SUSPECT INDICTED IN TROOPER'S KILLING

A federal grand jury yesterday indicted Kofi Apea Orleans-Lindsay on a
murder charge stemming from the killing of undercover Maryland state
trooper Edward M. Toatley in the District.

Orleans-Lindsay, 23, was charged with killing a person aiding a federal
investigation, an offense that could carry the death penalty. Officials
said that U.S. Attorney Wilma A. Lewis has not decided whether to push for
capital punishment.

Orleans-Lindsay, of Silver Spring, is accused of killing Toatley on Oct. 30
during an undercover drug deal in Northeast Washington. Toatley, 37, was
deputized as a federal police officer to work on a task force that was
investigating drug dealing.

Authorities arrested Orleans-Lindsay in New York on Nov. 13. He made his
first appearance in U.S. District Court in Washington eight days later.
Under federal law, prosecutors had 30 days after that to obtain an
indictment, leading to yesterday's action. They can continue to assemble
evidence and pursue additional charges later.

Defense lawyer Billy L. Ponds has said that Orleans-Lindsay did not shoot
Toatley.