Candy Prompted Fatal Jail Fight, Sheriff Says

Henderson, N.C. — A fight over candy led to the death of a Vance County inmate last weekend, the sheriff said Wednesday.

A detention officer found Charles Cleveland Dillard, 52, semi-conscious on the bottom bunk of his cell Saturday afternoon. Dillard was taken to Maria Parham Hospital, where he was pronounced dead a short time later.

Another inmate, Curtis W. Coley, 34, of 49 Ridge Path Lane, has been charged with second-degree murder in Dillard's death.

Vance County Sheriff Peter White said the inmates were fighting over candy. He placed some of the blame for the altercation on jail overcrowding, noting too many inmates are awaiting trial.

Coley was awaiting trial on charges of obtaining property by false pretense, misdemeanor larceny, second-degree trespass and failure to pay child support. Dillard had been incarcerated since Dec. 1, awaiting trial on charges of felony possession of stolen goods.

53 Comments

WRAL.com welcomes your comments on this story. All comments are moderated prior to publication based on our posting guidelines. Please review them prior to posting and if your message is not approved.

VIEW ALL 53 COMMENTS

This story is closed for comments. Comments on WRAL.com news stories are accepted and moderated between the hours of 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Latest Comments

Vance county as with many places has a backlog of cases. This has exisited for many years. Not everyone can afford bail. It is ashame that this man was killed, worse beaten to death. Vance County has been an overcrowded jail for the 12 years I lived there. The previous Sheriff, Sheriff Breedlove and I am sure Sheriff White has asked for funding for a larger more updated facility, but the County commissioners said NO. But the county does have a nice new courthouse and library. The condition of the jail as also led to the numerous escapes from the jail.

No longer in NC
May 30, 2007 8:04 p.m.

Yelena I was sharing for the readers what conditions existed at this county jail, and not the luxury they commented on. I was also stating that I knew that rumors stated the dillard man had changed and gotten on drugs probably causing the theiving in the first place. and I was saying that vance county could do better with making the jail better since built in early 1900's. it's set up for a county population of 17,000 which now has increased to over 150,000= more criminals to house. What good are the fancy courthouse, police and sheriff's building they recently financed,if you can't put the criminals through the court system. Don't believe me, sit in vance county district and criminal court one day and you'll know why locally it's called kangaroo count. You're lucky if 4 cases get heard in a day. The crooked dwi lawyers postpone them forever until they get the judge who'll handle the case their way.

ladyblue
May 30, 2007 7:29 p.m.

lemmeaxeusumpin....really like your name!

As for the comments re: this man waiting for trial, the court system is MADE for delays mainly BECAUSE of lawyers. If the client is guilty, the lawyers want things to be delayed in hopes that they can come up with some loophole in the system. If the client is not guilty...oh well it will be proven at some point.

JustDontUnderstandPpl
May 30, 2007 5:51 p.m.

Stop whining about his bond unless you personally know his prior history. He has a documented criminal past. How many times has he failed to appear before on charges where he had a bond? Maybe so many people have bailed him out before and gotten burned that they won't bond him out. Many perps also will stay in jail and not make bond so that when they do go to court, they will plead guilty and take credit for time served. Time spent in pre-trial confinement in much easier than time after a sentence has been ordered.

anonemoose
May 30, 2007 5:44 p.m.

IT MUST HAVE BEEN "DEATH BY CHOCOLATE"

doinbizzness
May 30, 2007 5:19 p.m.