Background: The hole inside Orleans Justice Center where 11 inmates allegedly escaped in New Orleans, La., on May 16, 2025 (Law&Crime Network). Insets, clockwise from top: Inmates escaping from the Orleans Justice Center in New Orleans, La., on May 16, 2025 (Law&Crime Network); Jermaine Donald (Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office); Connie Weeden (Louisiana State Police).
A Louisiana grandmother is behind bars for allegedly “assisting” one of the inmates involved in the wild, toilet-hole jail escape that happened in New Orleans earlier this month, with cops saying she sent money to a fugitive who is reportedly her grandson.
Connie Weeden, 59, of Slidell, is facing a felony charge for allegedly being an accessory after the fact in connection to the escape of Jermaine Donald, who remains at large after breaking out of Orleans Justice Center on May 16 with nine other inmates, four of whom are still on the lam as well, according to a May 22 Louisiana State Police press release.
An investigation by state police revealed that Weeden was contacting Donald over the phone “before and after the escape,” according to police officials. Local NBC affiliate WDSU reports that Weeden is Donald’s grandmother.
“Investigators determined that after the escape Weeden provided cash to Donald via a cell phone app,” the LSP release said.
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As previously reported by Law&Crime, Donald and the other inmates managed to escape from the Orleans Justice Center — operated by the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office — after carving a hole out behind a toilet and crawling through it, police say. The remaining fugitives include Donald, 43; Derrick Groves, 28; Antoine Massey, 33; Leo Tate, 32; and Lenton Vanburen Jr., 27, according to LSP officials.
“As a result of the investigation, Weeden was located in Slidell and placed under arrest,” the May 22 release said. “She was charged with one felony count of LRS 14:25 – Accessories after the fact and booked into the St. Tammany Parish Correctional Center.”
The inmates who have been located after allegedly escaping include Corey Boyd, 20; Kendall Myles, 21; Gary Price, 21; Dkenan Dennis, 24; and Robert Moody, 22.
Orleans Parish Sheriff Susan Hutson suspended multiple staff members in wake of the incident and launched an internal probe of the breakout, saying in a May 20 statement that she takes “full responsibility” and “accountability” for what happened, while also halting a re-election campaign that she was in the middle of running.
“We’ve taken immediate action,” Hutson said. “Still, there is a long road ahead of me to be fully satisfied that the OJC and my deputies have the proper resources to perform their duties to the fullest extent the people of New Orleans deserve.”
