Aug. 30, 2005 — Inmates at a prison in hurricane-ravaged New Orleans have rioted, attempted to escape and are now holding hostages, a prison commissioner told ABC News affiliate WBRZ in Baton Rouge, La. Orleans Parish Prison Commissioner Oliver Thomas reported the incident to WBRZ. Crews Pass Dead to Reach Storm Survivors Katrina's Destruction Why Do Some Stay, Despite Evacuation Orders? A deputy at Orleans Parish Prison, his wife and their four children have been taken hostage by rioting prisoners after riding out Hurricane Katrina inside the jail building, according to WBRZ. Officials are expected to hold a press conference regarding the riots at 9 p.m. ET. A woman interviewed by WBRZ said her son, a deputy at the prison whose family is among the hostages, told her that many of the prisoners have fashioned homemade weapons. Her son had brought his family there hoping they would be safe during the storm.
Sometimes it gets very difficult to believe in due process. People will die because resources are diverted to deal with this. These people thrive because they know we will not respond in kind. If in just one instance the response to this terror was overwhelming and devastating, this scum would actually think before acting.
