Convicted killer mistakenly released from prison in La

A Louisiana Department of Corrections official says an intense manhunt is underway for a man convicted of manslaughter who was accidentally released from prison.

Benjuiel Johnson served time for three felony convictions at Louisiana’s Dixon Correctional Institute, and on September 22 was transferred to another jurisdiction.

Officials with the Department of Corrections told the news station that when Johnson’s name was put into the system, the only charge that showed was a prior conviction for which he could have been released from Dixon on good behavior.

Benjuiel Johnson, 32, was serving 40 years behind bars for manslaughter and illegal firearm possession when he was mistakenly freed last Wednesday, authorities said.

A corrections official says the person processing Johnson’s paperwork didn’t notice on his rap sheet that he still had time to serve.

Pam Laborde, a spokesperson for the Louisiana Department of Corrections, said those responsible for the error would face disciplinary action.

He was sentenced to 35 years in prison for manslaughter and five years for the weapons charge.

Johnson pleaded guilty to manslaughter and illegal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon in 2013.

Stassi said Johnson has family in Iberville Parish, but deputies had been unable to locate him in the area as of Tuesday.

Laborde said authorities are handling the search for Johnson the same way they would a prison escapee. But, get this: After his release from Dixon, Johnson was picked up and taken to jail, the East Feliciana Parish detention center, on an outstanding charge of battery of an officer.

“He’s a risky person, but we’re going to get him, we’re going to catch him”, said Tony Clayton, a special prosecutor who assisted Johnson’s conviction.

“He has family outside of the state but we have no documented facts that he’s in any of those locations”, Stassi said.