Associated Press
- Prince George’s County officials say the death of a 19-year-old found slumped in his prison cell a day after his arrest on charges of running over and killing a county police officer has been ruled a homicide.
The state medical examiner’s office ruled yesterday that Ronnie Lionel White of Laurel died Sunday of asphyxiation and strangulation.
Officials say seven guards had access to White at the time of his death, as well as an unspecified number of supervisors. Authorities are also investigating whether anyone from the outside had access to the prisoner.
Maryland State Police and the FBI are investigating the death.
County Executive Jack B. Johnson said, “If we have vigilante justice, our society will fall apart.”
Johnson said that he believes the death was “unrelated to any act by the Prince George’s County Police Department.”
