Probe widens in cop-killer's jail strangulation

Authorities now are investigating not just the seven corrections officers who had access to the man -- who was in solitary confinement -- but all Prince George's County Correctional Center personnel.

Ronnie White's family is mad he was put in a jail in the same jurisdiction as the police officer he's accused of running over with a stolen truck.

| Sara Shepherd

Comments

[The_Golfer]

Investigate the correction officers about a cop killer's death, say it ain't so!!!

sarcasm ends here.

[kay]

I think the key word is accused. Not found guilty.
Either way, for the justice system to squeak along as badly as it does, corrections officers can't act as vigilantes. That puts them on par with the criminals.

[Nick]

It is actually a symptom of the badly broken justice system Kay. Things like this generally happen when faith in the system is lost. Those guys sit and watch the mockery of what justice has become on a daily basis, and understand what has happened to it even better than we.
It is not right I know, but the direct response to a failed system is to preempt it.
Does it put them on the same par as criminals? No, not by a long shot, unless you are an advocate of the broken system. Intent and purpose for them is still on a par several levels above that of a criminal.

[unsigned]

Intent and purpose for them is still on a par several levels above that of a criminal. I disagree. It makes them worse than the criminal. These law officials take an oath for truth and justice, to protect and serve. So not to let the system work you swore to uphold puts you on a par several levels below the criminal. Purpose and intent do not matter its the end result. And in this case its someones death.

[JewwellsP]

Does it put them on the same par as criminals? No Posted by: Nick | Thursday, July 03, 2008 at 09:08 AM

Possibly in your mind, but not in most. You kill with malice, your a killer & deserve to be put to death. Unless you kill for the defence of your life or another, your a murderer.

[second and first]

this is rich, (not).

a man running hits a cop. have a trial.

accused man awaits trial, the cops kill him.

How are these cops different, if not MUCH worse?

Perhaps in "everyone's mind" we are simply insane.

moronic american logic at play.

[Nick]

Possibly in your mind, but not in most. You kill with malice, your a killer & deserve to be put to death. Unless you kill for the defence of your life or another, your a murderer. - JewwellsP

Exactly. Probably the very thought going through the mind of those that did it. Thank you for making my point for me. The killer killed the cop with malice. The jailers killed the cop killer through justice. As I said, when the system breaks down, justice will manifest itself in a preemptive manner.

[Sasquach]

"As I said, when the system breaks down, justice will manifest itself in a preemptive manner."

Except this is, in no way, shape or form, justice. This was just another murder. And a murder that is probably going to cost the state a pretty penny. Broken system or not, the person that killed this prisoner had no right or authority to carry out a summery execution without the benefit of a trial. The acts of lynch mobs are considered some of the most barbaric in our country's history, and have no place in a civilized society. Part of the foundation for this country was that it is better to allow some of the guilty to walk free than allow the govt. to kill and imprison those who are not. Thus is the balance between tyrany and liberty.

I have to agree with Nick on this one. While I don't condone what they did, how many times have the cops probably watched a criminal go free on some kind of technicality or crappy plea bargain? I would guess it probably numbers in the hundreds. Or perhaps the probably thousands they see get busted again and again but never seem to serve any real time.

The amazing thing to me about this whole thing is the man's family acting like the cop killer being killed is a horrible thing (not saying it isn't mind you), but they seem to forgot the horrible act their son is accused of committing!

Its only a matter of time before are heroes Jesse and Al come riding to the rescue!

[bigalsbeans]

Whoops, forgot to sign in, the above post is mine! And yes the "are" should be "our" in the last sentence.

[JewwellsP]

Yes but at the same time, you have to remember just how many convictions have been overturned too.
The perps walk away free because the cops don't do their jobs peoperly to begin with.

[cop-killer's]

Yeah forget about the dead cop.... let's make a big deal about how a murderer died.

[Realist]

"The jailers killed the cop killer through justice."

Really, now? So why aren't these brave dispensers of "justice" willing to stand up and admit what they did?

wrongful death lawsuit?

[sony]

It seems odd to me that this board has a problem with a cop killer getting killed but will defend the actions of the guy in Texas for shooting two guys because they were stealing something.

[Sasquach]

Nobody is forgetting about the cop that died. However, the death of a law enforcement officer while attempting to apprehend a suspect does not warrant the murder of a suspect in custody. If the suspect had been shot and killed on the scene of the incident, I don't think people would care nearly so much. It probably would have been justified. It's the fact that it seems some LEO decided to go Judge Dredd and take matters into his own hands that has people upset.

[Laurie]

How do we even know that this guy was guilty? Do we know what evidence they had against him. For all I've heard, the guy who hit the cop could have got out and ran and someone matching his description was arrested down the street. At this point in time, I doubt that there was even a preliminary hearing or indictment to determine probable cause. So for those of you who believe that this is justice, if he was innocent, was it still justice to you?

And Nick, you've said before that you were in law enforcement. If that is the case, I REALLY hope that you're retired. Both because I don't want to see cops who believe in vigilante justice on the streets and because you seem to spend most of your waking hours on this message board.

[MtGolfer]

Nick, you have it right.

People do have both a right and obligation to provide justice and safe communities for themselves, their families and neighbors.

Too many of our judges, lawmakers, and lawyers have forgotten this. The result is lots of suffering imposed by a relatively few thugs who use the revolving door to commit crime after crime.

Of course, if the correctional staff did strangle the guy, they should be prosecuted. But the "root cause" of their frustration better pay heed, because this will happen more often as career criminals are freed time and again to prey on the innocent, who are very often poor and black.

[Joe]

"The killer killed the cop with malice. The jailers killed the cop killer through justice." Nick

Do we really want some poorly educated poorly paid jail guard making these kind of decisions? I see no difference in the jailer and person who is thought to have killed the cop. Both are scumbags.

[Marvin]

Sony,

I was waiting for someone to draw this comparison. When you adopt the mindset that vigilantism is OK, these kinds of cases become OK as well.

[mutt]

I'm just wondering if I missed something? The investigation into this death has really just begun and several here are allready saying that the corrections officers killed this person. Some of you here have also rightly pointed out that the person who was found dead in his cell was only a suspect being held for the investigation of homicide, and hadn't had the benifit of a trial.

Here's where it gets confusing to me...where did this guy accused of murdering a police officer suddenly earn more of a right to a fair trial than those who are currently being investigated for his death? From what I read none of the gaurds had even been arrested at the time of the story and yet there are those here who are convinced that they're guilty.

Anyone know what was used to "strangle" this man? Is it at all possible that he hung himself?

[I Know]

Case closed. Too bad the activists don't think the officer's death is worthy of as much attention. What a twisted world we live in.

[Larry]

I thought cops were supposed to set the example and not be typical scumbag murderer's. I guess some of them are.

[OTAY]

I shall stand up and admitt it. From Iraq i did it.

[OTAY]

Thought he was an insurgent trying to infiltrait the ranks.

[Richard]

He got what he deserved

[Mr. Smith]

The whiteman goin pay fot this

[D-man]

I don't know what the deal is.
worst case of suicide I'd ever seen, that's what the police report said I bet.
Or maybe he died from Auto-erotic Asphyxiation

[TLee]

First off, the details surrounding the officers death are a little sketchy. A plain clothes officer in a unmarked police car gets out of his car and starts firing off rounds through your windshield, hmm what would you do? Secondly, the officers were reportedly staking out this vehicle, waiting for the thieves to return. Why do you then let them approach the vehicle, get in, start it up and speed off right toward you. That’s just incomprehensible. Third, when a officer has been killed or harmed in Maryland and they have a suspect in custody they will not jail him in the same county where the offence occurred, but in this case they did. When they make the movie they should call it "Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events" or is that already taken.

The guy had a right to a hearing, innocent until proven guilty. With the logic some hate people on here have then the jail people should also be murdered because they didn't allow the individual's rights and are guilty. wrong is wrong.

[ea]

i guess you guys dont have a problem when someone kills a cop after the cops wrongfully kills a homeboy.

same logic

[OTAY]

ea you sound ignorant

I can't believe those cops aren't smart enough to cover up the death. They of all people should know sneaky ways to kill people. Why didn't they hang him and make it look like a suicide?
Escape attempt and impail himself on a fence? Something cool like that.