New Evidence Implies Largey Died in Cell

New evidence uncovered yesterday suggests that Lawrence P. Largey may have died three hours before Cambridge Police took his body to the Cambridge Hospital October 22.

Official police spokesmen said last week that Largey was found lying unconscious on the floor of his cell at 3 a.m. Sunday morning four hours after his arrest for drunkenness in East Cambridge. According to Dep. Lt. Leo Davenport, police checked Largey's cell every half hour.

But Largey's death certificate, signed by state medical examiner Dr. Charles R. Robinson, originally listed the time of the boy's death as "on or about midnight." Sometime after Robinson completed his original findings, however, the time of death was deleted from the certificate.

Robinson refused yesterday to comment on the deletion or any of his findings. "Everything pertaining to this matter is solely for discussion by the District Attorney's Office," he said. "My job here is finished."

Richard Gargiulo, First Assistant District Attorney for Middlesex County who is conducting an official inquest into the death, said yesterday he could not comment on any aspect of the case for fear of prejudicing future proceedings.

Gargiulo said that a preliminary investigation by his office is now "substantially completed," and that legal proceedings will begin November 9. "We have interviewed everyone who has allowed us to interview them," he said.

Gargiulo said that some civilians have refused to grant interviews and that this office is preparing subprimary for the formal inquest.

Cambridge Mayor Barbara Ackermann said yesterday that she plans to ask Governor Francis W Sargent and State Attorney General Robert H Quinn to provide support for an investigation Cambridge will make an independent inquires into the death under an investigator appointed by City Manager John H. Corcoran, Ackermann announced Thursday.

Corcoran announced last night that Paul J. Liacos professor of Law at Boston University has agreed to investigate the Largey case.

Largey's death has sporked rioting in East Cambridge's Roosevelt Towers section where residents have charged that the youth died from a police beating.

Medical examiner Robinson concluded however, that the cause of Largey's death was a combined overdose of barbiturates and alcohol.

Ackermann termed the city's response thus for to the allegations of police misconduct "intolerable," and openly criticized Corcoran for not being quicker in initiating actions on behalf of the city.

The key question is how do you make the police department police itself," she said. She said the City Council will meet tonight to consider this question