Lambs Leading Wolves

Via WBRZ-TV:

Some 5,300 inmates in Orleans Parish Prison are awaiting evacuation, according to Pam Laborde, spokeswoman for the Louisiana Dept. of Corrections. About 1,200 OPP inmates have been evacuated to Hunt Correctional Center, the staging area to send inmates out to other facilities.

Correctional officers are on the scene in New Orleans and all inmates are being chaperoned. Laborde said no inmates have escaped to their knowledge.

As of 3 a.m., all inmates in Jefferson Parish were evacuated. St. Bernard Parish inmates were evacuated before the storm.

The decision to move the inmates was made after there was no electricity, water, etc. The inmates are afraid and hungry, but were somewhat relieved when told that the situation would approve, according to Laborde.

On the bright side: It looks like yesterday's erroneous ABC News report about prisoners taking hostages reported here was wrong. I don't blame ABC for having bad information, though; it's hard to easily get corroborating information under such circumstances.

On the down side: Authorities have done absolutely nothing to prevent a prisoner riot, and as conditions continue to deteriorate, it may well yet happen.

Church groups are now tasked with transporting starving, frightened, and desperate felons of Orleans Parish Prison. The lambs are leading the wolves.

Update: According to Lisa Carton of Fox News, New Orleans officials are unable to handle prisoners and have let them go to fend for themselves.