Cuban Inmates Hold 3 Hostages at Jail

A growing group of Cuban inmates frustrated with their incarceration held three hostages at a jail in St. Martinville, La., for a second day and threatened to kill their captives if they aren’t freed. Warden Todd Louvierre and deputies Jolie Sonnier and Brandon Boudreaux have been held at knifepoint since Monday, when they were grabbed as five inmates left an exercise area. A fourth hostage was released Monday after six hours of negotiations. No injuries have been reported, and authorities said they believe the hostages are being treated well. Late Tuesday, a white flag appeared from a window where the hostages were, but authorities would not say if there was a change in negotiations. Additional food was brought in. Authorities said as many as four inmates had joined the original group of five. The new recruits apparently came from a group of about 50 other Cubans who had control of a section of the jail adjacent to the area with the hostages.