November 7

The body of 23-year old 23-year-old Tiona Smith, right, was discovered on Sunday morning by neighborhood children in the backyard of a house in Woodmoor. She was fully clothed, had suffered head injuries, and did not live at the house where she was found. Baltimore County homicide detectives are investigating.

The Sun's Metro Digest also mentioned the dead woman in Woodmoor, but only after reporting that Allen Reter was charged with theft after police discovered a stolen 30-foot lightpole sticking out of the back (and front) of his Chevy station wagon.

Charles Benedict Knott Sr. 51, aka the guy in Hampden who beat the other guy to death in broad daylight on the Avenue with a cane in front of children walking home from school, is scheduled for arraignment Tuesday morning before Judge Lynn K. Stewart. A Baltimore Grand Jury indicted Knott October 11 for first-degree murder in the death of James Garrett, 56. Court documents allege that "on September 16 in the 1100 block of West 36th Street Charles Knott and James Garrett got into an altercation which resulted in Knott striking Garrett several times with a cane about the head. Garrett was transported to Union Memorial Hospital where he later died from his injuries."

Police are seeking help finding witnesses to yesterday's shooting of Edison Moran in Rockville. Police believe it may be related to a dispute in the parking lot of the Tijuana Mexican Cafe.

The attempted murder trial of William Crudup that was scheduled to begin today has been postponed until November 14, 2005 before Judge John Glynn. Crudup is accused of shooting two plainclothes Baltimore City police officers Andrew Lane and Joseph Banks who tried to arrest him on drug charges in March.

The attempted murder trial of Keyona Dillon began this morning before Judge Wanda K. Heard. Dillon, 15, is charged with attempted murder in connection to a stabbing of a 15-year old girl on May 31.

What responsibility does the State have to keep foster children safe? That's the daunting question before the Court of Appeals today.

A hearing is scheduled for 1:30 tomorrow afternoon for Keon Ceasar, 19, in Room 1, Eastside District Court at 1400 E. North Avenue. Court documents allege that on September 26 Ceasar assaulted a witness in the second degree and did by threat endeavor to intimidate the witness in the discharge of his/her duty. Ceasar allegedly assaulted and threatened a witness of a non-fatal shooting because of that witness' involvement in the investigation of the shooting. Ceasar is currently being held at the Baltimore City Detention Center.

Hidden amongst the vandalism and theft in the Police Blotter is the rape of a 17-year-old girl at a party in Owings Mills.

Jerome Owens, aka the convenience-store robber with the teardrop tattoo, was arrested in Canton.

A growing trend of defendants who boycott their own trials.

Dan Rodricks at the Sun wonders why there is a poker crackdown in Baltimore when one in every 2,350 city residents are being murdered.

Curfews are being enforced for the under-18 crowd at some local suburban malls. No word yet on curfews for the city's under-18 drug dealer crowd.

The son of former Oriole Pete Rose pled guilty to using and selling a steroid alternative called GBL. He's facing up to 20 years in prison. The junior Rose said that he and teammates used it to unwind after games.

The SEC settled the Ahold NV/ U.S. Foodservice accounting fraud case, fining seven individuals $25k each.

November 6

Michel Leo Rousseaux, 28, of Severna Park was found shot to death in Glen Burnie.

Edison Moran, 22, was found shot to death in a car in Rockville.

In Blair-Witchy Burtonsville, a 52-year-old woman shot her 39-year-old boyfriend Daniel Shuler to death.

Four people were shot, one fatally, outside of the teen hangout Culture Club in PGC.

A police officer's car hit a telephone pole when a suspect rammed his cruiser in the Southwest.

The cold-case burning of Fleming's Bakery in Annapolis has now been classified as arson.

Officers and visitors are in trouble for smuggling contraband into state prisons.

Not criminal, but should be: Scooter Libby's hobby of writing depraved "erotic" tales about bears and young Japanese girls. Ew, ew, ew.

November 5

An arrest has been made for the 1992 murders of Vanessa and Bianca Price. Darryl E. Green evaded capture for 13 years by assuming someone else's identity.

Antoine Adams, 32, got life in prison for his third murder, Penelope Medina. He is awaiting trial for the shooting death of Justin Gaglione. And rape, murder and robbery in the blotter also.

Fletcher Worrell, 58, has been implicated by DNA in at least 24 unsolved rapes in Maryland and New Jersey. Police believe he could be the "Silver Spring Rapist" wh attacked 21 women between 1987 and 1991. No word on when or if he'll face trial here.

A woman walking on a footpath in Halethorpe was assaulted and raped by a shortish white guy with green eyes in a hoodie.

An MTA bus driver was shot with a pellet gun.

Scary NJ fugitive Rakeen Baskerville was arrested in Edgewood. Police say he's part of a drug gang called Et-Hak, and he's wanted for murder, among other offenses.

Reginald Simms Jr. of Glen Burnie had one craptacular Sunday: he was shot in a cab, then arrested at the hospital on two unrelated felony warrants.

Probation officer Yolanda Johnson got 18 months in prison and three years' probation for extorting money from the drunk drivers she was supposed to be supervising.

November 4

Gov. Ehrlich has signed the death warrant for Wesley Eugene Baker. If Baker is put to death the week of December 5, he will be MD's fifth state-sponsored execution since the death penalty was reinstated by the Supreme Court in 1976. Baker was sentenced to die by lethal injection for the 1991 murder of Jane Tyson. Baker's appeals were rejected, but Baker got lucky when Glendening issued the death penalty moratorium in 2002.

The October 25 shooting death of Davon Eady, 30, was ruled a homicide. Also David Callahan, 37, was arrested and charged in the death of Gregory Morrison, 35.

Police are seeking murder suspect Daryl Chace (right).

The attempted murder trial of Rodney Hall, 19, Anthony Torrence, 50, William Johnson, 30, and Cameron Knuckles, 15, is scheduled to begin Monday before Judge Sylvester Cox. The Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted the defendants on May 20 for attempted first-degree murder, assault and handgun counts. Court documents allege that on April 20 the defendants tied up with duct tape and demanded money from a victim. The victim was shot twice in the chest, once in the right leg, twice in the left leg and once in the left arm.

Brian L. McCarty Jr. of Essex pled guilty to first-degree assault. He stabbed Christopher Tipton, 22, six times during a fight in Ocean City. Amazingly, Tipton survived.

The attempted murder trial of William Floyd Crudup, 25, is scheduled to begin Monday before Judge John M. Glynn. The Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted Crudup on April 18 for the shootings of Baltimore City Police officers Andrew Lane and Joseph Banks. Court documents allege that Crudup shot the two plain- clothes officers in the 3200 block of Elmley Avenue on March 12 2005. The officers had pursued Crudup in an attempt to arrest him for allegedly selling narcotics.

Michael Hughes, who got three years for shooting McKinley Johnson over a can of Spam in 1974, will face charges of stabbing a man on a Boston bus when he returns.

Suspect Richard Bassett, 68, is under arrest for attempting to kidnap a girl in Glen Burnie.

A rabbi and a Special Ed teacher lost their jobs after being featured in a Dateline NBC story about men who try to solicit sex with minors online. And another PG County teacher is in trouble, 36-year-old Pascal Brazey was arrested for raping a 14-year-old student.

Wow, eighty Texas Hold 'Em players were arrested in Pigtown.

In Harford County, police were called in to quell pandemonium when a handbag riot broke out.

Three Hopkins students were arrested last Saturday for serving an 18-year-old police cadet alcohol at a party.

November 3

A Baltimore City jury convicted Martinez Brown, 26, for the first-degree murder of Kelvin Knight, 18. The jury also convicted Brown of use of a handgun in the commission of a crime of violence. In the early morning hours of December 7, 2003 the victim, Kelvin Knight, was ordering take-out from New Land Chinese Carry Out at the corner of Montford and Biddle Streets in East Baltimore when he observed Brown arguing with a woman. Upon hearing the victim laugh, Brown turned to the victim and said, "Do you think I am playing?" He then pulled out a handgun, put it to the victim's forehead, and shot him three times in the head and once in the chest. As Brown ran from the scene after the murder, an eyewitness disabled him by striking him with his car, thereby allowing police to arrest him at the scene. Another eyewitness identified him at the scene.The jury returned its verdicts late yesterday after deliberating for approximately 90 minutes and hearing three days of testimony. Judge Wanda K. Heard ordered a pre-sentencing investigation and scheduled sentencing for January 18, 2006.

An unidentified man in his 20's was shot in the Park Heights area last night.

In Towson, 21-year-old T.U. student Benjamin R. Birch was arrested for stabbing 19-year-old Basha Jordan outside of a Halloween party.

The trial of Joseph DiAngelo, 51, for first-degree assault, witness intimidation and conspiracy to commit first-degree assault is scheduled to begin at 9:30 tomorrow morning before Judge Shirley M. Watts. The Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted DiAngelo April 5. Court documents allege DiAngelo hired two individuals to conduct a home invasion/assault on a witness in a pending assault case. The hired individuals entered the home armed with table legs to assault the victim/witness, who killed one of the individuals. The other, surviving home-invading assaulter, William Morton, pled guilty in September to burglary.

More on the first-day murder mistrial of Frank Rainey Jr.: apparently a police witness testified that Rainey said he had killed three other people (which is considered evidence of previous crimes and is, thus, inadmissible).

City Officers Angela Choi and Michael Maurice were assaulted during a car stop in the Western and treated at Shock Trauma for a broken arm apiece. Also at Shock Trauma last night was Frederick officer Nicole Swailes, injured when a traffic accident when a perp sped through a red light.

Gary Mitchell, 34, got nine years and two months for robbing a Wachovia bank branch in Catonsville.

The attempted murder, armed robbery trials of Dale Fauntleroy, 21, is scheduled to begin 9:30 tomorrow morning before Judge Watts, 406 Mitchell Courthouse. Fauntleroy's claim to fame is being shot twice by police in one year. Said Police Spokesman Matt Jablow to the Sun last year: "For any other city and for any other criminal justice system, this would be unbelievable. For ours, unfortunately, it's not."

As Governor Ehrlich goes to Capitol Hill to crow about Maryland's treatment for non-violent drug offenders, there's a two-year wait list for treatment. Says a judge, "most judges have come to the conclusion that ordering the [state health] department to obtain treatment is an exercise in futility." Adds a puzzled public defender, "I'm not sure if [Ehrlich] is aware that a program in his administration is not working."

Just before his scheduled trial was to begin, Darryll Purefoy, 34, of Liberty Road in Randallstown, pled guilty to sexual child abuse, second-degree rape and second-degree sexual child abuse. Judge Shirley M. Watts sentenced Purefoy to 15 years in prison, consecutive to a prison term he is already serving from a conviction in Baltimore County.

At a hearing today Stanley Short, 46, pled guilty to sexual abuse of a minor and third-degree sex offense before Judge Watts.
Watts sentenced Short to 15 years suspend all but five years for sexual abuse of minor and five years for a third-degree sex offense, concurrent. Short also received five years' probation. On July 16 Short sexually abused a nine-year-old child.

In Allegheny County, Steve Garrison, 53, was arrested for more than 40 counts of possessing child pornography.

Care for Some Torts? Dept.:
At least nine people have been charged with accounting fraud at U.S. Foodservice.

Judge Motz: if you own a bar and your bouncer kicks out some drunk chick and she sues you, your insurance company doesn't have to pay for it.

November 2

An unidentified man was stabbed to death in the Southwestern.

Police are seeking Jerome Owens, 26, left, for a string of convenience-store robberies. Tip: if you're going to go around robbing people, don't get a tattoo on your face.

Once again it's murder ink Wednesday. Five murders this week have bright the grim number to 225.

An abducted four-year-old boy was found walking along Liberty Road. The three suspects are still at large.

In BoCo, Jeffrey A. Ziegler, 29, pled guilty to the hit-and-run killing of William M. Ruffin, 42. Witnesses say Ziegler pulled over, got out of the car, then got back in and sped off.

In Harford County, opening statements begin today in the trial of Frank Vernon Rainey Jr., accused of murdering his "girlfriend" Crystal Marie Busta, 26, when she attempted to end the relationship. Update: A mistrial was declared and a new date will be set.

The Supreme Court is taking on Maryland v. Blake, at issue is whether or not Miranda violations can be remedied after the fact.

Shawn Blake, 19, was arrested for killing Kelvin Robertson, 25, last July.

An arrest was made for the killing of former BCity police officer Stanley Reaves. Thomas Alexander Porter, 30, was found in White Plains.

Two women, Carol Lee, 42 and Mary Atti, 48, pled guilty to running meth labs in Maryland and Pennsylvania.

Alvin Kotz, 70, got three years for running a gambling operation out of Timpano's Italian Chop House in Rockville.

MD Company W.R. Grace is facing tens of thousands of lawsuits from Montana natives poisioned by its mine and ore-sorting plant.

In Frederick County, someone stole $75k worth of rare bull semen.

November 1

An unnamed man was shot to death in Northwood.

A man was shot in the legs in the Southern, and in North Point double girl-on-girl stabbing action. Also in the blotter, four streetwalkers plying their trades were arrested near Patterson Park by one Officer Ogle.

There was an early-morning stabbing near Towson University.

Drunk, licenseless Charles Kirk Jr, 48, was arrested for the fatal hit-and-run of Sanjay Shetty at York and Bosley Roads on Saturday.

The family of Lamont Kennedy is asking for the public's help in finding the hit-and-run driver who killed him on Russell Street October 8.

Apparently one can be convicted of cocaine posession and distribution even if you don't posess any or distribute it-- being a lookout is enough.

Lots of stolen cars and armed stick-ups this week in the Northern.

Trials tomorrow:
The murder and attempted murder trial Emanuel Young, 24. Young is charged in three separate shooting incidents - five people were shot, one fatally. The Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted Young July 21, 2003 for the April 13, 2003 first-degree murder of Marcus Gordon, 20, in the 3000 block of Oakley Avenue. Two other men were wounded. Young was also indicted for the attempted murder of a 40-year old man who was shot June 11, 2003 in the 2300 block of West Fayette Street, as well as the attempted murder of a 21-year old female who was shot June 13, 2003 in the 2900 block of Oakley Avenue.

The murder trial of Terrence Wynn, 21, and Christopher Minor, 21, is scheduled to begin tomorrow before Judge John M. Glynn. The BCGJ indicted Wynn and Minor September 23, 2004 for first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder. Court documents allege that on August 30, 2004 Wynn and Minor shot to death Marshall Giles, 15, inside a home in the 3200 block of Lyndale Avenue.

The City Council is considering letting the city evict businesses and homeowners who violate noise ordinances twice in a one-year period. Quote of they day by Gene Carson, 71: "they just want to see how loud they can squeal."

Islam Abu Alrub, 39, got six years for embezzling $4.6 million from an Arbutus furniture company.

Baltimore City's own Stephanie L. Royster, Deputy State's Attorney and Chief of Staff and a 15-year veteran of the BC State's Attorney's Office, was named today to the Baltimore City Circuit Court by the governor. Also appointed was Barry Williams, 45. Unlike his more famous namesake, this Williams currently serves as special litigation counsel in the criminal section of the U.S. Department of Justice. He's a former law clerk for Judges Robert M. Bell and Arrie W. Davis and is a graduate of the University of Virginia (GO WAHOOS!) and earned his law degree at the University of Maryland School of Law.

October 31

Daryl Davis, 28, died eight hours after being shot in West Baltimore.

Robbery, burglary, robbery in the Blotter.

Wayne Wheeler, found guilty of murder in PG County, had his conviction overturned by the Court of Special Appeals, who found his right to a speedy trial was violated.

The honor system works! Troy Gross, who strolled out of Central Booking, strolled back in.

Cops to parents: while engrossed in the traditional fit of razor-in-the-apple paranoia, don't forget to panic about about the perverts!

Someone stole $100k worth of bling from Arundel Mills Mall.

Now the MD state bar's joined Judge Holland, CCouncil member Rikki Spector, court clerks and actually just about everybody in asking O'Malley, if you can use $305 million in public money to build a hotel, why don't we have a safe courthouse that dosn't smell like dirty feet and old salami?

A 15-year-old girl was arrested for trying to slash a boy, then a police officer in Waldorf.

Two more Nigerians have been sentenced in the BWI mail-fraud case.

Last Friday's football-game-thigh-shooting incident was determined to be an accident.

Cigarettes, purses, side mirrors and a sign that said "I'm beautiful inside" stolen in the beckoning bucolic backwater of Carroll County. Awww, there's even a town called Mayberry! But it wasn't so quiet... see Crybaby Bridge.

October 30

Friday a BC Grand Jury indicted William Langley, 48, of Parkville in connection to the shooting death of Nae Chun Pak, 46. Court documents allege that on October 3, 2005 in the 600 block of Cherry Hill Road Langley and Pak got into an altercation about a food order that Langley had placed in the victim's carry out store. Langley was returned his money and left the store, only to return a short time later and fatally shot Pak in the head.

A former Baltimore City police officer, Stanley Cornell Reaves, was killed in the line of duty in Norfolk, VA.

Warning, depressing, disheartening tale: charges were dropped against a guy who shot murder witness Benjamin H. Paige.

Dontae Nicholas, 24, is being held without bail for first-degree murder in the death of Montrell Williams, 21.

At a hearing Friday, Timothy Hawkins, 33, pled guilty to second-degree murder. Judge Wanda K. Heard sentenced him to 22 years in prison, consecutive to a 45 year term Hawkins is currently serving. On May 11, 2003 Hawkins stabbed to death Latonia Shuler, 35, of the 400 block of South Augusta Avenue. Police discovered her body at the unit block alley, South Culver Street. A Baltimore City jury convicted Hawkins of second-degree murder on January 19, 2005 for the September 5, 2003 stabbing death of Durri Emmannuel, 27, of the 3900 block of Chatham Road. Police discovered her body in the parking lot of Windsor Mill Elementary School.

The attempted murder trial of Johnnie Hawkins started last week.

Is there a Baltimore drug connection to the shooting death of Jam Master Jay? This guy says yes, his relatives say no.

A Glen Burnie teenager shot a 17-year-old girl in the thigh at a football game.

In Annapolis, a 17-year-old drew a gun on his friends, and someone robbed Bubba the Clown.

Troy Gross, left, is the third escapee this week. How did the robbery suspect get out of Central Booking? Says a Corrections Dept. spokesman, he "apparently walked out of the facility." I guess as opposed to, say, using a rocket-propelled jet-pack.

Ralph Marion Debaufre Jr. was arrested for the attempted abduction of a woman in Columbia.

Don't smoke pot in Hagerstown-- they'll make you do community service.

I was way off with the war figures. "Only" 29 Marylanders have been killed in Iraq. While we're counting, 2011 Americans have died (higher than Vietnam* three years in) and between 26,000 and 30,000 Iraqi civillians.

*Vietnam's final U.S. casualties totalled 58,209.

October 28

Twenty-four-year-old Nelson Urbina died Tuesday morning after being beaten with a bat outside his O'Donnell Heights home in Southeast Baltimore on Monday night. He is the 224th homicide victim in Baltimore this year. A reward is being offered for information that leads to an arrest.

In Baltimore County, 21-year-old Parkville resident Montrell Dawaan Williams was shot to death at a party in Towson after arguing with another man. A suspect has been arrested.

James Carl Combs, who was found guilty of molesting two boys while an assitant Scoutmaster in the early 1980s, will not have to sign up with the sex offender registry. Cecil County Judge O. Robert Lidums declared that since Combs' crimes pre-dated Megan's Law, he does not have to join the registry. Combs was sentenced by Lidums to three months in the county jail and three months house arrest.

Despite the staggering estimates that about 10 percent of the Baltimore City population are drug addicts, it appears that drug and alcohol use is decreasing among Maryland teenagers, especially teenagers in the city. The Maryland Dept. of Education partially credits increased drug awareness programs of the past 15 years. The downside is that even though city teenagers aren't doing drugs, they are continuing to sell them in ever-increasing numbers.

Dan Rodricks continues writing about his plea for the city's drug players to go straight. Today's installment discusses how the BPD's more aggressive arrests helped inspire several dealers to consider leaving the game.

In the "beware of Trojans bearing gifts" department (or the "why are there so many freaky pervs in MD" dept) Glynis E. Neale won a $250,000 civil judgment against Anthony O'Neal, a friend who had given her a television and clock radio. It turned out that the gifts contained hidden cameras with which O'Neal monitored and videotaped Neale from a van parked outside her house.

Two teenagers were arrested for the vandalism at the Wicomico County Airport Civil Air Patrol office over the weekend.

And in other airport news, 46-year-old Olushola Oladapo was sentenced to five years in prison for her participation in an identity theft conspiracy based out of BWI. Oladapo's husband, a former baggage handler for Southwest Airlines, was sentenced to 14 years in prison for stealing mail from flights departing from BWI.

Lawyers for Akiba Matthews, the visionary director behind the Stop Snitchin' DVD, say that the police have a vendetta against him. Hard to imagine, isn't it?

Richard Palumbo, the PG County Judge who dropped the protective order against Roger Hargrave, has been reassigned to administrative duties. Three weeks after the order was removed, Hargrave walked into the T-Mobile store where his wife worked, poured gasoline on her, and set her on fire. She is still in the hospital.

As a result of a supposedly different kind of crime, funeral services were held for 21-year-old Lance Cpl. Norman W. Anderson III, a Marine and Parkton resident who was killed by a suicide bomber in Karabilah on October 19. Anderson's survivors include his wife Tori, to whom he was married for less than three months.

October 27

TFGawd, Cory McMillon is back behind bars after being arrested at 2 a.m. this morning at the Duke's Motel on Route 40.

Before his scheduled murder trial was to begin today, Ross H. Talp, 19, pled guilty to the second-degree murder of his mother, Margo Antoinette Baker, and to a deadly weapon charge. Under terms of the plea agreement announced in open court he faces a maximum prison term of 33 years when Judge John M. Glynn sentences him on January 4, 2006.

Say what? A jury acquitted Akiba Matthews on all counts.

A HoCo judge will rule in November if the interrogation video of Melissa B. Harton will be admissable in court. Harton is accused of strangling Natasha Bacchus to death in Columbia. Both women were persuing doctoral degrees in psychology at Loyola.

At a hearing today, Donald Washington, 20, of West Franklin Street, pled guilty to the second-degree murder of Andrea Butler-Carroll, age two. Judge Wanda K. Heard scheduled sentencing for January 18, 2006. On September 23, 2004 Washington beat to death Andrea Butler-Carroll, his girlfriend's daughter, at their residence in the 1900 bock of West Franklin Street.

I agree with Galt, sending juvenile offenders out of state is a great idea. To heck with Iowa, why not Syria?

The murder trial of Keith Garrett, originally scheduled for today, has been postponed at the request of the defense until January 31, 2006 before Judge John Glynn.

The Rogers Forge Perv has struck before, as evinced by two pre-teens' matching descriptions of an SUV-driving 30-something guy sporting excessive amounts of hair product.

October 26

Welcome to my new co-blogger Chuck!

The two people murdered on N. Belnord St. in East Baltimore on Tuesday, October 18, have been identified as 31-year-old Stanley Dorsey and 16-year-old William Kirkpatrick, and the man shot to death in a car on October 14 has been identified 32-year-old Jeffrey Skinner. Yesterday saw two more murder victims in Baltimore City, with the deaths of Dominic King in the Southeast district and an unidentified man in the 1800 block of Guilford. Murder Ink reports that the BPD has determined the October 13 death of Bruce Turner in the Northern district's Evergreen neighborhood to be homicide by beating, which brings the 2005 murder toll to 223.

After PG County's triumph in locating Pedro Guifarro, Baltimore City upped the ante by losing 28-year-old Corey Antwon McMillon. McMillon, who was under arrest for the murder of 18-year-old Jamel St. Clair (see October 20), escaped from central Baltimore's Mercy Medical Center after attacking the corrections officer who was escorting him. McMillon is considered extremely dangerous and extremely free.

William James Mitchell of Havre de Grace was sentenced to 70 years for attempting to murder his wife and a friend who witnessed the attack. It's difficult to summarize any news story that contains the phrase "Picasso of the devil", so just follow the link as you see fit.

A group of judges are criticizing policies regarding drug treatment for addicts who have been criminally detained. In some cases, there is an 18 month wait for treatment, which is often longer than some inmates' sentences. Ironically, the drug treatment can actually be less expensive than housing prisoners in a traditional facility.

Jason Lester Russell stole a $57,000 Mercedes from a holding lot in Southeast Baltimore where new cars arrive from Europe. After hitting an unmarked police car, Russell stopped at an apartment complex and ran off with what appeared to be a load of packages. Apparently, Russell learned an important lesson from Gregory A. Alston: never leave behind personal belongings when you've stolen a car.

The Sun Police Blotter has a butcher knife attack and a senior citizen carjacker.

A streak of vandalism in Salisbury resulted in several overturned mailboxes, broken driveway lights, and a spray painted swastika and "KKK" on a Civil Air Patrol office in Salisbury.

Theresa Williamson, a bank teller manager at Wachovia, pleaded guilty to embezzling over $35,000 from her employer since 2002. She returned the money, and now faces up to 30 years in prison.

Baltimore residents are pretty used to witness intimidation, but Anne Arundel attorneys are fighting a case of lawyer intimidation.

Upcoming Trials This Week
The murder trial of Keith Montrell Garrett, 34, is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. before Judge John M. Glynn. A Baltimore City Grand jury indicted Garrett on January 15, 2004 for first-degree murder, kidnapping, and abduction in connection with the disappearance of Timothy Antonio Washington, 7, who was last seen on September 11, 1992 in the 800 block of Hilton Parkway. The body of the victim has never been recovered.

Ross Talp, 19, of Park Heights Avenue, is scheduled for first-degree murder and deadly weapon trial at 9 a.m. tomorrow before Judge John M. Glynn. Talp was indicted on June 3 for first-degree murder and for the use of a deadly weapon in connection with the death of his mother, Margo Antoinette Baker. On April 27 Talp called police to report his mother had been missing since the day before. On May 5 an anonymous tipster contacted the Baltimore City Police Homicide Unit and informed them that Talp killed his mother and dumped her body in the woods. Talp then allegedly confessed to the murder and told detectives that the body was in Leakin Park.

Christopher Nathan Porter, 17, is scheduled for trial at 9:30 a.m. on Friday before Judge Wanda Keyes Heard. A Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted Porter July 6 for first-degree murder, use of a handgun in the commission of a felony crime of violence, and handgun on person in connection with the fatal shooting of Damon Aldridge, 23. Court documents allege that on May 15 police officers with emergency medial personnel responded to 100 Diener Place for a shooting. Aldridge was found lying unresponsive on the pavement suffering from gunshot wounds to the head and torso and was pronounced dead at the scene. Porter was identified through eyewitness accounts.

October 25

At a hearing today Judge Glynn sentenced Richard A. Damon, Jr., 35, and Antoine Adams, 32, of the 500 block of Patterson Park Avenue for two counts of second-degree murder for the shooting deaths of Theresa Moore, 51, and Michael Mick, 40. Glynn sentenced Adams to two consecutive life without parole sentences and 40 years, consecutive, to the life sentences. Judge Glynn sentenced Damon to two 20-year prison terms, concurrent. A city jury convicted Adams in August of two counts of first-degree murder and handgun violations. Damon pled guilty last month to two counts of second-degree murder. On January 20, 2005, Theresa Moore and Michael Mick were shot and killed inside of their home in the 800 block of Bradford Street by Adams while he and Damon were participating in a robbery at that address. No news if they will also be tried for the murder of Justin Gaglione.

The felony narcotics trial of Akiba "Stop Snitchin" Matthews, 32, of N. Monroe Street, is scheduled to begin 9:30 tomorrow morning before Judge John Themelis. The BC Grand Jury indicted Matthews March 25 for two counts of possession and possession with intent to distribute heroin and cocaine. If convicted on all counts, Matthews could face a maximum prison term of 40 years. Court documents allege that on February 28 police executed a search and seizure warrant at Matthews' address and confiscated heroin, cocaine and US currency.

The murder trial of Bryant Thompson, originally scheduled for today, has been postponed at the request of the defense until January 25, 2006.

The trial of Charles Carroll, originally scheduled for today, has been postponed by joint request for the bazillionth time to January 24, 2006.

A Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted Walter Robinson, 27, yesterday of one count of sexual abuse of a minor under the age of 18; three counts of third-degree sexual offense; three counts of four-degree sexual offense; and four counts of second-degree assault. Sexual abuse of a minor carries a maximum prison term of 25 years and third-degree sexual offense carries a maximum prison term of 10 years. Court documents allege that Walter Robinson, Jr. sexually assaulted a 15-year-old student. The alleged assaults occurred during the time frame of August 2005 to October 2005 at the Benjamin Franklin Junior High School.

Edward Lee, 34, is scheduled for a first-degree murder arraignment 9:30 a.m. tomorrow before Judge Lynn K. Stewart in connection with the shooting death of Terrell Dinkins. Lee was indicted on September 30 for first-degree murder, handgun on person, and handgun used in commission of a felony and crime of violence. Court documents allege that on June 20, 2004 police found the body of Terrell Dinkins in wooded area around the 500 block of South Wickham Road, dead as a result of several shots. Through police investigation, Edward Lee was arrested and charged with Dinkins' murder.

And entires by Chuck! Maybe Chuck will be my new partner in crime.. ooh please say yes!

Anthony Heck was killed in South Baltimore as he and a friend were being robbed of $10.00.

In Baltimore County, Denise Lechner pled guilty yesterday to Child Abuse Resulting in Death with regards to her 3-year-old son, Roy. The cause of death wasn't clear, but the medical examiner "found the boy had an untreated strep throat infection, had not been fed properly and had injuries suggesting asphyxiation as a possible cause of death."

"What's frightening about this case, to me, is that if we have to worry about students like Javon Clark, then who shouldn't we be worried about?" A quote from Baltimore County Circuit Judge Dana M. Levitz about the 20-year sentence of Clark. Clark's strong academic accomplishments were mentioned during the trial, where he was found guilty of attempted armed robbery in the death of teacher William Bassett. In true Baltimore fashion, race became the issue of the day, with Clark's minister stating, "The only thing he didn't come right out and say is that African-Americans don't raise their children right, that we don't put morals in our children."

53-year-old Howard County high school teacher Nadia Eliasson was charged with shoplifting after trying to steal $850 worth of merchandise from Lord & Taylor in Columbia. There is no word yet from Eliasson's minister as to whether these charges are insulting to school teachers everywhere.

Way to go Ohio: After being mistakenly released by PG Circuit Court Judge Vincent J. Femia in early October, Pedro Guifarro was arrested while working in an auto repair shop in Cleveland under a fake name. Guifarro is charged with first-degree murder.

Cedric Stancil was convicted of first-degree murder in the 2003 shooting death of Edwin Boyd, a death that stemmed from an argument about "someone stepping on another person's foot."

Ground is being broken today on construction to turn the Dawson house into The Dawson House, a "drug-free haven for young people".

Robberies, arrests, and mistaken identity in the Sun Blotter.

An 8th grader in Middletown put together an 18-name hit list of fellow students.

The FBI is saying that there is, as of now, no evidence to indicate any truth to last week's terror threat that closed both Baltimore harbor tunnels. But four people got deported anyway.

An 8-year-old girl committed the season's first act of bearicide. She's going to make him into a rug. Awww!

October 23

Another murder in Parkville: 24-year-old Jason Booker.

Yikes, police are looking for a man in a black SUV tried to abduct an 11-year-old girl in Rogers Forge. The brave and plucky lass fought him off, kicking and screaming.

Ah, Carroll County and its poignantly proletarian pilferings warm my heart: lumber, a Honda hood-release cable, construction tools.

Wow, the Gaza strip is safer than Baltimore city!

October 22

Jerome Green III, 19, died of complications from his stab wounds he got on October 12 in Randallstown. Donnie Paul Jackson, 22, and Andre P. Holmes, 22, have been arrested. And A 14-year-old Steve McKnight was stabbed Thursday during a robbery.

A man was found dead on a burned boat at Mears Point Marina on Kent Island.

Ten video game stores in the area have been robbed since May.

The state is continuing to investigate the liquor board.

Bank robbery, pot smoking and a purse snatched outside Marley Station Mall in the Capital Police Beat.

Thieves broke into the White Marsh Giant twice on the same day to steal cigarettes.

A pair of Jewish lesbian moms joined the lawsuit on same-sex marraige in Maryland. Whatever happened with that case, anyway?

October 21

Hakim Jordan-El, 20, and Christopher Giles have been arrested for the murders of Howard Thacker and Dante Rodney Thacker in Owings Mills.

The narcotics and murder trial of Asmar Rashad Holland, 17, is scheduled to begin 9:30 Monday morning before Judge John M. Glynn. A Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted Holland February 26, 2004 for first-degree murder. Court documents allege that on December 1, 2003 Holland shot and killed Earl Ross, 39, at his home in the 600 block of Bartlett Street. A Baltimore City Grand Jury also indicted Holland March 15, 2004 on possession with intent to distribute, unlawful possession, possession with intent to manufacture heroin.

The trial of criminal genius Gregory A. Alston, 20, is scheduled for 9:30 Monday morning before Judge Wanda K. Heard. A Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted Alston June 16 with two counts of carjacking, two counts of robbery with a deadly weapon, two counts of second-degree assault, one count of theft under $500, one count of theft over $500, one count of car theft and one count of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. If convicted on all counts, Alston could receive a maximum prison sentence of 144 years. From the AP archive:

A suspect takes a car at gunpoint and drives it around for two weeks before the owner spots the car and has it towed. The thief then calls police to report "his" car stolen.

Those events seemed so improbable that Baltimore police detective Gregory Jenkins felt compelled to end his report of the incident with the admonition, "Again, this really happened."

"Another detective told me, 'Greg, you had to make this up,'" the detective told The (Baltimore) Sun.

Police charged Gregory Alston, 20, Tuesday with armed robbery, possession of a stolen car and a handgun violation.

Police say the carjacking occurred about 10:30 p.m. on April 20 when two women reported that a man armed with a silver handgun and wearing a black bandanna approached them while they were parked on a street in northeast Baltimore. The women said the gunman ordered them out of their car and sped off.

Tuesday, one of the women spotted the stolen car in front of an apartment building about a half-mile from where it had been taken.

She called police who towed it to the department's Northeast District station.

Two hours later, a man called police and reported the car stolen.

Officers brought the man back to the station for questioning. At first, police said, he insisted he had bought the car for $1,700 on March 11. Eventually, he confessed to the robbery.

Why did he report it stolen?

The suspect told police he had left his wallet in the car.

A man changing clothes in the back seat of his Buick was shot in the arm by assailants. Also in the blotter, car thieves with remarkably bad taste.

In Howard County, the medical examiner has ruled the death of Juan Miguel Gonzales, 50, a homicide, and Wayne Holder, 32, got life for shooting Bruce Solomon, 34, over drug money.

In PG County, a teacher who was attacked by a baseball-bat wielding student is back in the classroom.

Yvette Cade's family is asking for the dismissal of Judge Richard Palumbo (left). But really now, would that be fair? After all, Judge Robert E. Cahill gave a guy a year and half for shooting his wife to death, and has more than 15 complaints against him, yet was appointed to the Circuit Court by Ehrlich. And then there's notorious old Bollinger, right, still around in spite of giving a guy probation for rape and calling sex with a passed-out teenager "the dream of a lot of males."

October 20

Antonio Williamson, age 16, Sean Howard, 17, and Percy Johnson, 17 were sentenced today. For shooting two teenagers on October 21, 2004 in front of Thurgood Marshall High School, Howard and Johnson got 45 years each: 25 years for first-degree assault and 20 years consecutive for use of an handgun in the commission of a crime of violence. Judge Glynn sentenced Antonio Williamson to 15 years: two concurrent 10-year sentences for two second-degree assaults and one consecutive five-year sentence for reckless endangerment.

Following a double shooting of a 30-year-old man and a 16-year-old boy in East Baltimore, the murder count is up to 219.

Corey McMillon, 28, is scheduled for a first-degree murder arraignment 9:30 a.m. Friday, October 21 before Judge John P. Miller in connection with the shooting death of Jamel Jermaine St. Clair, 17 (left). McMillon was indicted on September 26 for first-degree murder, handgun on person, and handgun used in commission of a felony and crime of violence. He was also indicted on several other counts, including robbery deadly weapon, first-degree and second-degree assault, and additional handgun violations. Court documents allege that on April 1 McMillon fatally shot St. Clair in the 2000 block of East North Avenue. McMillon approached St. Clair and started to go through his pockets. When St. Clair attempted to run, McMillon pulled out a gun and shot him multiple times. McMillon is currently in the city jail awaiting trial on a double shooting. Jamel left behind a girlfriend, Shyeva Cornish, who is pregnant with his child.

Police believe that 18-year-old Christopher Gilesin is responsible for the murders of Howard Thacker Jr. and his nephew Dante Thacker at the Village Mill Court apartments in Owings Mills on October 1.

An 80-page 30-count indictment for racketeering, fraud and so on following a two-year federal investigation into the dealings of ex-state senator Thomas L. Bromwell, his wife Mary Pat and Kent Co. President W. David Stoffregen.

Remingtonians Amanda Johnson, 23, and Clyde Meadows, 26, are the first in Baltimore to be charged with felony witness intimidation. They each face 20 years. The allegedly threatened witness identified Timothy Meadows and Kenneth George as the men who shot 21-year-old Paige Boyd during an argument June 25 on Miles Avenue in Remington.

Burglary, robbery and a teenager shot twice in Parkville by a man in an Acura.

Police Captain Don Roby to Dundalk residents: kids in big t-shirts calling themselves 'the Crew' are not a gang.

Taye Willie Lynn, 19, pled guilty in Anne Arundel County Circuit Court to two counts of arson for setting his parents' house on fire in Arnold. The lawyers agree the fire was "a cry for help" -- he thought his parents loved his brother more. As punishment, he's being sent home with his parents.

Also in AA County an officer shot a pit bull after it attacked him. Scary: "[Officer] Heinecke then shot the dog in the face and the animal retreated temporarily before it attacked again."

Interesting trivia: in 1919, the population of Baltimore was 770k+, greater than it is today. There were 842 police officers (today there are about 3,000) and the total homicides for the year = 21.

October 19

The Ink reports five murders this week, bringing the total to 214.

A 32-year-old man was shot three times in the chest in front of Woodington Market in Southwest Baltimore.

More on the shooting death of Kenneth Brian Kertesz. A source believes that the shooter, Michael Wayne Baxter, mistakenly believed his girlfriend was having an affair with the victim.

By now everybody knows about the Egyptian store owner and the thing about the tunnels. As of last night the FBI had found no evidence to corroborate the threat, though four people were arrested on immigration charges at businesses with Middle Eastern connections.

It's rare that the news makes one feel actually, physically queasy, but today's pervert roundup might just: A Cecil County middle school teacher has been arrested for "inappropriately touching" the thigh of an 11-year-old student. A 62-year-old Carroll County jail guard and the county's 2004 Correctional Officer of the Year was charged yesterday with sexually assaulting a minor. And a 20-year-old nursing home employee sexually attacked a 90-year-old resident.

Stolen cars, things stolen from cars and a pizza delivery guy robbed by a man named Eqhosa Ehigiamysoe in the blotter.

A doctor in Potomac, Pradeep Srivastava is accused of evading $16 million worth of taxes.

In the TDR Law Summary, insurance fraud, a federal civil rights inquiry into the Sept. 30 shooting of Dany W. Rosales, and Ehrlich's Zen koan: "If people don't feel safe, we don't have a state. We don't have a culture or society."

October 18

A man was shot in the stomach in Woodlawn.

GeezLouise-- HoCo Police captain Tara Nelson is in trouble after trying to run her husband and his motorcycle over with her car, and on a separate occassion, holding a gun to his head. She should've talked to Kevin Clark's wife, who threw a phone at her husband's head and got him fired.

Speaking of, I wonder what happened to Stanford Franklin, the police officer fired for pointing out that the Organized Crime Divison had more cars than it could effectively use.

Isn't it ironic? Alfredo Contreras fled to Maryland to escape Hurricane Rita, only to be shot to death while trying to break up a fight.

A jury has been seated in the trial for the murder of Marylander Melvin Burns, killed 13 years ago in Oklahoma City. A DNA match implicated one Terrence Gage. And in Charles County, police are seeking the public's help to solve the 1973 murder of George Allan MacDonald.

Here's a list of Baltimore massage parlors that offer happy endings. Notes a 'reporter': "the hype about getting busted by cops is, IMHO, overblown. Hardly ever see them." (Don't forget to tip.)

How nice, a new local newspaper, the Baltimore Examiner! The company is based in Denver and intends to rake in most of its ad $ via inserted supplemental sections (watch out, Pennysaver). However, most of us will never get a chance to read it, as it will be distributed mostly in "affluent"* neighborhoods.

*Usually defined in the ad world as households with <$100k annual income and <$500k in net worth-- currently about 10 percent of MD residents.

October 17

The murder trial of Aaron Bell, 18; Derrick Davis, 18; Xavier Lewis, 18, and James Robinson, 19, will begin tomorrow at 9:30 a.m. before Judge John M. Glynn. The Grand Jury indicted the defendants March 28 for first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder and assault counts in connection with a homicide that occurred on February 23. Court documents allege that the defendants shot and killed Reginald Gray, 18, while he was a passenger in a car. Three other victims in the car also sustained injuries in the shooting.

The Court of Special Appeals confirmed Jovan House's first-degree murder conviction in the shooting death of police detective Thomas Gary Newman. Newman was shot nine times outside of Joe's Tavern in Dundalk in retaliation for testifying in a previous case against a defendant, Andre Travers, who shot him in the neck.

Theodore Bratis, 26, of Dundalk, has been arrested and charged with first-degree murder in the Friday night stabbing death of Gregory Takacs, 20.

In the blotter, Dyron Hardnett, 27, was stabbed in the face but drove himself to the hospital, and a woman in Dundalk was shot in the face in a "domestic incident."

An officer in the North Point Precinct fatally mowed down a teenager on a bicycle.

Edward J. Stresewski, 32, of Baltimore was indicted in Stafford County VA for possession of burglary tools, possession of marijuana with the intent to distribute, conspiracy, two counts of fraudulent use of identification, attempted burglary and tampering with a vending machine.

Attn CV muggers: now that the hubub about the Ensler and Trinh murders has died down, Hopkins van service will now stop running at 10 p.m., effectively stranding any students caught out late at night. However, Captain George Kibler said, "If we've got a young lady out there by herself, we'll get her." Perhaps the Captain is unaware that statistically men are significantly more likely to be victims of violent crime than women, and more likely to be assaulted by strangers in public places. Or maybe he's just sexist.

Not only are skirts no good at being mugged, you can't even trust em with the laundry: Pamela Y. Hoffler-Riddick, 44, a mother of two and former edcation official who was employed in Baltimore, PG, MoCo and Virginia has pled guilty to five counts of money laundering for a $20 million drug ring. She faces 100 years, with time off for perfect makeup, flawless skin and a remorseful headshot to die for. Photo left, Bill O'Leary, WashPost.

October 16

Three Marylanders were killed in Iraq when their Humvee was rear-ended, including Brian Connor, a 32-year-old city firefighter and grandfather. Thirty-three Marylanders have now died in "Operation Iraqi Freedom."

Dos hombres mataron a una mujer en el condado de Somerset.

A man stabbed to death in Dundalk Friday night was identified as 20-year-old Gregory Joseph Takacs.

Butterfingers! A 25 year-old gang member and murder defendant was mistakenly released in PG County.

Enviro-crime that makes you go hmm: traces of pharmaceuticals in the runoff from the Blue Plains sewage treatment plant, which serves VA and DC as well as Montgomery and PG counties, has created mutant fish and bivavles with "bizarre sexual traits".

Speaking of MoCo, a 17-year-old employee of Jerry's Subs was stabbed during a robbery attempt.

So MoCo isn't perfect, but overall the county's crime is down 12 percent and it has excellent schools, and the powers that be are supposedly adding police and correctional officers. And Silver Spring has been cleaned up (nowhere near the challenge of Baltimore City, but it's something). Because of that, this site is endorsing Doug Duncan for dem. candidate/governor. BTW does anyone know-- if O'Malley loses the gubernatorial thing, will he still be mayor? Or will we be electing a new mayor at the same time? And if so, who's running?

October 15

A passenger and driver were shot then crashed yesterday morning in the 3300 block of Frederick Avenue.

In the Annapolis Area, Delbert Maurice Owens stabbed his estranged wife, Andterri Ora Thompson, and himself in front of their 11-year-old son. Both adults were flown to Shock Trauma in Baltimore.

See your tax dollars at work and scare the kids straight from 9 a.m. to noon today at a free tour of Baltimore County's new jail at Kenilworth and Bosley!

How did Gilbert Sapperstein, who pleaded guilty in May to conspiracy, bribery and theft in connection with a scheme to defraud the city school system of $3.3 million, get his jail time cut in half?

Neighbors in the York Road corridor have started a crime watch listserv. Also in the Messenger, stolen mopeds, CDs and wallets.

In White Marsh an officer is on routine administrative leave after shooting a gun-toting car thief from Essex in the elbow.

October 14

A 21-year-old former football player, Brandon Cherry, was shot dead as he resisted getting mugged near the Northwood shopping center.

A Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted Ronald McClary, 59, of West Pratt Street in connection with the shooting death of his wife, Eartha McClary, 44. Court documents allege that on September 20 Ronald McClary shot his wife in front of their home. McClary is currently being held without bail at the Baltimore City Detention Center. An arraignment is scheduled for November 8 before Judge Lynn Stewart.

The murder trial of Cedric Stancil, 30, is scheduled to begin 9:00 a.m. Monday, October 17 before Judge Eward Hargadon. The BCity Grand Jury indicted Stancil March 1, 2004, for the July 9, 2003 shooting death of Edwin Boyd, 17, in the 2300 Block of E. Oliver Street. Stancil was also indicted for conspiracy to murder and felony narcotics charges.

The murder trial of Tavon Blackstone, 25, Eric Kendall Colclough, 29,and Brandon Hall, 18, and William Younger Woodland, 25, is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Monday before Judge Edward Hargadon. The Baltimore Grand Jury indicted all four men April 7 for first-degree murder. Court documents allege that Blackstone, Colclough, Hall and Woodland conspired to murder Lawrence Fields, Jr., 17. Fields was shot inside a residence located in the 2600 block of Huron Street.

In the blotter, the woman shot in her home near Rogers avenue was identified as 39-year-old Sandy Crawford. A man shot in Leakin Park (first I've heard of the incident) was identified as Stephen Robinson, 55. No word if his soul will be wandering in purgatory in time for the haunted hike.
The judge who dismissed Yvette Cade's proective order has been removed from domestic violence cases by the court's chief administrative judge, Thurman Rhodes.

More insanity in PG County (I try to just focus on BCity, but on the other hand it's kind of hard to ignore an entire county falling into violent anarchy): Keith Ingaharra of Clinton, was shot about four times with a handgun Wednesday after arguing with Alfred Evans, 39 during a road rage incident.

Case to watch: the second time, Easton police have arrested a woman for giving birth to a crack baby. Stephanie Robbins, 24, is being held on $25,000 bail for child abuse, reckless endangerment and drug possession.

... other recent ACLU project: complaining about the Christian comedy show "Attitude Check: A Pizza Blast with Rick and Mick." (Would Katie O'Malley Simpson be Martin's sister?)

In Elkton, police are seeking Thomas Johnson, 41, a convict who escaped through a prison laundry vent.

Trial starts today for Randallstownian Daniel Baldwin, accused of securities fraud in the eChapman.com case.

October 13

We're up to 209 murders, the majority of this week's unreported until Ditkoff found them. Glad to hear there's been an arrest in the murder of Abdul-Bari Muhammad, the 17-year-old shot in the parking lot of Mondawmin Mall. The arrestee is 18.

Think we've got it bad? Well, we do, but in PG County, murder is up 18 percent, carjackings are up 55 percent and robberies are up 34 percent from last year.

And more horrors from PG county: Yvette Cade, the woman whose soon-to-be ex-husband set her on fire, just weeks ago pled with judge Richard Palumbo not to dismiss a protective order she taken out against Hargrove filed in July, to no avail.

Oswald Victor Voigt, 48, pled not guilty this morning for first-degree murder in connection with the death of Robin Hoey, 36. A Baltimore Grand Jury indicted Voigt on September 9. Court documents allege on August 9 police officers found the body of Robin Hoey inside a safe. The Medical Examiner concluded that Hoey died as a result of asphyxiation and ruled it a homicide. Voigt confessed the murder to investigators.

In Dundalk, 23-year-old Sarah Glover got 15 years in prison for paying 18-year-old Kevin Martin to beat up Joseph Salisbury, an ex-bf who kicked her out for drug use. Martin got 30 years.

Marco Silver, 36, was shot in the head in a Towson apartment.

David Braxton, charged with witness intimidation, failed to appear for his scheduled arraignment today. Judge Lynn Stewart issued a warrant for his arrest. Braxton had previously posted $50,000 bail.

A 20-year-old was stabbed in the forehead then wandered into an elementary school in Randallstown.

A Glen Burnie man, Dexter Bert Tyson, 31, is facing life without parole in Federal prison on drug and weapons charges.

Jessamy and Glenn laid into the parole commission, saying their methods are "impossible to sort out" and "arcane and mysterious, beyond all understanding." Hey bitchin, there also appears to be no password needed get into the law digest, either! Thanks Raymond, way to keep the little rag relevant.

And it's arrest-o-rama in the blotter. Police say that they made a record number of arrests in July and August.

A 21-year-old "dad," Paul James Jr., has been arrested for making the bomb that the 17-month-old drank while in grandma's care.

Oh, you wacky addicts, stealing lightpoles. And speaking of HotSpots, where's the scrap metal yard that would buy a city lightpole, no questions asked? I agree with you, 'non-- HotSpots are stupid. First the gun buyback and now this, what's with the City resurrecting techniques that are proven failures? How about a little window-fixing action for a change?

Chuck makes a point: only in Baltimore could a 35-year-old woman be beaten to death in her home with shovels and only get a single, passing mention in the local media.

October 12

No suspects, no motive in the shooting death of a woman in the Northeastern.

Jerrod Bernard Byers, 22, was shot three times near North Avenue and died about two hours later at Shock Trauma.

Coyotes were thwarted by a cell phone with a GPS chip when they tried to abduct 22-year-old Hugo Umana.

Got a smack habit to the nth degree? While you wait for a bed to free, do tai chi and drink chai tea at the city's Threshold to Recovery! Meanwhile, the County has been forced to suck it up, pay $20K and allow a methadone clinic to open in Pikesville.

The city's going after intimidators: An arraignment hearing is scheduled for 9:30 tomorrow morning for David Braxton, 24. Court documents allege that on March 14, 2005 Braxton did threaten and harass two witnesses in a shooting investigation.

"No bail" status for Roger Hargraves, accused of setting his wife on fire.

October 11

Osborne Robinson, Jr., 59, of E. 33rd Street, is scheduled for arraignment at 9:30 tomorrow morning before Judge Lynn K. Stewart for manslaughter in connection with the death of James Royster, 58. A Baltimore Grand Jury indicted Robinson on August 30. Court documents allege on Wednesday, July 6, 2005 Royster was sitting on his front steps in the 1800 block of North Bond Street when he was approached by Robinson. Words were exchanged between the two men which led to an altercation. Afterward, Royster was in severe pain and transported to Johns Hopkins Hospital where he fell into a coma. Royster remained in a coma and on life support until his family decided to remove him from life support on July 14, 2005. Robinson is currently released on a $50,000 bail.

Jessamy announced today that a Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted Charles Benedict Knott Sr. 51, of the 1300 block of Clipper Heights Avenue in connection with the death of James Garrett, 56. Court documents allege that on September 16, 2005 in the 1100 block of West 36th Street Charles Knott and James Garrett got into an altercation which resulted in Knott striking Garrett several times with a cane about the head. Garrett was transported to Union Memorial Hospital where he later died from his injuries. Knott is currently being held without bail at the Baltimore City Detention Center.

What the ?! In Clinton a man went into the T-Mobile store where his wife worked, doused her with gasoline and set her on fire.

A 15-year-old was arrested for carjacking a woman in the parking lot of a shopping center in Towson.

How to Get Robbed:

• If you hear a knock on the door and you don't know who it is, find out by opening the door.


• Walk around the city in flip-flops and a baseball hat, by yourself, drunk, late at night


• If someone starts talking to you on the street, stop imemdiately and pay attention to what he's saying! He needs a cigarette? You bet! What time is it? Better stop and check the watch! Your car's broken down over there? Tell me more!


• Leave your iPod on the seat of your car


• Park your SUV at a Towson mall, and gas it up at discount urban filling stations late at night.


• Leave any doors, gates or windows unlocked, don't buy curtains and put a camcorder on the coffee table.

The murder trial of Martin Morgan, originally scheduled to begin today, has been postponed at the request of the State until January 30, 2006.

William Nicholson pled guilty today to conspiracy to distribute cocaine. Judge Roger W. Brown scheduled a sentencing date of January 9, 2006.

Good reading from the archives: Sun's "Cases crumble, killers go free: Police blunders in homicides leave city's 'lifestyle of death' unchecked". Good pie graph action.

October 10

There is a plan, and it has a name! O'Malley announced a $3 million expansion of the HotSpots initiative.

Marine Major Michael J. Brown is in Baltimore County Jail facing kidnapping charges for the the alleged kidnapping of Lu Jin, 18. Brown was arrested in Okinawa last year and convicted of attempting an indecent act and destruction of property. The case made headlines in Japan when the military refused to hand him over to local authorities.

Two murder victims have been identified: Davon Jackson, 22, was found shot on N. Chester street in the Northeastern. Garette Saunders, 27, of Gaithersburg was the man shot in the Hummer with Texas plates. And Edgewater murder/suicide victims have identified as Kenneth Brian Kertesz, who died, and William Augustus Snow Jr., who survived. The murderer/suicide was named as 30 year-old Michael Wayne Baxter Jr.

Police arrested a suspect who plowed his car into a 53-year-old female pedestrian and attempted to flee the scene.

A man stabbed his wife and then himself in Annapolis.

Courts will not be in session due to Native-American Holocaust Remembrance Day. In honor, garbage and recycling will pile at the curb.

ps. the "comments" feature is experiencing technical difficulties

October 9

A success story: Chiacgo's CeaseFire program may have played a part in the city's amazing murder-rate drop. Reports the founder of the program, the number of killings has been cut nearly in half in CeaseFire zones since outreach workers hit the first neighborhood in 2000. (Login dallas123@news.com, password 123456)

A vigil in Dundalk was held to commemorate the 70 Marylanders who lost their lives to domestic violence last year. If that number is accurate, then that's 1 out of 4 for 2004. Hey, did you know in 2003 Maryland was just behind Louisiana in the homicide rate? After Katrina are we first now?

A hit-and-run driver killed Lamont Kennedy, 28. Also, Kendall Charles Alexander Sr., 41, wanted for killing an officer and robbing a bank, was arrested on Rolling Road.

Three correctional officers entered "not guilty" pleas for the beating death of Raymond K. Smoot, 51.

Loved ones are holding a vigil in Frederick for an 18-year-old who was holding an air gun when he was shot to death by police.

Ew, perverts! A roving man broke into a student's room near U of MD in College Park, laid on top of her and fondled her while she was sleeping in bed.

The 4th circuit court of appeals will hear The Sun v. Ehrlich.

Some guy named Doug Duncan is apparently also running for governor.

Bored at work? Channel 13's web site reveals fascinating details about its orange-cheeked anchors, such as that Mary Bubala is a short Libra, and Kai Jackson's favorite band is Earth, Wind & Fire. Marty Bass enjoys pork sandwiches and thinks that math is hard. Ooh, baby, I just want to get in your head! And Mike Schuh's favorite interview? "anyone who connect with the audience" over Spicy Ho Fun. Hey I have an idea-- how about sending the crack reporters who reported on the reporters to whip up half as much of a report on murder victims and the not-so-fun hos? Or a story about how the state of education is so bad, JZ can't find Mike a copy editor? They all suck but you, Mary Bubala-- that gal can intonate the hell out of a 'prompter feed, and I think she might be smart, too. Maybe she can talk to her Chicago people and come up with that hard-hitting Emmy report on what CeaseFire could do. Richard, introduce her your connections and retire already. How weird that Bob Turk is the only one from Maryland!

The "Stop Snitchin" shirt has hit the NYT magazine. Unshockingly the majority of sales are to suburban kids. Laments a designer, "it's almost like they don't know what it means."

October 8

Thanks 'non- A now-former corrections officer and two inmates are off the hook for the stabbing of Ronald Scott, on account of Scott being stabbed to death by someone else. According to charging documents, the former correctional officer, Sherman Lawrence, 21, arranged Scott's first stabbing at the Detention Center.

A Howard County 16-year-old was arrested for setting up a moonshine still that produced two teaspoons of whiskey.

October 7

Albert Antonelli, the killer of hot cop Duke Aaron III, got his official three-year sentence today. His wife Jennifer left a touching statement on the memorial page of another fallen officer, Brian Donte Wilder.

A triple shooting in Edgewater-- a double attempted homicide + suicide. I wish BAL had a better stock illos. than that gun pointed at my head, like a photo of the actual people involved.

The tale of politician/crime victim A. Robert Kaufman illustrates the difficulty of putting Quaker beliefs into practice.

The attempted murder, witness intimidation trial of Joseph DiAngelo (the dude who hired the guys to beat a witness with a table leg), originally scheduled for today, has been postponed until November 4 at the request of the defense.

Not-so-Heavenly Creatures: A Bethesda lawyer, Elsa Newman, was found guilty of consipiring with her best friend Margery Landry to kill her ex-husband.

The murder trial of Tyrone Beane, originally scheduled for today, has been postponed until December 15. Judge Lynn Stewart ruled there was cause for this postponement because there were no courts available.

A DC think tank's sobering report on Bmore drug crimes: "four out of five convicted offenders in Baltimore need treatment [for drug addiction]."