Authorities have upgraded the charges against a prisoner at the Baltimore, Md., City Detention Center accused of beating a cellmate. Twenty-year-old Lonnie Edwards of Baltimore had been charged with attempted murder in the beating, but court papers say the charges were upgraded to first-degree murder after the victim died.
Edwards is accused of beating 23-year-old Lennard Benjamin during a fight in their cell. An officer found Benjamin lying face down and unresponsive. The court records say he died of blunt force trauma to the head.
Edwards is being held without bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for July 19th.