Men Shot by Md. Official Are Freed From Custody

Two critically wounded men who were shot by the No. 2 homeland security official in Prince George's County were released from police custody yesterday as the department backed off earlier statements that the men would probably face assault charges.

Prince George's State's Attorney Glenn F. Ivey determined yesterday that Robert White, 36, and Brandon D. Clark, 22, should no longer be in custody. "The state's attorney's office did not want to rush to judgment. We believe that further inspection of the evidence and further interviews with all concerned parties is necessary before any charges are brought forward," said Ramon Korionoff, Ivey's spokesman.

Michael J. Winkelman, an attorney for the men's families, said the decision means that their relatives will have free access to them in the hospital.

On Thursday, county police said assault charges were pending against the men, both furniture movers, for allegedly assaulting Cpl. Keith Washington, who is also a county police officer, in his Accokeek home Wednesday. They said then that Washington apparently acted in self-defense, based on statements from Washington and a family member whom they did not identify. The movers were unarmed, police said.

Yesterday, Sharon Taylor, the police department's top spokeswoman, said the statement that assault charges were pending "was obviously based on preliminary information."

"No charges have been made yet. Nothing can be decided until a fair and thorough investigation has been done, which this department is going to do," Taylor said. "There are two sides to the story, and so far we don't have both sides."

Washington could not be reached. Steven E. Sunday, a police union lawyer who met with Washington, did not respond yesterday to a phone message seeking comment.

White, of the District, and Clark, of Oxon Hill, remained at Prince George's Hospital Center yesterday. Both were breathing with the assistance of tubes and were unable to talk, Winkelman said. Police investigators have been unable to interview White and Clark because of their condition, Taylor said.

According to Winkelman and Leelee Best, Clark's girlfriend, Clark and White were working as subcontractors, moving pieces for Marlo Furniture, when they arrived at Washington's house to exchange a bedroom set.

Winkelman said the delivery contractor for whom Clark and White worked said the two men called him from Washington's house before the shooting to report that Washington was "very upset."

Speaking outside the hospital, Clark's mother, Marilynn Clark, said she was allowed to see her son and his co-worker yesterday for the first time since the shooting.

"I got a lot of eye contact with them," Clark said, adding that she told each man that relatives who loved them were nearby. "Both of them had tears coming out of their eyes. They understood what I was saying."