George Beall, Md. U.S. attorney Who Prosecuted Agnew, Dies

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- The U.S. attorney who led the investigation and prosecution that led to the resignation of Vice President Spiro T. Agnew has died.

George Beall died of cancer at his Naples, Fla. home at the age of 79, according to The Baltimore Sun.

Beall, son of Maryland Sen. J. Glenn Beall, was named U.S. attorney for Maryland in 1970.

The Republican led the investigation into reports of widespread corruption in Baltimore County, focusing on Agnew, the former Baltimore County executive and Maryland governor who Richard M. Nixon had selected as his vice president in 1968.

U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein released the following statement on Beall's passing:

George Beall was a legendary federal prosecutor, an exemplary public servant and a lawyer of unsurpassed integrity. While serving as the U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, he supervised the investigation that led to the conviction and resignation of Vice President Spiro Agnew. Although George Beall's family was politically active and Vice President Agnew was a member of Beall's own political party, Beall did not hesitate to pursue the case. His commitment to justice serves as an example to us all. He went on to serve in many other public roles throughout his life, inspiring countless other lawyers with his wisdom and humor.

George Beall returned to the Maryland U.S. Attorney's Office from time to time to share his recollections. Most recently, Beall was the keynote speaker at the U.S. Attorney's Office annual award ceremony on September 30, 2011. He discussed the history and principles of the Maryland U.S. Attorney's Office.

The Maryland U.S. Attorney's Office will name its executive conference room in memory of George Beall. A photograph of U.S. Attorney Beall meeting with Maryland's federal prosecutors in 1975 will be displayed on the wall.

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