A 26-year-old Dale City man awaiting trial in connection with a double shooting in December 2016 was found dead in his cell early Tuesday at the Prince William-Manassas regional jail.
Officers were called to the jail at 9320 Lee Ave. in Manassas at 4:52 a.m. after a cellmate found Mohammad Ekram Sherdil unresponsive, Prince William County police spokeswoman Renee Carr said.
Jail staff provided first aid until rescue workers arrived, but Sherdil was pronounced dead, Carr said.
An autopsy will be performed, but police said no foul play is suspected.
Sherdil had been jailed since February 2017 in connection with the Dec. 9, 2016 shooting. Two men were wounded in the incident on Forestdale Avenue in Dale City, but police at the time said both were expected to recover.
The U.S. Marshal's Fugitive Task Force arrested Sherdil in New York on Jan. 31, 2017.
A jury trial had been scheduled for earlier this month on charges of attempted murder, malicious wounding, abduction, carjacking and several drug and firearms charges. But the trial was continued until September.
A total of four jury trials have been scheduled in the case since 2018, but all were withdrawn for unspecified reasons, according to court records.
(8) comments
After reading this particular part, “A total of four jury trials have been scheduled in the case since 2018, but all were withdrawn for unspecified reasons, according to court records.”, there’s likely a lot more to this his death than meets the eye...
yes they get rid of the death penalty and this works out perfect
Saves taxpayers thousands of dollars.
Nice classless comment. Hardly surprising.......
Abortions do the same thing.
Agreed. Yorktown made crass comment. Your comment was even more crass; comparing an inmate to an innocent unborn child. Shame on you.
My comment was cold, clinical, and logical. If the idea of unwanted children dragging down taxpayers is an uncomfortable subject, I wish those that are offended the best in their endeavors.
And shame on you for completely dismissing a man who has NOT been tried and convicted by a jury of his peers.
A quick look at the docket:
https://www.docketalarm.com/cases/Virginia_State_Circuit_Court_Prince_William_County/CR18001488-00/COMMONWEALTH_OF_VA_v._SHERDIL_MOHAMMAD_EKRAM/
Inside the court motions you will find a term repeated: NOLLE PROSEQUI
Here is what that is:
In a criminal case, the statement is an admission that the charges cannot be proved or that evidence has demonstrated either innocence or a fatal flaw in the prosecution's claim. An entry of nolle prosequi may be made at any time after charges are brought and before a verdict is returned or a plea entered.
https://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/nolle_prosequi
So the prosecution has not had enough evidence to convict.
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