George Beall, attorney who led Spiro Agnew prosecution, dies

BALTIMORE – George Beall, the U.S. attorney who headed the investigation and prosecution that led to Spiro Agnew’s resignation as vice-president, has died, his wife said.

Carolyn Beall said by phone that her husband died Sunday at their home in Naples, Florida. He was 79.

Beall (pronounced BELL) was U.S. attorney for Maryland when reports of corruption in Baltimore County came to his attention. The investigation focused on Agnew, who had been Baltimore County executive and Maryland governor. Richard Nixon picked Agnew to be vice-president in 1968.

Beall began investigating Agnew in 1973. Agnew was accused of taking bribes as governor and vice-president.

U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein said in a statement Tuesday, “Although George Beall’s family was politically active and Vice-President Agnew was a member of Beall’s own political party, Beall did not hesitate to pursue the case.”

The Baltimore Sun reports that during the investigation, Beall and his staff issued more than 500 subpoenas.

In October 1973, in his second term as vice-president, Agnew pleaded no contest to tax evasion and resigned.

Carolyn Beall said her husband almost never spoke of the Agnew case. “He was never one to make an enemy with anyone that … was on the opposite side of the aisle, prosecution, any litigation,” Carolyn Beall said.