incident. Lawmakers said they had confidence in the state and federal law‑enforcement teams assisting local officials in the search and urged the public to report tips to authorities.