DRUGS SUSPECTED IN INMATE DEATH

SPRUCE PINE - A 31-year-old prisoner in the Avery-Mitchell Correctional
Institute died Sunday morning in his cell, possibly from a drug overdose.

Inmate Robin Stone, a Gastonia resident who was serving 37 months for
common law robbery and larceny, was found dead around 6 a.m. His body was
transported to Watauga Medical Center in Boone for an autopsy.

"Both the circumstances surrounding his death and the findings of the
autopsy are consistent with a drug overdose; however, he did have coronary
artery disease as well," said Dr. Brent Hall, regional forensic pathologist
for North Carolina.

Hall, who conducted the autopsy, said the toxicology report will be back in
a month, at which time a final report will be released.

Department of Correction Spokesman Keith Acree said the prescription
painkiller OxyContin, which is frequently abused for its euphoric high, may
be involved.

"That's our initial suspicion, but I'm hesitant to say anything till the
autopsy results are back," Acree said. "I believe there were stories from
other inmates who said they saw him (Stone) trying to sniff something."

Inmate deaths in North Carolina are not uncommon - 67 prisoners died while
incarcerated last year - but drug-related deaths are unusual. No inmates
died from drug-related causes in 2000 or 1999, while two died in 1998 and
one in 1997. The last drug-related death before that was in 1992, when one
prisoner died, according to the DOC.

North Carolina has 31,819 prisoners. An aging population has contributed to
the number of inmate deaths.

According to Acree, "Drugs are always somewhat of a problem in any prison."
Visitors and sometimes prison staff serve as a conduit, he said.

Bill Baker, correctional administrator at the 850-prisoner Avery-Mitchell
Correctional Institute, which is about an hour northwest of Asheville,
declined to comment on the possibility of a drug overdose.

"The officers heard him (Stone) snoring during the night, but they found
him dead in the wing at wakeup time," he said. Wakeup time is 6 a.m. on
Sundays.

The N.C. State Bureau of Investigation's Hickory office is investigating
the case.

"It's not unusual for us to conduct these type of investigations," said SBI
Criminal Specialist David Call. "But I really can't disclose any details
related to this investigation at this time."