A 21-year-old man from West Baltimore serving a six-month sentence for misdemeanor assault has been killed at the Baltimore City jail.
Xavier Tilghman was found injured in his cell at the Baltimore City Detention Center Monday at 7:20 p.m., according to Mark Vernarelli, a prison system spokesman.
Tilghman was transported to Johns Hopkins Hospital, where he was pronounced “brain dead” on Tuesday. The death is being investigated as a homicide.
Tilghman?s cellmate, who is 19 and serving time for a drug crime, is being questioned but has not been charged, Vernarelli said.
Marvin “Doc” Cheatham, president of the Baltimore City branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, said Tilghman?s family contacted him.
“They haven?t told the family anything,” he said.
Cheatham said he is attempting to gain access to the jail to ask about the killing but is being stonewalled.
“Something?s odd here,” he said. “If there?s nothing wrong, what are you guys worried about? Why are they worried about me coming in?”
