George Beall | Prosecuted Agnew, 79

George Beall, 79, the U.S. attorney who headed the investigation and prosecution that led to Spiro Agnew's resignation as vice president, died Sunday at his home in Naples, Fla.

Mr. Beall 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.

Mr. 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."

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

- AP