Why the Grandmother of One of the New Orleans Jail Escapees is Now Behind Bars

The fallout of the historic New Orleans jail break continues. A little over a week after the biggest planned escape in Louisiana history, Americans are watching closely as eight out of 10 inmates have since been apprehended. And those accused of assisting the fugitives are finding themselves in hot water as well.

Multiple people have been arrested and accused of assisting the Orleans Justice Center’s escaped fugitives, the latest of which is Connie Weeden, per WDSU News in New Orleans. Weeden, of Slidell, who is Jermaine Donald’s grandmother, was arrested on Thursday night.

Investigators revealed that Weeden, 59, “provided cash to Donald via a cellphone app.” Weeden was found in Slidell as a result of the investigation and placed under arrest. She currently faces “a charge of felony accessory after the fact and was booked into the St. Tammany Parish Correctional Center.”

Weeden joins Cortnie Harris and Corvanntay Baptiste as women who have been arrested for allegedly helping the inmate’s jailbreak. Harris and Baptiste were charged on May 22, as we previously reported.

As of Tuesday, May 7th, eight of the escaped inmates have been arrested, with two inmates still on the run, per CNN. Donald and Leo Tate were found outside of Louisiana, in Texas, on Monday, and arrested after a “high-speed chase involving multiple law enforcement agencies.”

Donald, whose original charges were illegal carrying of a weapon and second-degree murder, was “charged with outstanding warrants for escape and resisting an officer,” while Tate was charged with “outstanding warrants for aggravated escape and escape from custody.” Tate’s original charge was obstruction of justice.

The two inmates still at large are Antoine Massey and Derrick Groves.

As we reported, this all began on May 16 when ten men broke out of the Orleans Parish Justice Center. Since the investigation began, numerous jail employees have been arrested in connection with the escape.

Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill shared in a statement last week, “This is a continuing investigation, and we will provide updates as often as possible. We will uncover all the facts eventually and anyone who aided and abetted will be prosecuted to the full extent the law allows.”