NEW ORLEANS — The 2025 Orleans Parish sheriff candidates faced off at an in-studio debate at WWL-TV on Thursday, Sept. 4. Incumbent Sheriff Susan Hutson came under repeated criticism for her handling of the May 16 jailbreak, and pushed back by questioning the qualifications of her two challengers, former NOPD Interim Superintendent Michelle Woodfork and Orleans Parish Constable Edwin Shorty.

"We're gonna talk about what happened May 16, but what I can tell you for sure is that no one can get out of that jail without inside help," Hutson said in opening remarks.

Here are some key moments from the debate.

'Let out, not a breakout’

Sheriff Hutson was pressed about a string of incidents that have rocked the department in recent months and pushed back on the description of May’s jailbreak a

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