Gang Member Beaten to Death in Jail Fight Identified

A gang member who was beaten to death and another who was injured in a fight Thursday in a crowded Los Angeles County Jail cell were identified Friday by authorities.

Ricky Evans, 25, was found dead Thursday afternoon, when guards cleared a cell in a large Central Jail module housing members of a street gang.

Another gang member, Timothy Atkins, 18, was taken to County-USC Medical Center, where he was reported in satisfactory condition Friday.

The two were awaiting trial on robbery-homicide charges in the death of a man in Venice on Jan. 1, Los Angeles Police Detective Roger Niles said.

Evans and Atkins were in a six-man cell that was jammed by a dozen prisoners. Jailers said the inmates crowded into the cell after being told by loudspeaker that an open-cell socializing period was over and doors in the module were being closed.

Hearing sounds of a fight and cries for help, a guard called for assistance and the cell was cleared. No weapons were found.

“What little we’ve learned is that this was an incident peculiar to this particular group of people,” Sheriff’s Lt. Charles Elliott said. He declined to elaborate.

No charges had been filed by late Friday, but several inmates were being questioned, authorities said.