The dead, the drunk and the bald

Dammit, Baltimore! Things were going so well. But four homicides this weekend,* bringing the toll to 185. Thomas Carter, 22, and also two women, one stabbed in the stomach and one shot to death in a moving PT Cruiser in Shipley Hill, and a man shot to death in the 1800 block of West Lafayette.

Marvin Hutton

Marvin Hutton was arrested for the murder of Ronn Williams on September 24.

Time for rehab, Joshua Osterholt. Driving drunk with pot and kids in the car,* tsk! Though why this is a feature story is a bit puzzling, surely drunk drivers transporting at least one of those kinds of cargo are pulled over at least once a day. But have some token shame. Shame!

Bon mots du jour: "church members clean up human feces from the back alley almost daily."

While we await the naming of public enemy #5, the City Paper has helpfully organized enemies 1-4 into a chart.

David B. Simon

Media blabber: word on the street is last week there was a major shakeup at the Daily Record, with editor David B. Simon (no, not that David Simon) delivering stinging rebukes at a editorial meeting and quitting after a mere 10 months of working there, followed by the walkout of the two-person art department, leaving long-suffering managing editor Barbara Grizincic to manage the mess. To maintain the paper's quota of bald dudes, former Sun and Patch reporter Bryan P. Sears has now joined the turbulent tabloid as a government reporter.

a very important work of art

Four people were shot yesterday.*

Four guys arrested on N. Calvert Street for stabbing 22-year-old Jerod Andre Gilmore to death on N. Calvert and E. Baltimore Streets* on Friday, an event police watched live on city crime cameras. Gilmore's death was the city's 135 homicide of 2013. Notably, none of the four arrested have adult or juvenile criminal records, but Gilmore had more than a couple of arrests to his name, including for assault, armed robbery, illegal guns and drugs. 

One Troy Keene arrested for a murder in the 900 block of Bennett Place last Tuesday.

Sources: Downtown stabbing believed to be gang dispute, and for once it's not BGF: this one's believed to be Bloods v. Crips
— Justin Fenton (@justin_fenton) July 29, 2013

Law violated
 by panel

A state panel found that the city violated the law* by holding secret meetings on the Harbor Point deal-- but that finding doesn't change a thing. Can we please stop calling it a $107 million project? The city is borrowing $107 million, but interest on the loan will be $174 million and tax breaks will be $113 million, so let's call it what it is, a $394 million deal. And have we mentioned that Excelon's merger requires them to build in the city no matter what? ... Help a friend steal $394, go to jail. Help your friend steal $394 million, pose your boob flab in a cocktail dress for the Sun magazine.*

Dayum, Sun-- at least eight staffers have left recently, including AAC crime and courts reporter Andrea Siegel, impish entertainment scribe Sam Sessa, and apparently whoever airbrushes the boob flab out of the vanity pieces in the magazine. How much thinner can that paper possibly get?

A man in Essex was shot multiple times by home invader* Kenneth David Cox, 24 ... then the victim somehow beat Cox to death with an unnamed "blunt object." I imagine it went just like this, but with three guys, a gun, and blood everywhere.

In Pasadena a man shot his girlfriend's Yorkie.*

Tomorrow at 12:45 JM Giordano will be talking about his photo series "The Summer of the Gun" with Kojo Nnmandi on 88.5 WAMU.

Bwahaha, Julius Henson's appeal in his robocall case was rejected and he still owes that $1 million fine. Hope he saved some of that "Jump the Broom" money.

Roasting, cleaving, voluntarying

Where are all the city's illegal guns coming from? With only five officers on the gun task force and all them federal pro-gun laws it's all anybody's guess. Check out this 4-time gun convict's hand cannon, recovered at a house also operating a daycare.

A city detective, Shane Volk, was killed when he crashed his Jeep in Glen Arm.

Michael "Blizz" Singer

 The tattoo-faced murder accessory who looks 65, left, is a 35-year-old local rapper who goes by "Blizz.* His wife Shelbie is accused of stabbing to death one John Bowman, 22, in Arbutus.

Police think one 16-year-old is responsible for 25 burglaries in Canton.

Tragic: Sharon Mulcahy, the woman whose dogs roasted in a motel parking lot for 20 hours, died soon after she was released from Central Booking. The family alleges the jail failed to give her proper medical attention.

City Paper: Baltimore is "famous for crime, and yet, when it comes to arson, this is the best we can do?" Uhm, I think the city actually does pretty okay on that front.

Hey, that abortion-sign bill is still breathing,* and the Sun actually has me convinced it's a good idea. If Wisconsin can make doctors rape women with a probe and Texas and North Carolina can get thisclose to shutting down every family planning clinic in the state, the phony baloney clinics can suck up posting a piece of paper with facts on it.

Speaking of intrusions, a federal judge has allowed EFF's case against the NSA to go ahead (thanks Scan Baltimore). And good piece in the Economist about our newly revealed secret Supreme Court.

Media Blabber: the Tribune is cleaving off its newspaper biz from its TV-station biz, and is apparently not yet scrapping the idea of selling the publishing piece to a rogues' gallery of shoppers that include Charles and David Koch, a group of libertarian 'voluntaryists' and an alleged Chinese spy's ex-husband.

Babies.

Eddie Tarver

Me: "holy crap, somebody shot a baby!" Longtime Baltimroean: "well yeah, but he wasn't aiming for the baby." ... Eddie Tarver, 20, was arrested in the shooting* Friday evening in South Baltimore, which killed Carter Scott. His dad, Rashaw Scott, survived and ID'd Tarver, who had two accomplices sporting latex gloves. Scott, aka Davon Greene, had been charged with murder himself, highlighting the mix of protracted self-defense and revenge at the core of so many of the city's murders. Yesterday "Batts spoke with people at the shopping center before talking to the news media, posing for photographs with a group of young girls and dropping in on a wrestling-themed child's birthday being held in a vacant storefront in the strip mall."

Also on Saturday, the officer who arrested Eddie Tarver shot a suspect in Washington Village (nee Pigtown)

Clifton Bernard

In Suitland, PGC, a two-year-old boy, Jamar Shipe, was murdered on purpose, and surprise, surprise, mom's boyfriend is charged, one Clifton Edward Bernard.

In the kitchen of the Towson Sheraton, one employee stabbed another in the head. The Towson Sheraton, room 1029, is also where in 2009 a man from NY, William Parente, killed his whole family.* For whatever reason Sheratons in general seem to attract a lot of nefarious activity.

Butthurt death merchants at Beretta have decided not to move out of Maryland after all, though took the opportunity to sniff via press release, "The idea now of investing additional funds in Maryland and thus rewarding a government that has insulted our customers and our products is offensive* to us so we will take steps to evaluate such investments in other states." Never thought I'd think this but have to hand it to tobacco companies at least a little-- when states started limiting advertising and smoking in bars and so forth, at least they took it on the chin, diversified their holdings and spared us all the faux vapors and couch-swooning.

Sunday Media Blabber Corner:
Former Commissioner Ed Norris is recovering after his motorcycle accident. He suffered a broken shoulder, broken ribs and minor brain damage.

Not long after Bernadette Woods' departure, dreamboat reporter Adam May announced he's leaving WJZ* for Al Jazeera, an opportunity that lets his family-- husband Derek Valcourt and their son-- stay in Baltimore. Al Jazeera is located in Doha, Qatar, where the penalty for same-sex sex is up to five years in prison, time that may include whippings. Oh, and if you drink a Cosmo? Whipping.
...update at 11:35, just watched his final sign-off and got verklempt. What a classy guy.
Sheldon Dutes has also left town, begging the question--  who's going to be the next candy for the hungry eyeballs of local news-watching ladies age 29-39? I demand to know!

Dick Irwin's* funeral will be on Tuesday.

'a problem with the elastic in her underwear'

Aw geeze, in my absence we got up to 202* murders, which Cham has helpfully documented on her page. We've now surpassed 2011's total of 197, 2010 was 223 homicides; 2008 was 234; 2007 was 291; 2006 was 274; 2005 was 269.

Justin Fenton

Homicide clearance rate as of today: 32% for cases this year, 46% FBI UCR rate (this yr cases plus prior cases that were closed this yr)

Cherrie Gammon

A federal conviction for murder and racketeering for Tyrone "Roland" Johniken, aka Hassan Muhammad, involved in a heroin ring based out of "The Block" and involved in the murder of (alleged informant, mom dancer and addict) Cherrie Gammon. The DOJ's PR also reveals that the third conspirator in Gammon's murder, "Miami," was one Gary Cromartie, the Sun's story reveals that Gammon was also involved in a relationship with an unnamed city officer.* ("According to documents in the case, the officer Gammon had a relationship with was later involved in a raid on a building that was used by the crew and Johniken's residence. But whether Gammon was cooperating with police remains unclear.")

Down at police HQ, an officer accidentally shot himself during roll call

Friends School on Charles St. enjoyed its third bomb threat of the school year.

Robberies/assaults in Fell's Point include a woman choked unconscious, a guy stabbed in the stomach and robbed after leaving a nightclub (El Oasis?), and a victim assaulted by a group of people after calling out a shoplifter at the Family Dollar. Anecdotally it seems like there are not just more robberies lately and they're becoming more brazen and violent, probably best to not leave the house until sometime after Christmas.

A dad is in caliente agua, charged with kidnapping after stuffing a kid who was bullying his son into his car.* So many Baltimoreans, so few conflict-resolution skills...

Merzbacher

Still waiting on a decision in the Merzbacher case from Richmond; the former Catholic-school teacher/gun-toting child rapist is appealing his conviction claiming he was not informed of a plea deal by his counsel. Judge Prevas, rest his soul, threw out a prior appeal after finding that Merzbacher's now-dead convicted-felon lawyer was not a credible witness. In the meantime Tricia Bishop's got more horrid Merzbacher/Catholic School tales to tell,* including a recounting of court documents that prove that the church knew of the claims at least as early as 1974, plainly contradicting Archbishop Lori's ridiculous assertion last month that church officials didn't know a thing about the allegations until 1988. Liar, liar, vestments on fire. (Baltimoreorless has a collection of non-paywall "Merz" stories if you want to read more.)(... and people wonder why I refuse to give to Catholic Charities, gahh!)

Retired police chief FHBIII will be teaching at Stevenson University's* newish Criminal Justice program

A man was shot to death in Towson

In Annapolis at Thanksgiving a woman stabbed her half-brother in the neck with a serving fork, and in AAC a woman stabbed her boyfriend while he was trying to leave her crazy ass.

Media blabber: whilst driving down south I was fascinated to learn that central Virginia has not one but two weekly newspapers, $1 each, that publish almost nothing but mug shots-- Gotcha! and Crime Times. A convenience-store clerk told me Gotcha! sells more, possibly because the back of the paper also includes a list of all of the restaurants that have health code violations. It's a bit unsettling that it's comprised of pictures of people who have been arrested but not indicted or convicted of anything, mistakes do happen and some of the arrests are as petty as "allowing dog to run at will." But wonder if Baltimore could support such a newspaper? @40,000 arrests a year, that's a lotta trees. (Baltimore does have a page of health-code-violation closures, but it appears to be out of date.)

Should you pay for the Sun?

If you're still on the fence, reading this may change your mind.
Ps. James O'Shea, author of "Deal from Hell," will be speaking tomorrow at Hopkins.
.. could a news cooperative work in Baltimore (or anywhere)?

More Sun Layoffs!? Srsly?

A 32-year-old man shot in the face at 1300 block of North Spring Street in East Baltimore last night

The SAO reports that Baltimore City Circuit Court jury convicted Dajuan Marshall yesterday of "conspiracy to murder and participation in a criminal street gang resulting in death" for the 2008 murder of Kenneth Jones. Jones was forced into a trunk, shot in the head with large-caliber handgun and his body dumped in the 4500 block of Bonner Road in Northwest Baltimore. Says the SAO, "Jones was the leader of the Pasadena Denver Lanes Bloods gang, also known by the acronym PDL. At the time of the murder, Jones's PDL was in a dispute with a rival set of Bounty Hunter Bloods known as the Spider Gang, which was headed by Marshall." Twenty-three PDLs were indicted in 2009 on federal racketeering charges.

The Ink summarizes last week's two murders; noting that 23-year-old victim Antoinne Pratt managed to drive himself for four blocks before expiring.

Inside Charm City reports that the Baltimore Sun Media Group is cutting even more positions: 10 in the Patuxent and Homestead groups. As much as I want to support reporting and such, that is a total dick move ($115 million in management bonuses!!). Also note that if you subscribe to the Sun online they make it nearly impossible to cancel your subscription-- you can't do it online, you have to send them a message and then have someone call you to try to talk you out of it first. If you do subscribe online, good idea to use Amex or another credit card that provides consumer protection.

Jack Young is apparently against paying for police settlements, but made an exception for an officer fired after he blew the whistle on waste and mismanagement in the helicopter unit.

MarylandReporter.com alleges a case of quid-pro-quo back-scratchery when it comes to the new alcohol tax, with the $$ to benefit the districts whose representatives voted to support the tax, not where the funds are needed most. (... don't miss the awkward hilarity that is Len Lazarek interviewing Herman Cain.)

Terry Lee Nolley, 47, of Silver Spring pleaded guilty to transporting child pornography and destruction of records; Nolley was the host of a bulletin board called “Country Lounge” that hosted child pornography for the enjoyment of 142 members.

A peeper busted in Glen Burnie

And, finally, Occupy Baltimore has been asked by the mayor's office to have only two people spend the night. (But where are the campers using the bathroom?! Someone please tell me!)

It's official

Tribune CEO Me-so-Randy Michaels is out.

Drunken frat boy runs newspaper into ditch

Another Tribune Exec (and not the tittays guy, Randy Michaels) has apologized for sending out a memo about "sluts" (hey, that video's a classic!)
Now titties guy has suspended slut guy, and the site Jezebel has more on a former employee's harassment claims, including "saying she had been bitten on the neck by Mr. Michaels and that he walked through the office wearing a sexual device around his neck."

.. and now all afternoon we're going to be wondering what the hell kind of device that might be

Sluts n' Mullets

Eight murders this week, says the CP

The trial of mulleted murder suspect Dennis Testo continues, and TDR's Danny Jacobs has more on "no body" cases

Police are ISO suspect in Hampden store robberies

Clerical error almost cost inmate 14 extra years on his sentence

Oh, great: "Willie Featherstone is a sexual predator, but he keeps getting out of prison."

Rilly? Portfolio.com says Baltimore's income growth is 3rd-highest in the nation.

ps. what's better than this blog? This blog en francais!

Media Blabber

The Johns Hopkins News-Letter steps in it big time, garnering national press for two lovely pieces: one by Managing Editor Greg Sgammato on how much he hates to see "fat chicks at a Hopkins party," another by one Javier Avitia on the advantages of "Banging Under the Influence," topped it off with half-assed non-apology. Grooming some real charmers over there!

Yes, I know, not a crime, stick to crime reports, etc etc.

City and Press

Isn't this interesting? The Baltimore City and Press, a beautifully designed web site of Baltimore news.. developed in Canada!
Also on Twitter.
No ads... what do you suppose their revenue model is?

Media Blabber

Like tales of newsroom drama? You'll ♥ "Post Apocalypse: Inside the messy collapse of a great newspaper"

Also see: "Can newspaper muckraking carry on in nonprofits?"

Mazel tov! Local-news icon Sally Thorner is leaving WJZ to go to parties and travel with her doctor husband!

More Bad News @ Sun

Word is 15 .. wait, 21.. of the Sun's mid- and top-level editors were laid off today, with more newsroom cuts to come, possibly as soon as tomorrow. Very sad.

Also, tweet the police: "SHOOTING: Reported @ 2735 Ashland Ave. Police investigating crime scene, avoid area."


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Morning Media Blabber

Hearst media to begin to charge for digital news.

... meanwhile, Reader's Digest may file for bankruptcy!

New Site Alert!

Our friends from the Examiner are back!
Crackheads at the DPW! A median-strip beatdown! A purse-stealing campus cop! There's some crazy shiznit at InvestigativeVoice.com

LOLZ! WBAL reporter fired after apparently pranking the Huffington Post with a video that involves the phrase "Eric Holder and his bright blue scrotum."

"hipsters will shed some tears tonight"

"Quite a few hipsters will shed some tears tonight." Lithuanian Hall fined $8k, tonight's show canceled, says Meister

Media blabber: News Corp lost $6.4 BILLION in Q2. Ad revenue at the WSJ is down 20%.

Weekend

A third trial is sounding more likely for Adan Canela and Policarpio Espinoza. Here's JB's guide to the case with related links

NYT: Supreme Court "Justices Step Closer to Repeal of Evidence Ruling"

More on 2009's homicide victim #20 (and juvenile victim #6), Dewayne Lawrence, who was 17 and his mother's third son to be murdered. Pleads the Deuce, "Stop before any more of her children...or yours end up dead."

Fish pirates accused in elaborate black-market rockfish scheme

Remember the Mt. Washington trader John Rusnak, who brought down Allfirst bank? He's out of jail. (Fun fact: Wikipedia names him as the 14th "biggest loser")

The Sun is ending weekday delivery to Prince George’s, Montgomery and Frederick counties and will stop home delivery to Garrett County. (thnx Colin)

The Department of Justice has instructed agency personnel to "immediately begin to apply the presumption of disclosure to all decisions involving the [Freedom of Information Act]" as per Obama's memo from 10 days ago.
Here's a summary of MD's Public Information Act, FYI.

Wouldn't You Know it

Rasslin' Luke Broadwater's butt-stapling story got picked up by PerezHilton.com-- with 3 million views, that easily makes it the Ex's most-read story ever!
PS., the buttmenz paper chain has endorsed McCain.
... seems a little premature, but that's how mavericks roll I guess!

Creepy: "Lawyers have started Googling and Facebooking prospective jurors to get a sense of whether they want them on the jury."