Friday, April 13, 2007

Evening

The 10-year-old boy shot yesterday was the cousin of the witness to a double murder, the case scheduled for trial today. BUT the latest news is it wasn't a case of witness itimidation at all... somebody was just trying to steal a jacket. Well, that's a relief!

Neil Rivers, 20, was killed trying to stop Deandre Lamont Williams, 18, from taking a dirtbike. His family is outraged that Williams was out of jail to commit the murder in the first place, and that he got only 50 years.

Shaidon "Papa Don" Blake was found guilty of second-degree murder and conspiracy in the death of Terrence Randolph, 19. Two other co-defendants, Janet Johnson and Jermile Harvey, were also found guilty of first-degree murder and conspiracy. "Prosecutors said Blake is a high-ranking member of the Bloods who came from California to get Terrence Randolph and other gang members in line."

Dawson sister: seven family members were killed because they "Believed," were not given promised protection.

fredneck
Police have released a composite of the Fredneck hit-and-run killer, left.

City bank robber Terron Moore got 11 years 4 months. If only the teller had used a prophylactic excessive-customer-service-technique to disarm him from the gitgo ...

4 comments:

Unknown said...

If that young boy is indeed a murder witness, then yes that is a new low, but honestly, what the fuck else would you expect in Baltimore?

John Galt said...

So, let's get this straight. Hamm says it's all good because violent crime is down 3.7% from 2006.

Homicides are exactly equal. We know shootings are up... 31 frickin' percent. Comstat says robberies are down maybe 17%.

Then if we assume away large variations in arson or rape, then doesn't that imply that nongun agg. assaults are up by like 125 incidents so far???

Doesn't sound like much of an improvement to me.

As I listened to the Norris show, two statements caught my ear...


On the level of crime, "It's a dire state of emergency."

and regarding Sheila D's notion of getting at crime through job training, public schools, and municipally-provided healthcare:

"Don't talk to me about wraparound services..." until you deal with the immediate threat.

He remarked to the Cybrarian that the police manpower deficit wasn't just (but certainly also) because of interjurisdictionally noncompetitive salaries but also because this is the worst place in the world to be a cop. First, you're reviled for doing your job, then for not doing enough of it, and then... we shoot guns at you. Who could turn down a job offer like that ??

And I return to questioning Lenny Hamm's premise that 'you can't arrest your way out of crime.' Um, ... excuse me, but that's actually the only way you reduce it, Sir, and it is the only reason we really need you, remember ??

Now, mind you, I agree wholeheartedly that you should stop arresting certain people here, but only because you've been arresting the wrong ones (not guilty of a chargeable offense). There are still plenty out there whom you could arrest.

They are known as criminals, and you can often recognize them by the gunshot residue on their hands after they shoot this place up. They can often be seen in my neighborhood on their way into houses which, alas, are not their own.

But in order to do any of that, you would need personnel. Not counselors, or motivational speakers. Old-fashioned neighborhood cops. For a definition, see the section in the Baltimore Lexicon under Endangered Species.

John Galt said...

I know Justice is supposed to be blind, but is she dumb, too ?

Malnurtured Snay said...

Hey! I heard you on the Ed Norris show -- briefly -- today. Yay!