Accused Cop-Killer Strangled In Cell

Teen Found Dead After Being Charged In Hit-And-Run Death Of Md. Officer; FBI Investigating

(CBS/ AP)  A man arrested in the hit-and-run death of a police officer was found strangled in his cell, and investigators focused Tuesday on guards at the suburban Maryland jail, which has a history of security lapses.

As state police took over the investigation, an attorney for inmate Ronnie L. White's family said the young man's attackers "took it upon themselves to be both the judge, the jury and the executioner."

White's death shocked and angered officials in Prince George's County, including County Executive Jack Johnson, who likened it to "vigilante justice."

Investigators from the FBI and state police joined the case Monday after the state medical examiner concluded that White had been strangled Sunday morning.

White, 19, was arrested early Saturday on charges of ramming a stolen pickup truck into police Cpl. Richard Findley. Findley had gotten out of his police cruiser Friday while trying to conduct a traffic stop on the truck. White allegedly struck him and dragged him for a short distance in the community of Laurel.

Johnson immediately moved to curb speculation that White's death was the result of police officers seeking revenge, saying the slaying was "unrelated to any act" by police.

Attorney Bobby G. Henry Jr., who represented White's family, urged the U.S. Department of Justice to join the investigation.

"This did not happen on some dark, abandoned, lonely road. This happened in broad daylight in the custody of county officials, and something is wrong," said Henry, Jr.

In a statment, the U.S. Attorney's office said it "will provide guidance and legal advice to the officials looking into the death and seeking to develop evidence of criminal violations."

County State's Attorney Glenn Ivey said his office would convene a grand jury to review evidence in the case. He said investigators were scrutinizing seven correctional officers who had access to White, who was being held separately from other inmates. Ivey also said other workers at the county jail and inmates would be questioned.

"We'll follow the evidence wherever it leads," he said.

Rich Wolf, an FBI spokesman in Baltimore, confirmed that the agency had opened a civil rights case, but he would not comment on the investigation. Calls to state police were not immediately returned.

White's death is the latest in a series of security lapses at the jail, which is 20 miles outside Washington in one of Maryland's largest counties. Last month, the county's corrections director was fired after guns vanished from the armory. In February, a former police official convicted of second-degree murder was found with a handcuffs key.

A corrections officer suspected of being a gang member was charged in March with bringing cell phones to inmates who were members of the Bloods street gang. And earlier this year, two female officers were suspended for allegedly having sexual contact with inmates.

More than 450 guards work at the 20-year-old facility, which had an average daily population of 1,489 prisoners during the 2007 fiscal year. White was being held in a cell by himself, to protect him from other prisoners, because of the high profile of his alleged crime.

"This shouldn't happen," Johnson said Monday night. "Every citizen we bring into our custody should be protected."

Curtis Knowles, head of the county's correctional officers union, said Tuesday that union lawyers advised him not to comment on the case because of the investigation. On Monday, he urged people not to reach any conclusions before the investigation had run its course.

Corrections officials have said White had no visible signs of trauma on his body when guards bringing him a meal found him slumped on the floor next to his bed about 10:30 a.m. Sunday. Guards say they say White alive 20 minutes before finding his body and no one reported hearing anything unusual. With no surveillance cameras watching White's cell block, there's no image of the killer entering or leaving White's lockup, reports CBS News correspondent Bob Orr.

A preliminary autopsy by the state medical examiner in Baltimore ruled the death a homicide and found two broken bones in his neck.

None of the seven guards or an unspecified number of supervisors who could have had contact with White have been suspended or placed on leave during the investigation, according to Vicki Duncan, spokeswoman for the corrections division.

White had a prior criminal record that included serving time for drug charges.

[nothappyatall]

Good post MIke

[nothappyatall]

I noticed on the radio that HUNDREDS of people and mourners turned out for the cop''s funeral, and NOBODY for the dead murderer, says a lot!

[sickentired]

TRAGEDY!?!? Gimme a break! Low-life hoodlum cop-killer got exactly what he deserved. People need to shut up and stop coddling these scumbag criminals and pandering to their "grief-sticken" families. You think this was little Ronnie''s first crime? Doubt it! Good riddens. The real tragedy is the death of the COP!

[rejji2000]

Speculations and Assumptions...... give me a break! No one knows what really happened but the Cop, the Driver and the Passenger. My heart goes out to both humans who have lost their lives, it was a senseless tragedy and people should stop throwing race into this, that''s what''s wrong with the world today. One thing for sure, God will make sure it all comes out, because he is the only punisher in this world.

[mike-avelli]

As a black guy, i am sick and tired of the people who scream racism every time some vile piece of excrement gets what he deserves. If you or a loved one were in harms way, who would you want to come to your aid. The only tradegy i see is the senseless murder of a civil servant who put his life on the line to protect us from car-jacking, repeat offenders with no regard for life.

[ponco seno]

If I was the detective in charge, I will spend two days investigating, If I can''t pinpoint the suspect in those two days, case close. What is the big deal?another perp that bites the dust. I hope this message will make perp think twice.

We should have more people like this vigilante..If you know his guilty take him out.

[reedtaz73]

Dirty cops and government officials have the power to set anybody up for murder...they have an unlimited supply of drugs, weapons connected to murders, and a vast pool of spineless snitches.
If they can''t get you on the outside, they will snuff your life away in jail.

[whatisit21]

Sounds like the staff at this jail are into gangs, drugs, *** with inmates. Maybe a gangland hit committed by a staff member.

[nothappyatall]

1. Your ISP, as well as CBS, records your internet address; it also monitors your online activity. All ISPs cooperate with requests by the government.

Posted by psy_war

Just one litle thing you forget buddy, there are loads of anonymous web proxy connections that can be used by anyone that completely hides your IP and all information about you , yor location and browser. Most are based overseas and THEIR IP shows up.
Do a google search for; anonymous web browsing

[sillysite]

BrianWB and Rafterman:

I''m not even sure why you''re bothering to reason with the people making vulgar, nasty, and racist comments here, who unfortunately form the vast majority of posters. Comments on news sites aren''t for reasoning. For the most part, their only purpose is to let powerless, angry, and stupid people feel that they have a forum to display their ridiculous views for the first time in their lives.

Most normal people don''t have the time or energy to read through this nonsense and argue with people who won''t ever listen. I''m not even sure why CBS maintains a comment zone -- it certainly adds nothing to the news stories.