Louisiana
Editorial: Louisiana allows unapproved schools to cheat children
Jamarques Harrison, 28, holds his diploma backdated to Aug. 3, 2013, after graduating with the class of Springfield Preparatory School at Victory in Christ of Louisiana church in Holden, La., Saturday, Aug. 5, 2023. Nearly 9,000 private schools in Louisiana don’t need state approval to grant degrees. Non-approved schools make up a small percentage of the state total. But the students in Louisiana’s off-the-grid school system are a rapidly growing example of a nationwide hangover from COVID-19 — families disengaging from traditional education.
A fourth inmate has been captured by authorities after escaping from a New Orleans jail on Friday with six other convicts.
“Louisiana State Police just captured inmate Gary C. Price,” FBI New Orleans confirmed in a post on X.
7 FUGITIVES REMAIN ON THE RUN AFTER NOLA PRISON BREAK; INSIDE JOB SUSPECTED
“The FBI and our law enforcement partners remain out on the street this evening searching for the remaining six. If you have any information please call 1-800-Call-FBI or send us a tip online,” the post continued.
Price, 21, was charged with seven counts of attempted first-degree murder, two counts of second-degree battery, aggravated assault with a firearm, false imprisonment with a weapon, domestic abuse, simple assault, aggravated criminal damage to property and resisting an officer, according to officials.
Officials said Price will ultimately be transported to a secure state facility outside the area and booked.
NEW ORLEANS JAIL INMATES CHARGED WITH MURDER AND OTHER CRIMES ESCAPE
10 inmates escaped from the jail, according to authorities. (Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office / WVUE)
Authorities said that some fugitives may have left the city or the state of Louisiana, and the public has been urged to stay alert, not be alarmed and report any tips. The FBI in a statement said it has “surged resources” and is offering up to $5,000 for tips leading to the arrest of the inmates.
A source confirmed to Fox News that authorities have come close to detaining others, but the “timing has been off.”
The source added it’s possible the remaining fugitives have left New Orleans, but it’s believed most, if not all of them, are still here.
Police said that “over 200 Law Enforcement personnel from various local, state, and federal agencies continue to work around the clock to locate the remaining fugitives.”
The six fugitives still on the run are Jermaine Donald, 42; Antoine Massey, 33; Leo Tate, 31; Lenton Vanburen, 27; Derrick Groves, 27; and Corey Boyd, 19.
The fugitives on the run are:
- Corey E. Boyd, 19, charged with second-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder, aggravated battery, illegal carrying of weapons involving a crime, and obstruction of justice.
- Lenton J. Vanburen Jr., 26, charged with illegal carrying of weapons, possession of a firearm or weapon by a felon, obstruction of justice and introducing contraband in prison.
- Jermaine Donald, 42, charged with second-degree murder, aggravated battery, possession of a firearm or weapon by a felon and obstruction of justice.
- Antoine Massey, 32, charged with domestic abuse involving strangulation, theft of a motor vehicle and a parole violation.
- Derrick Groves, 27, charged with three counts of attempted second-degree murder, two counts of second-degree murder and battery of a correctional facility employee.
- Leo O. Tate Sr., 31, charged with simple burglary of an inhabited dwelling, possession of a firearm or weapon by a felon, illegal carrying of a weapon, motor vehicle theft and multiple drug charges.
Louisiana State Police released images of the captured fugitives being led into a helicopter on Friday night.
Kendall Myles, 20, was apprehended after a brief foot chase through the French Quarter soon after the escape. He had previously escaped twice from juvenile detention centers.
By Friday evening, two more fugitives had been captured. Officials found Robert Moody, 21, in New Orleans thanks to a Crimestoppers tip, according to Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office. Dkenan Dennis was found near the Chef Menteur Highway, Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill announced on the social platform X.
Orleans Parish Sheriff Susan Hutson said Friday it’s unlikely the inmates could have escaped without some kind of help.
Attorney General Liz Murrill said that they “clearly dropped the ball and there’s no excuse for this.”
LOUISIANA GOVERNOR BLASTS ‘PROGRESSIVE PROMISES’ AFTER NEW ORLEANS JAIL ESCAPE
The captured inmates being led to a helicopter. ( Louisiana State Police)
She is calling for a full investigation of the incident.
A female civilian employee monitoring the pod “stepped away” to get food and missed the getaway, according to authorities.
Officials said the video feed was not being actively monitored at the time, but it was reviewed after the inmates were discovered missing hours later.
The escapees were not discovered missing until a routine headcount at 8:30 a.m. Friday.
The jail is only at 60% staffing, and at the time of the escape, four supervisors and 36 staff members were monitoring 1,400 inmates, authorities said.
Three jail employees have been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation, authorities said.
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Retired FBI special agent Jason Pack tells Fox News Digital that “the jailbreak in New Orleans should get everyone’s attention.”
“This wasn’t a complicated escape. Ten inmates got out through a hole behind a toilet,”Pack said. “It took more than seven hours before anyone noticed they were gone. That tells you a lot about what’s going on inside that jail. Too few people on staff. Not enough oversight. And likely not enough working equipment or security checks.”
Pack said that the number one goal for law enforcement is to get all the inmates back into custody quickly and safely.
“Police don’t want this to end with anyone getting injured, including the escapees. The goal is to find them, surround them, and bring them in without any drama. That’s what officers train for. It’s not about chasing headlines. It’s about doing the job carefully and professionally, even when the public is watching,” Pack said.
Fox News Digital’s Michael Dorgan and Alex Koch contributed to this report.
Stepheny Price is a writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business. She covers topics including missing persons, homicides, national crime cases, illegal immigration, and more. Story tips and ideas can be sent to stepheny.price@fox.com
Louisiana
Louisiana’s John Foster finishes second on ‘American Idol.’ Jamal Roberts of Mississippi wins.
After rocketing to “American Idol’s” top 3, Louisiana teen John Foster finished second in the ABC singing competition series during its grand finale on Sunday night.
Grabbing the “Idol” title was Jamal Roberts, 27, of Meridian, Mississippi, an elementary school physical education teacher.
Roberts’ finale songs included “First Time” and “Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me)”.
Mississippi’s Jamal Roberts won the ‘American Idol’ title on Sunday night. Louisiana teen John Foster finished second.
Finishing third was Breanna Nix, 25, a stay-at-home mom from Denton, Texas.
Foster started off the finale with a bang, performing his first solo song of the night, “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American)” by the late Toby Keith.
“Now, John. Now, now, John. That’s the way you run for office. I mean, you run — you run. That’s the way you work it for ‘American Idol,’” judge Lionel Richie said.
“You know, it’s the time to pull out all the stops and you’re pulling out all the stops. I’m so proud of you and all you have accomplished about this whole competition,” judge Carrie Underwood said. “I felt like I was at a John Foster concert.”
“Yeah. Your growth … Your voice has gotten better and, and everything has grown. It’s been a privilege, a privilege to watch that happen. It’s been amazing,” judge Luke Bryan added.
Foster’s songs for the finale
Later in the show, Foster returned to the stage for his second solo song, “Take Me Home, Country Roads,” a hitmaker for ’70s folk/country artist, the late John Denver.
“I just want to see that birth certificate one more time,” Richie joked with Foster, alluding to the maturity and polish of his vocals. “And secondly, for all of you out there, vote, vote, vote.”
Underwood followed him by saying, “Of course, the country boy would have an amazing hometown welcome. That was such a great thing to watch.”
“Yeah, that, that hometown piece, I mean, woo, I can’t take that,” Bryan chimed in. “It was really beautifully done. And hell, I’ve never seen a crawfish that big. I need to, can that thing come to Tennessee?”
Foster rode a giant Mardi Gras-style crawfish float in Wednesday’s homecoming parade in Addis.
The Louisiana singer and Bryan later teamed up for a performance of Randy Travis’ 1988 hit, “Deeper Than the Holler,” a mid-tempo ballad.
The top three finalists opened the three-hour live coast-to-coast broadcast with a performance of Queen’s “We Are the Champions.”
Foster, a biology major at LSU who just finished his freshman year, first grabbed the judges’ attention during his audition in Nashville, Tennessee. He brought each of them a Louisiana care package of boudin, beef jerky, pork sausage and Benoit’s Cajun seasoning from his family’s business, Benoit’s Country Meat Block in Addis.
Foster’s audition song, “Don’t Rock the Jukebox” by Alan Jackson, prompted judge and former “Idol” Underwood to ask for another song that would more fully showcase his vocals.
“Goodbye Time” by Conway Twitty proved the perfect choice, with Bryan singing along and the other judges pleased with what they heard.
“There’s such a sweet spot in your voice, and that really brought that out,” Underwood said.
“You’ve got a lot of great tools. That last song really showed us that,” added Bryan.
One successful week after another
Foster went on to prove himself week after week — whether it was with performances of Elvis’ “Jailhouse Rock,” Travis’ “I Told You So” or his home-state favorite, Garth Brooks’ “Callin’ Baton Rouge.”
His tearful original song, “Tell That Angel I Love Her” about his high school friend who was killed in a tragic accident, was in sharp contrast to the lively and fun “Bare Necessities” from “The Jungle Book,” demonstrating his versatility.
“When you open your mouth on this song, you’re country, but you’re also storytelling country,” Richie told Foster after his “Tell That Angel” performance. “Now whether that’s old, new, happening now, later, whatever the case may be, it was so believable and I heard every word of every part of your story — and that’s what great music is about.”
Foster told the judges that he wrote the song for Maggie Dunn. Dunn and another friend, Caroline Gill, both of Brusly, were killed on New Year’s Eve 2022 when an Addis police officer ran a red light during a high-speed pursuit.
Foster also sang the song at his mini-concert in Plaquemine on Wednesday night, capping off his hero’s welcome home-state visit, which was documented in the Sunday-night finale, including footage of Foster becoming emotional during his performance of “Tell That Angel I Love Her” at his hometown concert.
If you missed Sunday night’s show, it will be available on Hulu starting Monday.
Louisiana
Louisiana’s John Foster sings in ‘American Idol’ Sunday finale — here’s how to watch and vote
‘American Idol’s’ current top 10 are, from left, Canaan James Hill, Breanna Nix, Slater Nalley, Thunderstorm Artis, Kolbi Jordan, Mattie Pruitt, Gabby Samone, Louisiana’s John Foster, Jamal Roberts and Josh King. At far right is the season’s artist-in-residence Jelly Roll.
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