A 27-year-old man awaiting trial on drug charges was stabbed to death at 12:15 p.m. Monday, state prison officials said.
After being stabbed “just outside his cell” at the Baltimore City Detention Center, the injured man was transported to Johns Hopkins Hospital, said Mark Vernarelli, a corrections spokesman.
Officials were withholding the man?s name until his next of kin was notified, Vernarelli said.
He added that he had no information about what caused the stabbing or what kind of weapon was used.
Violence at the Baltimore City Detention Center has been a cause of concern for both Maryland and federal officials in recent years.
The U.S. Department of Justice in 2002 investigated the facility and found “substantial civil rights violations.”
The department found that city jail officials are “deliberately indifferent to inmates? serious medical and mental health needs,” and that “juveniles detained at the facility are not kept safe from potential harm by adult inmates,” according to an investigative report by the agency.
In January, Maryland entered into an agreement with federal officials to fix the problems at the jail. Officials also hope to build a new facility for women and children ? so they won?t have to be housed at the detention center. That new jail is not expected to be built for several years.
A closer look
In January, Maryland entered into an agreement with federal officials to fix the problems at the jail. Officials also hope to build a new facility for women and children.
