Task forces for some, shutdowns for others

"At least eight" shootings this past weekend,* one fatal (not counting the baby), one barricade situation in which one Walter McCoy shot his daughter's mother in the legs. It sounds like it was a bad weekend for shootings nationwide. Speaking of shootings, NPR did a story on the ridiculously low-tech way that weapons are traced. And the NYT detailed gun manufacturers' resistance to giving the feds any kind of help when it comes to tracking illegal dealers or suspicious purchases. Sniffed Jeffrey Reh of Beretta, "I can advise you that Beretta U.S.A.’s position is and has always been that the purchase by an individual of multiple firearms is not, in and of itself, evidence of improper or suspicious behavior.”

A second man, Cornell Harvey, was arrested for shooting one-year-old Carter Scott, a third suspect is still at large.

Following the BGF prison scandal, O'Malley's unleashing his scariest weapon: the task force.

Cherrie Gammon

Truth in stereotypes dept: Maryland members of the Outlaws motorcycle club "Maniac" and "Bugs" have pleaded guilty to dealing the crank.

A life sentence for Tyrone "Roland" Johniken for his role in the 2010 murder of block dancer Cherrie Gammon. Co-conspirator "Tay" got 40 years yesterday.

Fifteen years for Guatemalan cocaine dealer Edwin Galvez-Berganza.

Twenty years for York-Road-corridor crack dealer Kenneth Robinson.

The Historical Society has gotten back their documents stolen by Barry Landeau* and his Scott-Thorson-esque sidekick Jason Savedoff.

Michael Barnes re-trial postponed.

The police tried to cancel Kanye West's video projection* on the side of the Walters, citing a lack of proper permits, but Yeezy wasn't having it. This comes on the heels of the Pow Wow being shut down and the cancellation of the Moonrise and sex-fetish festivals. Why so much dislike for the First Amendment, BPD?

The ghettobirds thrum songs of love

The sedan driver shot to death on Reedbird Ave in Cherry Hill was ID'd as Queren L. Thomas,* right, 18-year-old Kentrell Brown has been charged.

A student was stabbed in Hertiage High, no Lady Gaga Twitter campaign planned, no promises of security upgrades from school officials.

Two people have been arrested for kidnapping related to incidents of two separate incidents of women being abducted near Edmonson Ave. and Ingleside in Catonsville. And this morning a woman was forced into a vehicle at Greenspring and Dru Hill Aves, and it sounds like a fourth incident happened yesterday as a woman was waiting for a bus-- she was raped and dropped off somewhere, the story is unclear as to where (and were the two people arrested before or after the one or two incidents yesterday?). In any case case, dear BPD, women getting picked off the streets and stuffed into cars at gunpoint is something I'd rather like to hear about sooner than a full week after it happens, thanks. And why is WBAL the only one on this story? You'd think the local news would be all over that.

A mysteriously dead body was found on a porch in SW

A 55-year-old alleged burglar in Roland Park Fell off a porch and died

A firefighter in Landsdowne was charged with sexually abusing two teen boys

A Californian meth supplier got 15 years for shipping his product to his friend Mark Anthony Anglo in Waldorf

Guilty pleas in PA from three suspects charged with buying the Kate Moss from Baltimore's Damion Floyd, including a mom of three and her brother

A man was sprayed with pepper spray in the 5400 block of York Road (where a woman was carjacked not too long ago)

Four people, including a mother an her adult son, were charged with breaking into a vacant home

Mug shots of Eric Ford Sr (who shot his son and his mother) and other rogues in the Patch's rouge's gallery

Pikesville's Knish Shop was burgled

Murder magnet TeeBee's Lounge kept their liquor license and was fined $2,000 at their Liquor Board hearing yesterday

The family that robs together, sobs together-- Fenton Tweets "2nd suspect in Fort Ave McDonald's robbery - where employees forced in freezer - charged: Sharief Bostic,22. Prev charged susp Darryl Bostic" More from the Sun*

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It appears there were actually three unrelated murders yesterday. The third was a man shot & killed in the 1600 block of Gorsuch Ave. in CHuM.

"Science Found Wanting in Nation’s Crime Labs"

"Police hope warrant sweep will curb city violence" (beautiful photo!)

City officials want to speed up the process of civil "nuisance abatement" lawsuits

An arrest for the carjacking and shooting last week of 19-year-old Michael Lewis

A man robbed in the Rotunda parking lot in the Blotter

Study: Meth cost 'society' $23.4 billion in '05

"Watch it, that tickles! Wow, I haven't felt suction like that since the Bush twins were in town! Uh oh, sporty, is that a cell phone camera over there?" Greg Kane imagines what Michael Phelps' bong might say. ... & wouldn't it be refreshing if a busted celebs "took responsibility" by donating to a legal defense fund for pot dealers?

Our favorite Supreme Court Justice, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, has been hospitalized with pancreatic cancer.