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Mario McNeill's suicide watch, Raleigh's Central Prison inmates commit suicide
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Mario McNeill sits in a safekeeping cell in Raleigh's Central Prison on suicide watch, and there is a good reason. Suicide watch on high-profile cases surrounding murder charges, or any other serious crime, is a cautious measure that must be applied.
In August of 2007 Raleigh's Central Prison inmate, Eric Queen, 28, died by an apparent suicide. Queen was found hanging inside of a janitor's closet and pronounced dead 17 minutes later on August 6. He was serving time on death row. Queen was convicted of two counts of first-degree murder, one count of attempted murder, and other charges from 1998. Ironic enough, Queen was charged in Cumberland County, the same county that Mario McNeill was charged in.
In January of 2006 Raleigh's Central Prison inmate, Drew Planten, died of an apparent suicide. Planten was found unresponsive at the time of 2 p.m., and could not be revived. He was pronounced dead 37 minutes later. Planten arrived at Raleigh's Central Prison just four months before his death. Planten was charged with murder.
On November 30, 2000 Raleigh's Central Prison inmate, Keith Moore, 40, died of an apparent suicide. Moore was found hanging in a C Block cell. He was found and pronounced dead 12 minutes later. Moore was charged with two counts of first-degree murder, assault with a deadly weapon, and other charges. He was charged for the murders of his wife, girlfriend, and the shooting of his toddler son. He entered just months before his death.
Three days before Moore died Raleigh's Central Prison inmate, Curtis Lee Woodall, 31, died of an apparent suicide. Curtis was kept in a safekeeping location in the hospital wing on suicide watch and had just arrived to Raleigh's Central Prison the Friday night prior to his death. Curtis was surviving a gunshot wound in Raleigh's Central Prison hospital. The prison staff last seen him at 3:00, found him at 3:30, pronounced him dead at 3:45 after he was found hung in the hospital bathroom. However, a note was found. No information surrounding his prior charges were released.
So, if Mario McNeill does not commit suicide, should he be worried about other inmates murdering him?
Since Raleigh's Central Prison has had it's share of suicides behind bars Mario McNeill's suicide watch is understandable. But aside from suicide let's not forget that of Jeffrey Dahmer once he stepped into a prison.
Two stories came to light. First story, Christopher Scarver was cleaning the bathroom with fellow inmates Dahmer and Jesse Anderson. That was until Scarver beat both of them to death with the broom. Second story, Christopher Scarver was in the gym when he beat Dahmer with a weight bar. Two stories, one result, death.
Dahmer was serving 15 life sentences for 17 murders, lowered to 15 murders. Dahmer was murdered behind bars in Columbia Correctional, not Raleigh's Central Prison.
Raleigh's Central Prison has no releases of inside murders in the past ten years according to news reports released by the media. My research has resulted in the same conclusion. Therefore, the only deaths that tend to occur would be the death chamber or suicide.
Mental evaluations can last approximately 30 days for those who enter on murder charges and within that process suicide watch may continue depending upon the inmate and situation of their mental state.
As for Mario McNeill's suicide watch and safekeeping cell, Raleigh's Central Prison is simply doing what it can to assure that Mario McNeill faces the full extent of his actions according to state law.
There is no fascination, nor should there be, over Mario McNeill's entry into Raleigh's Central Prison. However, keeping up with the facts on the basis surrounding the case in the murder of Shaniya Davis is important.
Mario McNeill's next court date is scheduled for December 9, 2009 at the Cumberland County Courthouse.
For a Mario McNeill photo (requested by comment) visit CBSNews.com.
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Source(s):
http://www.doc.state.nc.us/NEWS/2007/Releases/Death%20Row%20inmate%20found%20dead%20in%20apparent%20suicide.htm
www.doc.state.nc.us/NEWS/2006/releases/planten_death.htm
www.doc.state.nc.us/NEWS/2000/00releases/mooresuicide.htm
www.doc.state.nc.us/NEWS/2000/00releases/woodallsuicide.htm
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