New Orleans — Ten men who broke out of a New Orleans jail last week clogged a toilet to get the water shut off so that they could escape through a hole behind it, a lawyer for a maintenance worker who is charged with helping them said Wednesday.

A retired FBI expert says the New Orleans jail escape exposes critical staffing shortage and other issues after 10 inmates escaped on Friday, May 16.

Orleans Parish Sheriff Susan Hutson faced a new round of criticism Thursday over last week's brazen jailbreak and her response, this time from District Attorney Jason Williams, as the manhunt

In an arrest affidavit, Sterling Williams said one of the inmates who later escaped had threatened to “shank” him if he did not turn off the water.

Sterling Williams' attorney said he was not threatened into helping the inmates escape and that he was simply the maintenance worker on duty the night of the plot.