The Maryland Medical Examiner's Office ruled the death of a teenager, who was in custody on murder charges in the death of a police officer, was a homicide.
Ronnie Lionel White, 19, of Laurel, died Sunday morning in his jail cell. He had been charged with first-degree murder in the death of 39-year-old Prince George's County police Cpl. Richard Findley. Police said White was the driver of a pickup truck that struck Findley on Friday.
Law enforcement sources said White died of either strangulation or asphyxiation. He had suffered two broken neck bones.
"The surrounding circumstances that we take a full and complete look and pull all the evidence together, and we'll make a decision at the end of that process," said Prince George's County State's Attorney Glenn Ivey.
Prince George's County jail spokeswoman Vicki Duncan said White was found unconscious in his cell about 10:30 a.m. Sunday. She said White was alone in his cell and there were no signs of trauma.
White was admitted to the jail at 12:24 a.m. Saturday and given a medical assessment before being placed in a cell.
Jail officials said he had been classified as a "high-profile offender" and was being housed alone in a maximum security cell. Guards checked on him every 30 minutes.
Guards had checked on White about 10:15 a.m. Sunday. At the time, he was sitting on the edge of his bunk and appeared alert, according to a press release.
When they returned at 10:30 a.m. with his lunch, corrections officers found White "sitting on the floor" of his jail cell, unresponsive, the release said.
I have no sympathy for cop killers. I do believe in the rule of law. And the rule of law lost.
--WS
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