December 14

A man was shot on Bayview and Eastern.

The City is now suing the state prison system to get an uncensored report about the problems at the state-run Central Booking facility. You'll recall that the report was submitted with half of the material redacted. A sentence they didn't censor: "No one was in charge."

Meanwhile, another detainee has died at Central Booking: James Pugh Jr., 41, was pronounced dead at Hopkins Hospital on Monday.

There's a rabbit-toothed rapist named Obijha Bushae Robinson (left) on the loose on the East side.

An arraignment hearing is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. tomorrow for Afiba Roebuck, 27, before Judge Lynn Stewart. Court documents allege that on September 25 through October 20 of this year Roebuck engaged in a harassing course of conduct, repeatedly made threatening phone calls to several of the witnesses, their family members and friends in an endeavor to intimidate the witnesses in his pending 2nd-degree assault trial.

Two years later, the murder of federal prosecutor Johnathan Luna remains unsolved, and a PA representitive Mark Cohen is calling for Congressional hearings.

In the great Republican tradition of McCarthyism and the Enemies List, Ehrlich's administration is accused of not just firing employees for being Democrats, but making a "Death List" of Republicans who were friends with Democrats.

A Carroll County teacher was acquitted of second-degree assault. She was accused of abusing a student with Down's syndrome.

CP's Stephen Janis doesn't think it's worthwhile for the City Council to investigate adding State Troopers to the streets of Baltimore City, because "adding more police power to the streets doesn't address the underlying causes of crime."

December 13

Nakie Harris, 30, Richard Royal, 21, and Terrence Smith, 24, were found guilty of trying to kill Edna McAbier.

John Edward Kennedy Jr., 19, pled guilty to first-degree murder for shooting William A. Bassett at Towson Town Center.

Opening statements in the murder trial of David Ellerby, 32, of E. Lanvale Street began at 2 p.m. today before Judge John Glynn. The Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted Ellerby August 24, 2004 for first-degree murder and handgun violations. Court documents allege that on September 10, 2002, Ellerby shot and killed Reginald Tyler, 27, in the 300 block of E. Lafayette Avenue.

Damian Mitchell, 28, was fatally shot in the head in the Northeastern district.

Ameer Taylor, 31, was arrested and charged with the murder of Samuel Richardson (shown above, with his nephew).

More on the mysterious homicide of the Reverend Lorenzo Handy, whose body was found in Charles Village about a block from where Samuel Richardson was murdered in June.

The case of the firebombing of Edna McAbier's house goes to the jury today. Chilling revelation: the leader of the area Bloods initially wanted to shoot her in the head with a shotgun, but the gang dismissed the idea as not dramatic enough.

A 22-year-old man was carjacked and stabbed in Annapolis.

There was a second gun incident at Towson Town Center, and in spite of the mall having more than 200 security cameras, nothing was caught on tape.

A fourth police dog has now died under mysterious circumstances.

December 12

A Catonsville special-ed student, Steven Andrew Cearfoss, 17, and his adult minder Anthony Vernon Creek, 25 (who was assigned by the school to keep the boy out of trouble), have been arrested for illegal handgun posession and other felonies related to a burglary at the boy's grandfather's house. Turns out that Creek was convicted in 1999 of armed robbery, assault and the use of a handgun during a felony.

Two Baltimoreans, Kim M. Douglas and Darryl Edward Lomax, are in jail in PA for trying to steal a safe from a turnpike service station.

Former Orioles pitcher Sidney Ponson got five days in jail and a $500 fine for drunk driving.

This mind-blowing WJZ story contains only one sentence without a grammatical error. (Also, a 15-year-old stole a Ford Explorer.)

A man was shot in the side on Loyola Northway.

Walker Gladden III is trying to stop the killing, one cemetary tour at a time.

Armed robbery in Dundalk, stolen Christmas decorations in Essex and hot sauce squirted on a wall after a party in the blotter.

Gregory Kane gives Snoop Dogg the "Negro, please" award in this article about Crips founder Tookie Smith.

December 11

A 13-year-old girl has been cleared of all charges for the beating death of a four-year-old boy.

Reginald Graves, 42, of Glen Burnie is accused of assaulting his "girlfriend" Syretha Johnson, 24, with a lug wrench, then setting a car on fire with her inside.

Are city police falsifying crime statistics?

An alert citizen stopped a robbery at the Rent-A-Center.

A Baltimore County public school employee, David Lukes, 34, faces trial in PA for six counts related to using the Internet to solicit sex from someone whom he thought was a 13-year-old girl.

In Westminster, police are seeking one Shawn Anthony Jones, 27, for the murder of Donnie Bowman.

Someone left their gun at Towson Town Center.

Maryland schools have seized 63 percent more weapons from students since five years ago.

Finally, an answer to every city resident's question, What're all those damn police helicopters up to? Says the commander of the Aviation unit, "We look for guys with shopping carts in alleys."

A Timonium church has redecorated a room at the Mitchell courthouse to be comfortable for children who are crime victims or witnesses.

You Can't Make This Stuff Up Dept.: the head of the task force for the new Baltimore slogan is a Princeton-educated scholar of Byzantine art, and the San Francisco agency working on the project has successfully convinced lots of people that BP is a group of enviromental activists and that it's hip to suck on revolting little mints. Punch line of the story: "officials worry the promotion may become a punch line."

December 9

A West Baltimore grandmother was tied up, her son stabbed and her Christmas tree set on fire by three home invaders.

James Dinkins, 33, was arrested for the murder of Michael Bryant, 22, on Tudor Arms Avenue. Also two attempted murder arrests and lots of the usual thievery in the blotter.

Baltimore City, County and Feredal Courts were closed to today on account of two inches of wet snow.

The MD Court of Appeals yesterday threw out the conviction of Erik Stoddard, convicted in the 2002 killing of three-year-old Calen Dirubbo.

A Florida consultant submitted a report on the problems at central booking, but when prison official submitted the report to Judge Glynn and the Sun, five of its 10 pages were censored, making it impossible to see what the recommendations were.

A 15-year-old boy was stabbed to death in bucolic Crisfield. And a double shooting in Carroll County made Donnie Bowman the county's first homicide victim in more than two years.

In PG County, Wei Shu of Clinton was arrested for fatally stabbing his wife Jin Shi Chen, 28, on December 1st.

Federal prosecutors rested their case yesterday in the McAbier firebombing trial.

Two Baltimore men were arrested for stealing almost $1 million worth of jewelry when the wife of police officer David A. Williamson tried to sell the booty to a pawn shop. What was she doing with it? Good question...

In the County, a third police dog has died under mysterious circumstances.

Black & Decker is being sued by a shareholder for giving company funds to a Mormon temple.

December 8

A 15-year-old boy was stabbed a block from Southwestern high school.

The Justice Department has returned to the city jail three years after their "scathing" report to see if improvements have been made in jail conditions.

Burglary, robbery, and six bundles of wacky tabacky in the blotter.

Robert C. Griffin, 71, is scheduled for a Circuit Court bail review and a preliminary motions hearing 9:30 tomorrow morning, before Circuit Judge Gale E. Rasin (231 Clarence Mitchell Courthouse). Griffin was found guilty in 1986 of stabbing and strangling 20-year-old Annie Cruse and leaving her body in Druid Hill Park. Last Month, Judge Raisin granted a motion for new trial due to the results from a recent DNA test.

The trial of Matthew Craighead, 22, of the 1900 block Walbrook Avenue, scheduled for yesterday, was postponed due to a witness' failure to appear. It is rescheduled for January 18, 2006.

The trial of Myron Merrill Gladney, 19, is scheduled to begin 9 tomorrow morning before Judge John Glynn. The BC Grand jury indicted Gladney on June 1 on charges of attempted first-degree murder, assault and intimidating a witness. Court documents allege that on April 6 Gladney approached the victim, who was scheduled to testify in the homicide trial of his brother, at E. 25th Street and Harford Road and shot him in the stomach.

In the arraignment hearing held Monday, December 5, 2005 Amanda Johnson, 23, failed to appear and a re-arraignment date of January 4, 2006 was chosen. Clyde Meadows was arraigned on Monday. His trial date is January 20, 2006 in Pt. 6 (Judge Hargadon). Kenneth A. George, also charged with intimidating the same witness is currently in BCDC's infirmary and was not transported. He too has a re-arraignment date of 1/4/06.

The theft trial of Samuel Terrell Mercer, 29, is scheduled to begin 9:30 tomorrow morning before Judge John M. Glynn. A Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted Mercer on May 24, 2004 for continuing theft. Court documents allege Mercer stole $323,836.10 from the Baltimore Museum of Industry. If convicted, Mercer faces a maximum possible prison term of 15 years.

Sign O the Times: Some members of the AA County police narcotics unit are training at Quantico to learn how to dismantle meth labs.

December 7

The man fatally shot in Endor Gardens was identified as Thaddeus Riley. Also in the ink: Charles Massey, shot in 1987, who died of his injuries; Eric Smith, 39; Torrey Garland, 36; Troy Marine, 30; Antonie Grandy, 18. All of the murders this week were black men killed by gunfire.

CSA: to white people, black people really do all look alike.

An Eastern shore lawyer, J. Christopher Llinas, who served as an assistant state's attorney and an assistant public defender, was indicted in federal court in a cocaine and heroin distribution conspiracy case. He may face life in prison and a $4 million fine.

Oprah is offering a $100,000 reward for helping to caputre Edward Claire Reisch, left, an 11-year-veteran of the Baltimore police force wanted for raping and sodomizing a young female relative.

A teacher who served three years for molesting a 12-year-old student in MoCo is in court fighting for custody of her own children.

Curran: we've got ourselves 2900 totally unsupervised sex offenders in Maryland.

Continuing the Baltimore holiday tradition of robbing the less fortunate, someone stole $4,000 worth of tools from volunteers building apartments to house children traveling to Hopkins with their families for bone marrow treatment.

In Annapolis, two women fought off a would-be purse snatcher (warning: don't try this at home).

State police to Carroll County: get your own force!

Gregory Kane: City Council has plenty to say about Iraq, but not so much about the war at home. (Thanks Galt)

December 6

Four murders over the weekend brough the city's toll to 254. Rashard Thomas, 19, Troy Marine, 30, Raphael Grady, 18, and an unnamed 43-year-old man are the latest victims.

Edna McAbier came out of hiding yesterday to testify in federal court about the firebombing of her home.

Twenty-two-year-old Aaron M. Brown got 15 years for killing his 20-year-old cousin Kevin Moulden last year after an argument about a ten-dollar debt.

The manslaughter conviction of Anthony Skidmore was upheld by the CSA. Baldwin's car struck and killed the driver of an oncoming car, Kelley Guckert, 20, of Jarrettsville, and Skidmore admitted to police he'd been nodding off at the wheel.

Anthony A. Garbutt, 22, got ten years for the June 17 robbery of five teenagers behind the York Road Plaza shopping center.

The trial of Matthew Craighead, 22, is scheduled for 9:00 a.m. tomorrow before Judge Shirley Watts. Court documents allege that on June 21, 2004 Craighead attempted to threaten a witness in a homicide investigation. The victim reported that Craighead assaulted and threatened her with a shotgun.

Motorcycles, a laptop, purses, cameras= stuff stolen in the Northern of late.

Ehrlich: deciding to play God and put a man down like a dog wasn't easy.

The death of a newborn found in a Dumpster in AA County has been deemed "suspicious."

The MoCo mom who filed a false kidnapping report on Nov. 27 has been charged with making a false statement to police.

In a case that could impact the Hoey defense, the Supreme Court has agreed to consider a case from Arizona involving the insanity plea.

December 5

We the people executed Wesley Baker. He was pronounced dead at 9:18 p.m.

A couple shot and burned in West Baltimore November 18 are believed to be Michael E. Wright and Thomasine Evans.

Juanita Long, 46, was charged with stabbing Dumont Jones to death in White Marsh.

The murder trial of David Ellerby, 32, is scheduled for 9:30 tomorrow morning before Judge John Glynn. The Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted Ellerby August 24, 2004 for first-degree murder and handgun violations. Court documents allege that on September 10, 2002, Ellerby shot and killed Reginald Tyler, 27, in the 300 block of E. Lafayette Avenue.

Jury selection is supposed to start today in the case of the firebombing of Miss Edna's house.

Down in St. Michael's, six kids were charged with holding an underage drinking party that ended with a 15-year-old being sent to the hospital.

U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein will reorganize the Maryland office to clarify the chain of command and group prosecutors by focus.

Who's who on death row? A rundown of Maryland's Dead Men Sitting.

The Sun ran a correction re. their John Booth-El story from last week.

"As If" Dept: TV news reporter wants Ben Cardin's job. If he gets elected I am like so totally moving.

December 4

Wesley E. Baker's death warrant goes into effect at midnight.

There was a quadruple shooting in Cherry Hill last night. The most seriously injured victim was a 14-year-old girl.

DNA testing has been ordered in a 20-year-old rape and murder case. Robert Griffin, now 71, was convicted for the 1985 murder of Annie Cruse.

There will be a public hearing January 4 re. alledged Baltimore police "Gestapo" tactics. (How is it that the city's stats and the FBI stats disagree so significantly? Also odd: finding out about the meeting from a DC paper.)

Baltimore's stop n' frisk method did help catch a(n alledged) murderer wanted in Hendersonville, NC.

An article on the difficulty felons face in finding jobs.

December 3

Eighteen-year-old Karl Sowers is now the sixth person arrested for the Owings Mills murders of Dante and Howard Thacker.

A 14-year-old girl was shot in the leg on her way home from Mervo.

Danielle Riley is out on $50,000 bail.

Information about Jane Tyson, the murder victim of next week's death penalty recipient Wesley Eugene Baker.

December 2

A body found in an alley near Charles and 25th streets has been identified as that of 67-year-old pastor Dr. Lorenzo Handy.

The murder trial of Michael Johnson, 15, of the 1600 block of West Franklin Street, is scheduled to begin 9:30 Monday morning December 5 before Judge Lynn K. Stewart. The Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted Johnson for first-degree murder and handgun counts May 18. Court documents allege that on December 1, 2004 Johnson shot and killed Flenall Carter, III, 19, in the 4100 block of 10th Street. Johnson is currently being held without bail.

An arraignment is scheduled for 9:30 Monday morning December 5 for Amanda Johnson, 23, of Abingdon, Maryland and Clyde Meadows, 26 of the 2000 block Huntington Avenue, before Judge Lynn Stewart. Court documents allege that on or about October 14 Amanda Johnson and Clyde Meadows knocked on the front door of a witness in a pending attempted murder investigation. It is also alleged the two threatened the parent of the witness in an effort to persuade the testimony in the investigation.

Riley: "I didn't do what they said."

A shooting and a lot of robberies, burglaries and thefts in the blotter. (I think I've finally figured out the difference: robbery is when someone steps right up to your face and takes your shit, burglary is when they break in somewhere and take your shit, and theft is when they steal just one thing.)

Two witnesses, a mystery individual and some guy called "Skip," (not to be confused with campaign manager "Chip") will be supoenaed to testify about Ehrlich's so-called "Shadow Government" December 13.

Freaky pervs dept: A parking valet at Holy Cross Hospital in Silver Spring copied the housekey of a nurse who worked there and broke in to her house with condoms and a video camera.

Bwahahaha! Poseurs Creed and 311 got into a fight at the Explorers Lounge of the Harbor Court Hotel. Apparently groupie action was so nonexistent for the wussy has-beens that the Creed singer was reduced to hitting on the 311 bassist's wife.

The tag "Oracl" is suspected of being the handiwork of one Kenneth D. Ellis, 25.

December 1

Two murders and one arrest in Baltimore on Tuesday: Eric Smith was found shot in a car in West Baltimore at 9:00 Tuesday night, and Torrey Darling was fatally shot 30 minutes later Tuesday in the Northwest. Farrakhhan Jenkins was arrested for the Sunday murder of Antwon Torain in West Baltimore.

Jennifer Lee, the 21-year-old daughter of a Baltimore County firefighter, was killed in White Marsh on Monday night when a drunk driver crossed the center line and hit her car head-on. According to the article, the drunk driver was taken to Shock Trauma, charged, and "released on citations."

Suspicious: the body of David Ross, 55, found November 19 at the bottom of an elevator shaft in the Dundalk/Canton area.

In keeping in the Baltimore holiday tradition of robbing the less fortunate, two collection bins containing Christmas toys were set afire in Towson.

Former Villa Julie student Danielle Eboni Riley of PG County, 22, turned herself in yesterday and was charged with first-degree murder in the October death of her newborn daughter. The Medical Examiner ruled that the child' s death was a homicide, caused by asphyxia, blunt force, head injury and environmental exposure.

Still no leads on the murder of Jeryl Singleterry, the kidnapping victim who was found dead after his family paid over $10,000 in ranson. Singleterry was unemployed, had no criminal record, and was not apparently involved in drug use or other illegal acts.

A 16-year-old Annapolis honor student who wanted to "catch a body" got a 40 year sentence for murdering another teen and attempting to murder two women. Anthony Deyonko Switzer fired a shotgun randomly at a motorist. Not knowing he had just killed 18-year-old Doray D. Jones, he later shot at another car and narrowly missed the two women.

A 42-year-old East Baltimore dealer named Darrell Alston received a life sentence on Wednesday. His comrade-in-arms, Anthony Chandler, received 24 years. In an unrelated sentencing, Kenneth Butler was handed a 10-year sentence for attempting to deliver a half-kilo of heroin to a city dealer. (How is it that the drug trade seems to be the only entity in America on the metic system? -BVderC)

November 30

A homicide on Presbury Street in the Western, and a 17-year-old was shot.

Last week's five murders brought 2005's body count to 247.

A 23-year-old guy was found suspiciously dead in College Park.

Maryland inmate Ralph Manna got 20 more years for trying to hire an undercover officer to kill his ex-wife and their son. He was already serving two "life" sentences.

A motions hearing in the matter of John Booth-El, 52, is scheduled for 1:30 tomorrow afternoon before Judge Kaye Allison, 451 Mitchell Courthouse. A Baltimore city jury convicted Booth-El in 1984 of first-degree murder for the 1983 stabbing death of Irvin Bronstein and sentenced him to death. The death sentence has been vacated, and reinstated, four times since. Booth is being represented pro bono by five lawyers and a legal assistant from the firm of Arent Fox, who will presumably be challenging the court's failure to consider mitigating factors that were permitted under Maryland sentencing law at the time.

Charges were dropped against 17-year-old Antonio Newsome, accused of firebombing Miss Edna's house. So let's review: three guys, Jackie Brewington, 18, Isaac Smith and Andre Wilkins, 31, copped a deal with Federal prosecutors (snitches!) to plead guilty to witness tampering and use of an explosive device. Trial will begin for Terrance "Buck" Smith, 24, of the 7 Deuce 1 Bloods, Shakia Watkins, 19, Richard Royal, 21, and head snowman Nakie Harris, 30 on December 5. Edna McAbier is alive and hiding in an undisclosed location.

Three old people, Deborah Henry, 46, Kevin Musser, 42, and Robert Shallcross, 50, were busted for operating a portable meth lab.

The prosecution has rested in the Irv Lorenzo money-laundering thing. Says the defense, Lorenzo just hung out with "Supreme" the drug kingpin because he "provided a certain street credibility." The "poet" is also said to have be involved in a plot to kill 50 Cent.

A lot of to-the-point two-word headlines out of Annapolis, including "Teen Beaten" and "Shoplifter Sprayed".

Ehrlich: closing the Hickey School with nowhere to send juvenile offenders was a good idea. (The election race might get interesting after all: gov has announced he endorses Bush's military policies and linked the Iraq war with the 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. Great $10K idea, Chip. Read much?)

November 29

The murder trial of Shane Burton, 20, Ronald Sturgiss, 21, and Dominic Warren, 21, originally scheduled for 9:30 tomorrow morning before Judge Shirley M. Watts, has been postponed until January 11, 2006. Earlier this year, a Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted all three men for first-degree murder and conspiracy to first-degree murder in connection with the fatal shooting of Jerry Evans. If convicted, the maximum sentence the defendants could face is life in prison. Court documents allege that on June 16 police officers responded to the 1100 block of McAleer Court for a shooting. Evans was later pronounced dead at Johns Hopkins Hospital. The defendants were identified through eyewitness accounts.

A Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted Davi Ralph, 17, in connection with the shooting of a uniformed Baltimore City Police Officer, Robert Hayes, 30. The indictment charges Ralph with the non-fatal shooting of Officer Hayes that occurred on November 12 in the 1700 block of Montpelier Street.

Shooting, robbery, robbery, shooting in the Blotter.

November 28

Two more murders in Baltimore City: 22-year-old Ronald Gervin was shot to death at the Cedonia Inn in Northeast Baltimore on Saturday night, and an unidentified man was fatally shot in the head on N. Payson St. in West Baltimore early Sunday morning.

A 22-year-old woman and her 5-year-old son were abducted by an ex-boyfriend at the Wheaton Metro station in Montgomery County. The ex-boyfriend was driving a red 2003 Dodge Ram with a red cap on the back and the words "Red Scorpion" across the top of the windshield. It has Maryland Chesapeake Bay plates 49914B/Y. He also owns a 1996 Toyota T-100 pickup with Maryland tags 1EG807.

Uh, yeah... About that last item... she was, uh, fibbing a wee bit because she didn't want her family to know she was still with her boyfriend. She's a real winner, that one. (Thanks for the heads-up, John.)

51-year-old Tony Campbell and 27-year-old Christino Purisima were the two men killed last week in the adjacent Furrow St. rowhouses in Southwest Baltimore.

The Police Blotter has a 43-year-old man being beaten in his West Baltimore home with a metal pipe, a pizza deliveryman being robbed by two young men with a knife, and a whole lot of theft (including a handicapped parking permit from a 1998 Pontiac).

Sex offender Karen Diane Hammond cannot be found by Howard County police. The 49-year-old heroin addict pleaded guilty to having sex with her then 17-year-old son three years ago. She is the only sex offender in Howard that cannot be accounted for.

A gunman in a double shooting in Hyattsville is still at large. In an unrelated incident, a Hyattsville teenager was shot in the face and stomach after giving up his North Face jacket with no resistance.

Mayor O'Malley is looking into opening a free boarding school after watching a The Boys of Baraka, a documentary about Baltimore students who moved to a boarding school in Kenya. That school then closed, forcing the boys back to the Baltimore school where they had been failing. WJZ writes, "O'Malley says city kids shouldn't have to be shipped overseas in order for them to get the breathing space they need to learn and grow."

In the "crime against art" department, the Dime Museum will be closing at year's end unless the money fairy pays it a visit.

November 26

Along with two armed robberies, the Sun's Police Blotter reports that a 79-year-old man was arrested for attempted murder.

Police are still puzzled by those pesky light pole thieves. And thanks to John for pointing out that our missing light poles are now receiving national coverage on CNN.

Civil disobedience is alive and well, unless you try it at the mall.

November 25

More about Jeryl Anthony Singleterry, the kidnapping victim who was murdered despite the fact that his ransom was paid.

Updates on the double homicide in West Baltimore and the shooting at the Glen Burnie restaurant supply company in the Metro Digest.

More on witness intimidation in the Sun: Baltimore County police have spent over a year looking for witness Ronald Patrick Johnson, Jr., but he can't be found.

Speaking of witness intimidation, John posted some interesting comments under yesterday's post.

A newly launched campaign to stop human trafficking in Montgomery County this week.

A bank robbery in White Marsh lurks amidst the theft and burglary in the Sun's Police Blotter

There must be something in our fine city that is more deserving of an In Depth Investigative Report than a dirty bathroom in a Wal-Mart...

November 24

Two men in two adjacent rowhouses were shot to death in West Baltimore.

35-year-old John Lewis escaped from PG Corrections officials who were transporting him between facilities. Lewis jumped out of the van while it was stopped at a traffic light. Maybe it's just me, but doesn't it seem as if the Corrections officers might have been prepared for something like that?

Dissent in the legal system over the fact that victims aren't being called to testify at their attackers' trials. Circuit Judge Alfred Nance said, "The state has a responsibility not simply to seek and obtain a conviction, but to seek justice." Does getting killed or having your house torched because of your testimoney now qualify as justice?

Judge John M. Glynn declared a hung trial for William Crudup yesterday. One of the jurors apparently made up her mind at the beginning of the trial and refused to consider any evidence. Crudup is accused of attempting to kill to police officers in March.

The Sun's Police Blotter tells of stolen money from St. Frances Academy (a private school that primarily serves inner city kids who are dealing with extreme family/personal difficulties) and stolen money from an 84-year-old woman who was shoved to the ground during the theft.

A Cecil County robber has expanded her territory into Pennsylvania.

Jeremy Justin Lepone is facing state and federal charges after his Harford County carjacking stunt, which included stealing a car from an elementary school staff member and then crashing through the gates of a military facility.

Ehrlich has agreed to pardon 12 prisoners, including two women who were convicted on charges of theft and/or shoplifting, and one man who has served 44 years for murder.

Harvey Edward Brown, a man who attacked one woman and pursued four others on the Baltimore & Annapolis Trail, was sentenced to life in prison.

The yet-to-be-determined fate of the Charm City Church gives a microscopic glance into the ongoing class struggle in Baltimore.

Ten police officers were required to restore order (if not sanity) to a throng of unruly shoppers at an Elkton Wal-Mart who were waiting to buy the Xbox 360.

Biffy will be away until November 30. Please leave stories of interest.

November 23

Four murders last week brought the total '05 body count to 242.

Kidnapped 26-year-old Anthony Singleterry was found dead after his family paid ransom. Detectives have no suspects or motive.

Three people were shot at the Glen Burnie food distribution company Wagner & Sons, including the gunman.

A fight between two off-duty Baltimore police officers ended with one guy going to shock trauma for stab wounds.

An attempted murder arrest for the Sunday shooting of William Delrio, robberies, shootings and arson in the blotter.

A former Towson police officer, Samuel Chambers, will serve five years for sexually abusing a young girl.

Future voter on the hot-button juvenile civil rights issue of today: "curfews are so gay." Speaking of juvenile rights &tc, there are 15 Marylanders serving life-without-parole sentences who committed their crimes as juveniles. And chilling stat (which I would like a source on because I just don't buy it, but I'm sure the real number is no great comfort either): "reports show that 92 percent of cases filed in adult criminal courts in Baltimore City involve minority juveniles."

A CP story traces the retelling of the Steele Oreo Urban Legend.

Mayor to Councilman Keiffer Mitchell: the help of state troopers would not do much good. Also re: local politics, Councilmania really caputres the feel of the slow grind of government. That would be great if they abolished ground rents ... but you get the feeling it would take a quarter-century for anything that ambitious to happen.

November 22

Ellis Lee Hickman, Jr., 33, was arrested in Palm Beach, Florida for the murder of his neighbor, Rakiyya States.

How many macabre claims to fame can one city have? Now it turns out the nerve gas and mustard gas used on the Kurds by Saddam's regime came from Baltimore.

A 14-year-old, Haymond Burton, was arrested and charged as an adult on two counts of attempted murder for shooting Lewis Jefferson, 18, and Mark Smith, 25. Also, two teenage boys were shot on Hillen Road.

PG County has set a new murder record with 155 killings so far this year.

25-year-old Dale Brown of Easton is charged with abuse and assault for allegedly shaking his five-month old son to death.

Corey Grant of the North Avenue Boys pled guilty in Federal court to gun charges.

Hopkins freshman: an e-mail about Michael Bryant's body in Wyman Park "would have been nice."

I'm so bored of hearing about cameras.

University of Maryland students protested against rascism following the Nov. 13 violent arrests of two students living off-campus.

In Laurel, 15-year-old David Jahangiri was arrested for wearing a "Stop Snitching" shirt to school. He's suing, of course.

Wow, remember that 90's ecoterrorist group, ELF? Someone repping them claimed responsibility for burning down townhomes in Hagerstown. Other retro institution apparently still alive in the area: the gay bathhouse.

November 22-- Promoted from Comments

We [ED: The people of the Park Heights Community Meeting? Baltimoreans in the last election?] had such an outpouring of homeowner sentiment for basic crime control. Martin O'Malley took up the charge and became Mayor promising to impose 'zero tolerance' upon the criminals here. That's a direct quote.

He later turned around and claimed that we all 'misunderstood' what zero tolerance is.

The first step in politically organizing is.. to sack O'Malley for the lying politician he is. Not Governor. Not even Mayor.

The platform is Safety First. All other considerations take a back seat until Baltimore is no longer in the top ten most dangerous major cities. No junket to Rome for Agnes Welch. No raise for City Councilmembers. No municipal hotels. No below-market city land deals. No grants to nonprofits. Mandatory across-the-board cuts in total payroll for DPW and DHCD.

Within the police department:

• 311/911 operators must be dedicated dispatchers, not disgruntled officers being punished by having to answer calls for service.



• Responding officers must be charged with filing accurate incident reports. If the victim disagrees with the report, the officer should automatically be required to appear before an independently appointed quasimunicipal board, which will determine whether the report was incorrectly filed. If so, (maybe at least x number of times) the officer will be dismissed. Wherever the officer's write-up is materially at odds with the victim's recollection of facts, the officer must refer it to the Board, with written notice to the victim. Failure to comply will result in dismissal.



• The State's Attorney should refuse consent to supervised probation where the terms of probation do not provide for a nightime curfew barring supervised probationers from being in the public easement after dark except en route to a verifiable job, a meeting with a parole officer, or a verifiable medical emergency (including drug treatment).



• The State Legislature should eliminate the distinction in penalties between misdemeanor Breaking & Entering and felony Home Invasion. If you're caught in another's property unlawfully, you go to jail. If you think you 'might' be Breaking & Entering, you probably are. Stay out or go to jail.



• The State Legislature should adopt a provision doubling the penalty otherwise applicable to a felony if the offender is under the influence of drugs or is found by a court of law to have been engaged in a drug offense at the time of the felony, including simple possession. The same should apply wherever a felony is accompanied by a high-speed automotive chase.



• Any drug conviction or factually proven possession or distribution on or within 100 feet of a subsidized housing unit by any person who has been granted access by the tenant should disqualify the tenant from the program henceforth.




• Any offenses committed on the premises of a public school which would otherwise constitute a felony if committed by an adult should necessarily require immediate removal of the juvenile from the school.



• Maximum sentences for both misdemeanors and felonies should be ratchetted up in proportion to the number of offenses adjudicated to have been committed. You want judges motivated to treat career offenders more harshly than very occasional offenders. This invokes the law of seven and seventy.



• The State's Attorney and Judiciary should be forbidden to take into account resource constraints at Dept. of Corrections when seeking a just penalty.



• City Council should adopt a resolution each year fixing the number of officers necessary to Adequately Provide for the Public Safety. The appropriation for the police department should be created a Fund, whose contents do not revert to the General Fund of Baltimore City. Thus, the Mayor's Office would no longer have any incentive to undersupply policing so as to fund pet projects, such as economic development.



• Contributions to the local police district's coffers should constitute a tax credit against a taxpayer's tax bill to the City. This ensures that City government cannot divert taxes which taxpayers intend should provide public safety.



• Baltimore City council should be obligated by resolution to refuse any requests for industrial revenue bonds (other than water treatment/pollution control) while public safety benchmarks are unattained.



• Baltimore City Health Dept. should provide a single, lifetime treatment slot for drug abuse. Once used, the relapsed offender should be denied terms of probation unless he can provide for his own treatment.

-- JG

And Dan Rodericks would like to add, it's time to get serious about repeat offenders by using any tools that work.

November 21

Our Nation's President Geroge W. Bush will be at M&T Bank Stadium on November 30th for a fund-raiser for himself and Oreo-battered Tom-called Mike Steele. If you truly believe in Republican principles you'll be there with $5,000, by God.

The murder trial of Michael Johnson, 15, of West Franklin Street, is scheduled to begin at 9:30 tomorrow morning before Judge Edward R.K. Hargadon, 509 Courthouse East. The Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted Johnson for first-degree murder and handgun counts May 18. Court documents allege that on December 1, 2004 Johnson shot and killed Flenall Carter III, 19, in the 4100 block of 10th Street.

At a recent meeting the residents of Park Heights were all like, "we're so fartik with the shvartzers and farshlugginer slow police response times and the farshtunken unreported incidents" and the police were, all like, "what are you gonna do, sue somebody?"

The Court of Appeals struck down MD's prisoner-treatment laws. The problem was not legal content but the procedure of filing appropriate paperwork.

November 20

Secret plea agreements for three of seven men in a drug-dealing gang in the Northern that tried to burn down Edna McAbier's rowhouse. Miss Edna, Harwood Community Association President, ran afoul of the local Bloods.

Dogs picked up the scent of flammible liquid at the building at the 2100 Garrison Boulevard apartment-building site where two people, including Thomasina Evans, died on Friday. Oddly, the building is owned by a company that appears to consist of a single New Jersey man.

Since Friday, eight people have died in fires in the city, most recently a mysterious rowhouse fire that killed three. Check those smoke-detector batteries and think about your escape plan, it's that time of year.

Justice will be delayed at the trial of Wayne Lavon Bond, accused of shooting Edgewood cab driver Derald Howard Guess, a 37-year-old father of nine, as part of a gang-initiation rite.

The conviction in the shooting death of Marcellus Maddox (also in a cab) is under Appeal in Wicomico County. The ruling could potentially help define assault sentences in the state.

In Carroll County, 40-year-old Anthony Hughes pled guilty to assaulting ex-wife Ellen Redifer with a claw hammer in 2002.

Another great date opportunity from the State's Attorney's office: a concert tonight at 6:30 p.m, in which the Baltimore City Police Choir will be singing with the Northwood-Appold United Methodist Church Choir at the New Metropolitan Baptist Church at 501 McCulloh Street. The free concert that will also involve eulogizing the state's fallen police officers. The most recent Baltimore City death was the July 3, 2004 shooting of Officer Brian D. Winder.

Life's bitter irony dept: the most recent MD police fatality, Grant Turner, had a heart attack while running a 5K in honor of fallen hot officer Duke G. Aaron III.

November 19

A methadone addict in Dundalk is charged with murder in the death of her methadone-addicted 2-month-old daughter.

Arson in West Baltimore left two people dead and 27 people homeless. One of the dead is a 41-year-old woman who was homeless until a few months ago.

Alleged corrupt former senator Thomas Bromwell was taped by the FBI in a building downtown. JHU was apparently one of many victims in a kickback scheme.

Accusations of an ineffective police investigation have been raised in the Canton murder of Brian Jones.

Steven R. Chamberlain, CEO of Lanham-based Integral Systems, Inc., is charged with liking little girls way too much.

The Baltimore pastor who is charged with liking little boys and little girls way too much is also being investigated by police in Minnesota and Barbados.

Unlike Baltimore City's Northern District, Carroll County doesn't put up with home invasions. Great story by Sheridon Lyons.

Four Maryland convenience stores have been robbed of "cash, cigarettes, and cheap liquor" by a woman in her late 20s.

Drunk driver Rudi Vasquez of PG County will serve eight years for two counts of involuntary manslaughter for the crash that killed Juan Valle, 26, and Audelino Valle, 30.

Bea Gaddy's legacy is in bad trouble this year. To help with the shortage, the center at 425 N. Chester St. in East Baltimore will be open 24/7 until Thanksgiving to accept donations. The phone number is 410-563-2749.

November 18

A Baltimore City jury convicted Alphonso Graves, III, 36, of second-degree murder and handgun counts today following approximately seven hours of deliberation and three days of testimony. Judge Thomas J.S. Waxter, Jr. scheduled sentencing for February 17, 2006. On November 18, 2004 the body of Stacey Lynn Carter Graves, 30, was found in the downtown apartment of her estranged husband, Alphonso Graves, III. Surveillance cameras from the apartment complex captured both Mr. and Mrs. Graves entering the apartment complex on November 15, 2004. The camera also captured Mr. Graves leaving the apartment with a handgun in his waistband.

Walter Robinson, 27, of the 4800 block of Briarclift Road, is scheduled for arraignment at 9:30 this morning before Judge John P. Miller, 428 Clarence Mitchell Courthouse. A BCity grand jury indicted Robinson on October 24 on one count of sexual abuse of a minor under the age of 18; three counts of third-degree sexual offense; three counts of fourth-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 Robinson sexually assaulted a 15-year-old student repeatedly between August 2005 to October 2005 at the Benjamin Franklin Junior High School.

Police are seeking the public's help in finding thieves who stole <$750k of jewelry and the chalice and paten of St. Ignatius Church in Forest Hill from JM Jewelers. Keep your eyes peeled for two Mestizo-looking 20-something guys with a very shiny pimp cup and dip plate.

What to Do if an Officer Won't Take a Report

If you're a crime victim you should always call the police and you should always get a police report. You may need the report number for property or health insurance reasons. If a Baltimore City police officer won't issue a report, call the office of Colonel Debbie Owens at 410-396-2363. Owens is the Chief of Patrol of all Nine Districts in the city. Ask her assistant* what the chain of command is for your district. If you're in the Northern, the Deputy Major is Buzzuro (pronouced "Bizarro." Really), his boss is Major Lukasic and above those two at central command or whatever is the Area 1 Commander Beale Feld.

*Her assistant is very helpful but wouldn't leave a name: "I don't need my name to go in no paper."

Afternote: Debbie Owens, it turns out, e-mailed me back immediately after I contacted the office, giving me her personal cell-phone number-- it doesn't get much more responsive than that (I didn't see the e-mail b/c my mail program didn't know the address filed it under "junk" next to an ad for "enhansement".

In all of my experience I've gotten nothing but very fast responses and professionalism from the Baltimore city police, and I've called them at least 40 times since I moved here.

November 17

Rape and assault in the Western, robbery in the Northern.

Edward Lee, 36, made a wrong move trying to outrun the police and ended up flying off the 83 into the Jones Falls. Police say Lee claims to have "been chased by Baltimore police more than a dozen times for various offenses, but ... the police always backed off before." (cue Dukes of Hazzard theme)

Formerly reverend Gerald Fitroy Griffith has been arrested for holding dirty counseling sessions with four teenage boys and one girl(?).

And three of four unaccounted-for HoCo sex offenders have been rounded up. The one that got away was 49-year-old Karen Hammond.

Day One of the Irv Lorenzo "Gotti" trial features an "amusingly grizzled unlicensed Baltimore cabdriver."

Kenneth Douglas Ellis, 25, left, is being sought for spray-painting sloppy, artless tags on houses around Keswick and Beech in Hampden.

O'Malley's for the the stopping and the frisking, as long as police are keeping accrate records.

Speaking of, I sent excerpts of howard somebody's letter to Matt Jablow on Tuesday. I haven't gotten a response:

Hi Mr. Jablow,
I have an online news service, http://baltimorecrime.blogspot.com/, and I've gotten more than one letter from readers about police not taking reports. This is actually the second letter I've gotten complaining about a policeman being reluctant to take a report:

"... last week my neighbor heard her window break. The house was entered and property was removed. It went on for quite a while. She was terrified and locked her bedroom door, calling the police.

They came about an hour later. They asked if she could describe the perps and she explained that she had tried very hard NOT to encounter them.

Since she couldn't identify the home invaders and they were gone (an hour delay will do that for a felon), the officer declined to write any incident report. Not forgot. Refused.

IT NEVER HAPPENED. At least as far as the police are concerned. So yes, statistically, Northern has less crime than the Corner. But then again, Northern lies. It is not unique in that respect.

Crime is not down. Crime reports are down. Partly because police won't take them, partly because they take too long to get there, and partly because victims learn after the first few incidents that they are wasting their time, so they just don't bother thereafter.

My question is, have you heard of anything like this?
And if a citizen does encounter an officer who won't take down a report, who can they call? Or where can they call if a police response time was slow?

So we'll see what he says.

Can you trust the police? Can a rattlesnake dropkick a football?
Today's lesson: Gregory Kane asserts what every Eddie's mom knows too well: "Some people do, indeed, need frisking. And ... some may need more than that."

In case you missed it: The Baltimore Sun is eliminating 75 positions, including 12 to 15 newsroom positions.

November 16

The murder of Brian O'Neill Jones appears to be totally senseless (the third senseless Jones death this week). The victim left behind a wife and three children, ages 6 months, two and five years.

A member of the Cutthroat gang who was 13 when he shot Jerrod Hamlett, 23, will be tried as a juvenile. (See the June 16 conversation with Donny Moses).

Trail has begun in NY for Irv Lorenzo "Gotti" of Muder Inc. Records, accused of laundering money for Baltimore drug dealer "Supreme" McGriff.

Federal prosecutors have five years to file murder charges against Leeander Blake (famous as the 3rd Baltimorean to visit the Supreme Court since Thurgood Marshall).

November 15

Not a good adjective: Police are "baffled" by the shooting death of 34-year-old Brian Jones in Canton. His body was found on the 1300 block of Ellwood Avenue on the parking lot of Canton Harbor Nursing Center.

The victim found on Tudor Arms was named as Michael Bryant, 22, of East North Avenue.

Pulp novel waiting to be written: 58-year-old Diane Coffman, formerly of Towson, got five years' suspended and five years' probation for killing her five-year-old son, Edward Coffman, in 1972. The case was re-opened by Edward's surviving younger brother.

Ten people were charged with immigration fraud in Manhattan for helping Kenneth Adam Howard of Baltimore arrange sham marriages of foreign girls to sailors.

Murder charges against a Harpers Ferry man accused of administering a fatal heroin overdose have been dropped so Federal charges can proceed. "Richard Allen Ashbaugh, 38, originally was charged with murder after Jonathan Parks, 26, of Brunswick, Md., was found lying facedown between two beds in a room at the Towne House Motor Lodge."

HoCo police commander Tara Nelson, accused of trying to run over her husband, was cleared and has returned to work. The would-be speedbump refused to testify. Thought to ponder: if she was a guy, would she have gotten her job back?

In Glen Burnie, Tonya Denise Moulden, 22, stabbed her boyfriend with a steak knife during a fight.

More Tragic: The former drummer for Japanese band Shonen Knife, Mana "China" Nishiura, was killed in route from Baltimore to Brooklyn in a van accident! She and her new band DMBQ had just played a show at the Talking Head.

Baltimore Fun Fact! In 2001 an actual male human body part was found on the street in Canton.

Maryland Decision 2006
Yeah right, someone tossed Oreos at Michael Steele three years ago after the Morgan State vice-guber debate and we're just hearing about it now, for the first time, three years later. And no one saw it. Or took a picture. At the debate. That's the news head honky and Definer of Blackness Ehrlich had to report when he made contact with the college students of today, explaining "to the extent anyone is out there now saying, 'Well, no, those Oreo cookies really weren't thrown at Mike Steele, that's now an urban legend, whatever, made up by [lowest-common-denominator race-baiting] Republicans' ... these people have got to get real." Meanwhile there's allegations that Mike B. called Mike S. an "Uncle Tom" and now Carmelo Anthony is somehow involved. Does that mean that the West Side L-Heights Crips also endorse the Republicans? I thought the blue flag was only on the left side. I'm so confused.

November 14

BoCo Popos have arrested Brian Bartee, 18, Kion Coulter, 26, and Marcus Pettiford, 19 for the double murder of Howard and Dante Thacker in Owings Mills.

The attempted murder trial of William Crudup has been held over until 9:30 a.m. tomorrow before Judge John M. Glynn, 236 Mitchell Courthouse.

There have been 476 police-involved car accidents this year, including the one that killed 25-year-old mom Mary Jones.

Michael Turner, 36, pled guilty to stealing more than $40k from an Aberdeen security-guard union.

Gerard Holt got 10 years for carrying a stolen firearm.

It's hot to rob people of cell phones.

Two officers were injured trying to bust up a crazy-azz party in College Park.

WTF you talking bout Willis? After the largest gambling raid in Baltimore since Prohibition and sticking it to Vicki Mengel, cops are waging a "Cops for Slots" campaign (not to be confused with Norris' "Cops for Sluts" campaign). The gang = the government. Don't have enough money, puh-lease.

PSAs

Perfect first date for match.com and jdaters-- the Renaissance Harbor Hotel, 202 East Pratt Street, Monday, November 21, 2005 at 6:00 p.m. for ... the spectacle ... the legal heavyweights duking it out in...
The Toothless Tiger

HEAR! Patricia Jessamy, fresh from a Puerto Rican vacation, pontificating on how much our total lack of protection for witnesses has led to them being shot at and having their houses burned down and whatnot.

REVEALED! Why the new witness intimidation law has been called flaccid by some and impotent by others.

BEHOLD! The Elfin and Honorable John Martin Glynn, who hears all of the juciest, skankiest cases on the 8th Circuit. That's b/c he's in charge of the docket!

and recently brought back from the dead from the basement of the law firm of Mead and Flynn, P.A., Margaret Mead! Speaking of skulls n bones, there's also some guy named James Wyda, who went to Yale.

So if you've ever wanted to get drunk on Monday night at a hotel bar and heckle smart, powerful people on a panel, call 410-385-3637 or send an e-mail to either
shaiber@milesstockbridge.com
bfish@stattorney.org
what the hell, it's free, sponsored by the creepy-sounding Federalist Society.

PSA #2 The head cybrarian will be live on WJSS am radio Thursday the 16th with Dr. Horrace Tittle from 8:50 to 9 a.m.

November 14

Two crime alerts near the TU campus (so watch yourself, Bilal):

On Sunday, November 13, 2005 at approximately 8:55 PM two suspects entered the KFC [on York Road and Willow Ave] and demanded money. After obtaining the money, the suspects ordered the employees to get in the freezer. No Weapon was displayed.
Suspect descriptions are as follows:

Black Male, glasses, beard, long sleeve white shirt W/ red stripes, baseball cap, with a blue letter.
Black Male, grey hoodie, black ski mask.

An unrelated incident occurred on Sunday, November 13, 2005 at approximately 12:10 AM where in a victim was assaulted and his wallet and other personal belongings were taken. This robbery appears to have resulted from a verbal argument earlier at the Dunkin Donuts just across the street. The suspects were described as follows:
White Male 19-20 yrs, 5'-9" Med build, dark sweatshirt, blue jeans
White Male 18-91[!] yrs. 5"-4" large build, red hair, white tee shirt, jeans

--cut n pasted from the Towson University Police

November 13

Bet that goes over really well: cops are "aggressively stopping and frisking people", with six times as many blacks as whites being frisked, according to internal police reports.

A police officer was shot in the hand.

November 11

An unidentified man was found shot to death near Wyman Park at 3732 Tudor Arms Ave. (I think one can assume in the Northern "not from this neighborhood" = "black")

Florida police arrested Ellis Lee Hickman Jr., wanted for the murder of Rakiyya States in Overlea. States was found in her flaming house in the bathtub with her fingertips cut off.

The body of a man found under the 29th street bridge Nov. 1 was identified as Bradley Wilkinson, 27, of Pennsylvania. He'd allegedly robbed a bank five days prior.

Terrance Wynn, 21, was found not guilty of the murder of 15-year-old Marshall Giles.

Police have no leads in the October 25 fatal stabbing of Jermaine Morrison, 24.

Stephan High, 22, was charged with first-degree murder in the mistaken-identity stabbing of William Green III, 19.

PGCo jurors: death a-ok for Kenneth Jamal Lighty, who kidnapped and killed the 19-year-old son of a police officer.

An 18-year-old shot in the right eye, an attempted murder arrest, shooting suspects at large and plenty of robberies and burglaries in the blotter.

Norman Johnson, 47, got 12 1/2 years after he pleaded guilty to attempted carjacking.

An eight-year-old boy was almost abducted in White Marsh, but the plucky lad escaped by landing a well-placed kick to the kneecap of his dark-clad would-be captor.

A Loyola dorm room was burgled.

PG county's 151st homicide was a fatal shooting in Landover. Also, three family members in Ellicott City pled guilty to importing counterfeit NASCAR and Lord of the Rings merchandise.

Two Towson high schools were on lockdown this morning after police recieved a report of a person with a gun.

Murder in Baltimore County is up by a whopping 10 percent!

In Cecil County a police chase led to a fatal accident and the death of a DVD pirate.

At a 12-year-old girl was arrested for phoning in a phony bomb threat to Frederick Middle School.

What I Learned at the BCCJ Meeting

Yesterday I dropped in on the Baltimore City Criminal Justice Coordinating Council meeting. It's a monthly meeting, chaired by Judge John Glynn, of all of the heads of the justice-related agencies in town: Hamm and the sheriff were there, and some Delegate, and a hot guy from the U.S. Attorney's Office, and like 20-something other people. Kind of like the Justice League in Superfriends, except boring, and they serve lunch. The discussions were kind of a yawn, and there was even a PowerPoint presentation, but the handouts were full of interesting facts. Here's a few, in no particular order:

• It costs, on average, $25,000 a year to keep someone in jail.


• A 28-day stay in a drug treatment program costs $32,800.


• In September, 6,787 people were arrested, versus 8,964 in August.


• In the past 12 months, 97,976 people have been processed at Booking and Intake. The center is currently operating at 135% of capacity.


• In November 2004, 262 people were arrested in the city for Attempted Murder.


• In 2004, the police department recieved 26,072 domestic violence calls, resulting in 5,317 arrests (I guess we don't have one of those Washington State laws where somebody has to go to jail). Seventy percent of women who are murdered are killed by partners and have been previously physically abused. There are only nine detectives handling all of the city's DV cases.


• The City Council wants to enforce a curfew on juveniles between midnight and 6 a.m. on weekends and 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. on weekdays, and also between 9 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. for juveniles 6 to 16.


• The biggest Circuit Court Divison ain't the criminal, it's the Family. In Fiscal Year '04, the Family Division dealt with 128,854 filings. The Family Division deals with 72 percent of all civil legal matters. Unlike Baltimore County, the city doesn't mandate mediation before going to court in custody cases, or make separating couples with kids attend co-parenting classes.


• There are 228 cameras posted around town. The cameras cost about $1 million each and were financed by seized assets and Homeland Security grants. According to Hamm, about 150 arrests were made last week on account of the cameras.


• About 80 to 85 percent of people arrested in the city are represented by public defenders.


• As of yesterday, Police Commissioner Hamm has been on the job for one year.

So there you go. Wish I'd asked Hamm about the 37% murder clearance rate, but the intimidatingness of all of the important people, the heat in the room and the soporific effect of the PowerPoint presentation made me chicken out at the last minute. Maybe next time.

November 10

In the Sun blotter, police are seeking information on the murder of 23-year-old Jermaine Fleming in Southwest Baltimore; Cyrus Beads was arrested for the June 7 triple shooting that left 44-year-old Lawrence Johnson dead and two teenagers wounded; two men playing video games resorted to gunplay to solve their differences; and armed robberies up the wazoo.

Now there are two Baltimore murder cases being re-examined in light of new DNA testing, and city prosecutors are not happy.

A Baltimore City Jury today convicted Keyona Dillon, 15, of attempted second-degree murder and possession of a concealed deadly weapon following two days of testimony and approximately one day of deliberation. Dillon stabbed a 15-year old girl on May 31 while walking in the 3800 block of St. Margaret Street.

The sex offense trial of Edgar West, originally scheduled to begin today, has been postponed. The new trial date is February 7, 2006 before Judge Sylvester Cox.

Deborah Weiner at WBAL-TV brings a human face to our region's staggering rate of drug addiction.

Baltimore County has three people and $300,000 to prevent gangs from becoming a problem.

Gambling charges are being dismissed against the 80 people arrested in the raid of a poker tournament in South Baltimore due to a technicality. Some participants thought the event was legal, since it was being touted as a charity fundraiser. Prosecutors may re-file charges, but it appears unlikely since even they think it's a "waste of court resources."

Members of the Baltimore City Fraternal Order of Police are trying to bring slot machines to the city in order to buy equipment for officers. The F.O.P. president stated that this is a last ditch effort to earn money, because "there's no more money for the government to give us." Meanwhile, back in July, the Washington Post ran a front-page story with the headline, "Maryland Reports Surplus of $1 Billion".

Two 13-year-old middle school students in Frederick County were charged with carrying concealed deadly weapons at school. One of the deadly weapons was a BB gun.

In Salisbury, James Bennett High School was locked down on a "Code Red alert" after a 17-year-old was found carrying a knife.

Yahoo! presented more national coverage about Baltimore's enlightened views on snitching. Chuck D. from Public Enemy offered a contrary voice to the standard hip-hop rhetoric: "If a person is cancerous to society, then a snitch sometimes is the best solution, with an army behind him."

November 9

28-year-old Corey Wyatt was shot to death on Monday night in his Northeast Baltimore home.

Murder Ink reports eight murders this week, plus the re-classification of 35-year-old Greg Morrison's September death as a homicide.

There was a shooting in Northwest Baltimore City.

Police say a missing grey backpack may be the key to the mysterious murder of Tiona Smith.

71-year-old Robert C. Griffin, imprisoned since 1986, will receive a new murder trial based upon recent DNA testing of evidence recovered from the victim's body. Prosecutors stand by the conviction against Griffin, stating they never claimed that he was the last person to have sex with the victim.

The sex offense trial of Edgar West, 34, of the 6100 block of Alta Avenue, is scheduled to begin tomorrow before Judge Sylvester Cox, 417 Mitchell Courthouse, 110 North Calvert Street. A Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted West March 28 on two counts each of second-degree child abuse, second degree sex offense and second-degree assault. Court documents allege West had sexual contact with two minors in September 2004.

Ay yi yi, MD now has one of those older-lady-teacher-young-boy cases. Kimberly Ann Cordrey-McKinney, 32, of Chestertown engaged in "acts" with a boy half her age.

Seems that the man caught with the 30-foot aluminum utility pole in his Chevy may not be behind the recent rash of lightpole thefts.

His lawyer says that gun charges against Maged Hussein will be dropped, due partially to his cooperation with agents investigating the Baltimore tunnel bomb threat and partially to the way a protective order that was filed by his wife was filled out. A hearing is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. tomorrow morning in courtroom 7, North Avenue District Court.

A Towson University student was robbed of $300 by two armed men who entered the student's dorm room.

Maryland Public Defenders report that they've been cut off from access to the criminal database. Interesting stat: 80 to 85 percent of criminal defendants in Baltimore City are represented by public defenders.

Armed robbery, armed robbery, and more armed robbery in the Sun's police blotter. Oh, and the "burgary" of 450 cartons of cigarettes. (Sorry, but typos in major daily newspapers are high on my list of pet peeves.)

An Annapolis couple was among the guests on a cruise ship that was attacked by pirates!

A woman is facing animal cruelty charges for collecting cats and starving dogs in NE Bmore.