RePath Round Up--Shawshank in the Big Easy
Plus, the Dead Speak in Arizona, Opioids on the Rise, and Meth in the Raccoons
The Land of the Free: 10 inmates Shawshanked themselves from the Orleans Parish jail on the morning of May 16th. They climbed through a hole they cut in the wall behind a toilet and fled through a loading dock door. They left behind a simple note about the ease of their escape and disappeared into the city.
These 10 would-be Andy Dufresnes failed to make it all the way to Zihuatanejo and instead started to simply get captured around town. They have been caught in parking garages, apartment buildings, and just walking around neighborhoods. One inmate appeared to be just sleeping on a bus bench. At present, half have been caught while half are still at large.
The investigation will look into the monitoring of surveillance cameras, bed checks, and other issues, but there is more to the story than some clever inmates exploiting some nighttime understaffing. Jail maintenance worker Sterling Williams has been arrested for shutting off the water to the cell so the inmates could dislodge the toilet to make the escape. Two women have also been arrested for helping the inmates after the escape.
Sheriff Hutson, who has paused her reelection campaign since the escape, says she needs over $13,000,000 to improve the security at the jail.
Who Speaks for the Dead? The Dead Do: Chris Pelkey died in a road rage shooting in Arizona three years ago. He appeared in court during the sentencing hearing for his killer through an AI-created video. His family created the AI victim impact statement using AI tools and prior voice recordings, photos, and videos. In the video, AIPelkey says he “believes in forgiveness” and that under other circumstances he and his killer “could have been friends.” The judge for his part “loved the AI” and appreciated the comments about forgiveness. He then sentenced the defendant to 10.5 years in prison on manslaughter charges.
How Much Fentanyl?: Federal Government surveys suggest that less than 1% of American adults have used illicitly manufactured fentanyl in the previous 12 months. A new survey published in JAMA Health Forum suggests that the real number is 7.5%—25 times higher than the government figures. This research suggests that one of the greatest public health threats of our age is vastly more threatening than previously reported. For context, it suggests that more Americans used illicitly manufactured fentanyl last year than attended an NFL game or attended college. 10 times more people use illicitly manufactured fentanyl than are incarcerated in prison or jail in the US.1 The data also suggests that per user overdose death rates are much smaller than previously calculated but many, many more individuals are at risk for overdose death over time.
The Pipeline to Prison: Research from the University of Glasgow finds that 86% of male Scottish prisoners have a history of head injury. Documented disability was associated with significant head injury in 35% of those studied. The head injuries were associated with increased substance abuse, clinical anxiety, clinical depression, violence, poor self-control, and more arrests and convictions at younger ages. As the researchers put it, “our study shows that a history of repeated serious head injury is, very common in adult males in prison, and is associated with a greater risk of crime, including violence.”
Bail Reform—not that kind of reform: In Texas, bail reform means something vastly different from Illinois and other blue states. Governor Abbott is calling for emergency bail reform that restricts personal bonds, requires criminal history to be considered before setting bail, requiring mandatory training for judges when setting bail, creating a state jail felony offense for tampering with electronic monitoring devices, and denial of bail for violent offenders and those accused of capital murder or a sexual offense of a child. Accordingly, the Texas House advanced a bail crackdown package this Monday that seeks to amend the state constitution to meet the governor’s goals. The package is expected to pass the senate and then could appear on the November ballot.
Stranger Stuff:
Straight to Vegas: Citigroup attempted to credit a customer $280, but mistakenly sent $81 trillion into his account. He was not able to withdraw all of it through the ATM.
Florida Man: When you engage in a strong arm heist at Tiffany’s that goes wrong, you absolutely swallow $769,000 in earrings. That’s just common sense. But do you then ask the officer if you will be charged for what’s in your stomach?
Equality: Following extended protests at Columbia University, police arrested 80 individuals. Surprisingly, they arrested 3 women for every man proving that DEI is working in the Ivy League.
The Four Mops and the Tracks of Their Tears: Famed Motown star Smokey Robinson has denied four housekeepers’ allegations of sexual assault.
New from Studio A24: A man with a chainsaw runs into a senior living home, gets tasered, gets up, starts chainsaw, gets shot in the chest.
Okay, we all know you only read this far for the raccoon meth story: Yes, a pet raccoon was trying to smoke not just one, but two meth pipes during a traffic stop in Ohio early this month. Yes, of course, the raccoon’s name is Chewy. Yes, the officer is absolutely delighted. Yes there is video.
Bonus fact: More Americans have a record of arrest or conviction (70 million) than collect traditional Social Security including disability (68 million).