After the conclusion of the state investigation, the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division will decide whether the FBI should get involved, said Barry Maddox, an FBI spokesman.
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Yesterday, the Baltimore branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People called for the FBI to investigate.
“It’s quite apparent that there’s a major problem there,” said branch President Marvin “Doc” Cheatham.
Cheatham – surrounded by the family of 51-year-old Raymond K. Smoot during an afternoon news conference – linked the Saturday night altercation between Smoot and corrections officers to other troubles at the state-run facility. State officials said that six correctional officers have been placed on paid administrative leave, a routine procedure during the investigation of serious incidents.
Smoot was being held at the downtown facility on charges of theft and failing to appear in court. He was awaiting trial and had been housed there 11 days. He had called his brother in search of $150 bail money.
He got into an altercation Saturday night with corrections officers and died the next day at Johns Hopkins Hospital. His death was ruled a homicide Monday.
Smoot had a long criminal history and had a reputation within the city jail for being disobedient, state corrections officials said.
Central Booking has come under intense scrutiny in recent weeks. A city Circuit Court judge has ordered the release of all suspects who don’t receive court hearings within 24 hours of their arrest, as required by state law.
The judge acted after public defenders said some suspects were being held for as long as four days on the floor where suspects are booked.
Saturday’s homicide occurred in a different section of the facility – upstairs where suspects are taken after they receive a court hearing.
Not including the floor where recently arrested suspects are booked, the facility regularly houses nearly 1,200 suspects, though it is designed to hold fewer than 900.
<!– ART CREDITELIZABETH MALBY : SUN STAFF
ART CREDIT–> <!– CUTLINE TEXTMarvin "Doc" Cheatham, president of the NAACP's Baltimore branch, wants the FBI to investigate the homicide of a detainee.
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