Friday, July 27, 2007

Evening

Today a Baltimore City jury convicted Elliott McLain, 31, of the 5200 block of St. Charles Ave. of first degree murder, conspiracy and other related handgun counts. The jury deliberated for approximately one day following four days of testimony. Judge Robert Kershaw will sentence McLain October 3, 2007. He faces a maximum possible term of life plus life plus 25 years in prison. Details from the SA's office, edited for clarity:
On June 1, 2004 at approximately 1 a.m. in the 600 block of Hazel Street, McLain and co-defendant Kevin Fletcher approach the victim, Tidell Harris, on the street. They each pulled a gun. Fifteen shots were fired and the victim was hit five times, twice in the chest and three in the face and head. Harris was pronounced dead at the scene. Fletcher confessed and had a plea deal in which he was to testify against McLain (Life, suspend all but 25 years). But Fletcher refused to testify in January when called to the stand during a pretrial motions hearing, so the court sentenced Fletcher to life in prison plus 20 years. Fletcher did testify in this case but his court testimony was inconsistent with his taped police confession, which was played in court. Assistant State’s Attorney Tonya LaPolla of the FIVE Division prosecuted this case.
Thirty-four-year-old Ida Susan Robinson pled guilty and got 20 years for stabbing her shack-up boyfriend to death in front of his eight-year-old son in Woodlawn.

An eagle-eyed PA trooper apprehended Lorenzo Presha II, wanted for rape in the county.

Whatever did they talk about? Dixon and Ed Norris met privately at a Hunt Valley hotel bar.
('on the QT'? What does that stand for?)

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

"On the Quiet"

http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/on-the-qt.html

John Galt said...

Matt Crenson was interviewed about the Mitchell anti-crime campaign. He observed that incapacitation of criminals through incarceration can be costly. True.

But Baltimore has a $2 billion budget. It's the second-worst city in the nation. What expenditure would take precedence, the grants to the Walters Art Museum? Or to Parks & People ?

Wrongful death awards commonly come in at $1 million per. Since this city should average around 50 murders a year based upon size, it should also reserve about $250 million a year for the excess homicides accompanying its choice to understaff its police department.

That would pay for about 400 additional officers. Because they'd be full time, hence not overtime, we'd ssve another $200 million in time-and-a-half payments over what they're doing now per officer.

Sounds like a bargain to me. Unless of course you don't mind being victimized or unless like Crenson you live in Towson.

Maurice Bradbury said...

Thanks 'non.
Vozzella must not be from Baltimore. Not a Baltimorean term!

John Galt said...

Correction: time-and-a-half savings of $125 million.


And for those who live where Crenson works in Charles Village, you too can be victims of violent crime.

But fear not; some violent offenders even get convicted in Baltimore. Then again, many don't.