May 23

A person was stabbed near Thurgood Marshall High School. The school is "famous" for lacking adequate heat, drinking water or toilet paper, numerous student-set fires, vermin infestation and being a general lightening rod for crapulence. A Thurgood Marshall student was also arrested for attempted murder last month, and two teenagers were shot near the high school in October of 2004.

The body of a man who had been shot mulitple times was found in the basement of the Maple Glen apartments (on the Northeast side near Herring Run Park). Residents say they heard a shot at 3 a.m. but did not call police. And yesterday Lynn D. Lettley, 28, was fatally shot in Dundalk, bringing the city's murder count to 102 (and homicide count to about 106. "About" because there are cases pending).

Police and family members are seeking help in locating Rey Rivera, a 32-year-old man who disappeared under mysterious circumstances last week.

The Bloody Preakness of '06: An assistant trainer at Pimlico was stabbed by two assailants in barn number six.

At a hearing yesterday, Judge Thomas Waxter sentenced Jermaine Winkler, 23, to 40 years for first-degree murder (and 20 years, of concurrent, aka cloud-cuckooland pretend time, for use of a handgun in the commission of a crime of violence.) A city jury convicted Winkler February 13. Say court documents:

On October 1, 2004, Winkler attempted to rob John Shivers, 42, while he was in the bleachers of Forest Park High School on Eldorado Avenue. The defendant and an accomplice approached the victim and demanded money. The victim refused and attempted to flee and was fatally shot one time in the chest.

A home invasion and shooting on E. 20th street in the blotter.

BaltCo former "drug Czar": Loyola Blakefield sent bad message by flushing drugs. The Examiner reports that the Jesuit boys' school has had at least four drug-related incidents lately.

Down Greenbelt, Baltimorean Wallace White, 23, got 19 years for gun posession. And speaking of Nigerian scams, five Marylanders and a New Yorker were indicted for bank fraud in a scheme in which they allegedly impersonated account holders. Also, the Beils of Millersville pled guilty to cooking up a batch of speed.

Baltimore city police are recruiting in Puerto Rico to find bilingual candidates, and officers are being moved from desk duty to the streets. and TDR broke a story that was picked up elsewhere!

Because he hasn't spent enough of your tax dollars yet, at Hargrove District Court this morning, Kenneth "O?r$a(i?)cl$" Ellis, 25, decided he wanted a jury trial for his "malicious destruction of property" charges. An instant jury trial for the artless ass will be scheduled or heard tomorrow in room 406 Mitchell Courthouse.

Another murder/suicide in Western Maryland. Patrick Stewart, 46, shot 59-year-old John Hartman and then himself after an arguement.

J'heart eBay! Lonely socks, drinks with Mrs. J. & Hammy, now your own Baltimore City Liquor license!

May 21

A 22-year-old man was wounded Saturday morning in a gun battle with police.

A drunk driver is dead after he "sped off at speeds," flipped at Franklin, gagged on guardrail.

AACoPo: Though we shot two crazy people in two weeks, we're not changing procedures.

A murder/suicide in HarfCo when 50-year-old Larry Randal Bank was shot by a 48-year-old Bel Air man.

Post: Former professor Brandy Britton likes potbellied pigs, red-eye mochas, may now be using "Claire" as her nom de ho.

In Carroll County, a 14-year-old boy is charged with attempted murder after stabbing his 19-year-old stepbrother.

May 20

The story of the VA couple has hit UPI, adding to the count of horrible Baltimore stories going international of late. (Let's see... "Stop Snitching," Oprah calls school system "atrocious," the "Tipping Point" syphillis chapter, "The Boys of Baraka" ...)

Three men were arrested for a Columbia gang-bang.

Excellent reporting of shitawful stories from Ocean City.

Another Marylander after Sgt. Marion Flint Jr., Robert Seidel III, has died in Iraq. Meanwhile the BBC reports a major uprising at Guantanamo.

Disgusting: Robert Carey, 52, pled guilty to storing more than one million pornographic pictures on his NOAA-owned work computer, including images of himself having sex AT WORK with a young female family member.

Yes, it's true. "Get in on it."

May 19

Darryl Long was murdered in Northeast Baltimore in a brutal home invasion, and Jamal Gwaltney, 23, died after being shot in the upper body, making 100 murders for the year according to BPD and FBI, who do not count vehicular homicide as a murder, even if the killing happens during the commission of a felony.*
(Or if your brother runs you over and keeps going.) Deaths as a result of arson are also not counted. According to the Medical Examiner's office, the current homicide number from January 1 to the present is 104.

Also not counted in the murder numbers: deaths in state custody, such as the beating death of Raymond K. Smoot. A motions hearing in that case is scheduled for Monday in Part 8, Room 236, Mitchell Courthouse. Former correction officers Dameon Woods, Nathan Colbert, and James Hatcher were indicted on August 16, 2005 for second-degree murder, first and second-degree assault, and conspiracy to first and second-degree assault. According to the corrections officers' union, Smoot was beaten by 25 to 30 guards.

Matthew Capp, a city homeowner, called the police when he thought he was being burgled was instead arrested and taken to Central Booking, shoeless. Arrests are up this month.

Police are looking for the family of Chandra Williams, who is in Shock Trauma after being shot in the face.

Timothy Loose was arrested for the third time for stealing luggage at BWI.

Ew, ick, ew, ick. Former Carroll County School Superintendent William H. Hyde, 64 was released from the Carroll County Detention Center after serving less than 12 months of an 18-month term for raping a young girl but still wanted his probation shortened. TG Judge Luke Burns denied the request.

Assaults by metal pole and bayonet and an attempted murderer arrested in the blotter.

*Though if Tom and Harry go to rob a store, and Tom shoots someone, Harry would also be charged with first-degree murder and would be eligible for the death penalty. Wacky!

May 18

The kidnapper of 19-year-old Delmy Beatriz Rivera, Jose Francisco Padilla-Colin, got four years.

A woman was killed after being hit by a stolen car in West Baltimore.

One of Tuesday's murder victims was named: 24-year-old Aaron Wilson.

Police: arrested VA couple were argumentative, grabby.

Scott Luty shot his wife Jennifer and then himself in the middle of the day in downtown Frederick.

State police will be handing out photos of Dusty Shuck and her tattoos at Western Maryland truck stops.

The MD Transportation Authority is accused of making strippers strip, taking Polaroids of them and stealing their money.

Organized Crime: A Bel Air man who pled guilty to insurance fraud, a gun charge and making a false statement on a passport application kept his records in a folder labeled "SCAMS." And file under "tacky" 30-year-old Bryn Phillips, who used some of the $860k she stole from her employer for a pink mink with faux trim and a trip to the Venetian (
Footnote to criminals: if you're on the lam, Vegas is the dumbest destination choice ever.)

Diplay: (verb) To reprint an AP story without bothering to read the headline. (The Wash. Post took the story down)

May 17

The Ink notes last week's murders of David Snow, Jeremiah Pinder and Justice Georgie. Two murders of unidentified males last night bring the total toll for the year to 98.

Shamvoy "Don Papa" Smith, a reputed local Bloods leader wanted for the murder of 19-year-old Terrance Randolph was arrested in Las Vegas. Randolph had been beaten, bound and set on fire in a West Baltimore alley April 12.

Often-charged but rarely convicted murderous crack dealer Craig E. Winkey was arrested for conspiracy to distribute. will he finally get jail time?

Blotter: 17-year-old was shot in the leg, plus a carjacking and plenty of theft.

A couple from Chantilly, VA up for an O's game was arrested and had their car impounded when they asked a policeman for directions in Cherry Hill.

Howard County police arrested Marc Ward for the 2002 shooting of Edwin Aytes in Columbia.

Mega Patria, 17, has been charged as an adult in AAC with second-degree murder in the Dec. 4 death of her newborn son.

May 16

Teandre Lanathian Draper, 22, was arrested and charged with the murder of Eula Uverde Osbourne in Woodlawn.

Montese L. Thompson, 23, was sentenced to 25 years for the murder of of Verna Brown, 35. A jury convicted Thompson March 29 of second-degree murder, for which he could receive a maximum of 30 years in prison. Thompson assaulted Brown in a house 1800 block of North Montford Avenue and later followed her outside and beat her in the face with a shovel on June 28 of last year. Brown died of her injuries on July 3, 2005.

Police are seeking some crazy bitch who threw bleach in a woman's face on Pennsylvania Avenue, plus two nonfatal shootings and two murder arrests.

Retype press releases much? The Sun has a story about gangs that's almost identical to the one WBAL ran yesterday.

At a hearing yesterday, Judge Waxter sentenced Cedric Stancil, age 30, to 50 years for the murder of Edwin Boyd, 17, and another unidentified individual who were shot execution-style next to a barbershop in the 2300 block of East Oliver Street. He also got a concurrent (aka pointless) 20-year prison term for a handgun count. On October 24, 2005 a city jury convicted Stancil of first-degree murder and use of a handgun in a crime of violence. Edwin Boyd was an eyewitness in a homicide that occurred on May 28, 2003 and was murdered shortly after speaking with police.

Steven Richie Craft, 39, pled guilty to one count of automobile manslaughter and one count of second-degree assault yesterday. Judge John M. Glynn sentenced him to seven years for the manslaughter count and a consecutive five year prison term, suspended (if it's concurrent, why bother?) for the assault count. On July 16, 2005 Craft was driving a stolen automobile that struck a vehicle in the 700 block of Eden Street. Cheryl Broadnax, 45, who was an occupant in that vehicle, was killed in the collision. Craft also attempted to run over city police officer Edward Mendez, striking him with such force he was airborne.

Murdered inmate Philip E. Parker Jr.'s parents are suing the state, claiming guards were sleeping and watching TV instead of intervening and did not perform CPR.

Wow indeed: AAC police seized $9.3 million worth of doobage, yay-yo, bobo and disco biscuits.

"I'm Keith, and I'm an addict." Well duh.

Donna Lee Bell, the HarfCo animal collector, is in jail after evading police in Bel Air.

May 15

Police say the Bloods are recruiting kids as young as 10. (And though the East Baltimore organization may be eight months old, there's at least one group claiming to be affiliated with the Bloods which has been active on the North side for much longer than that.)

Eula Uverde Osbourne, 49, was found dead in the basement of a house that was being renovated in Gwynn Oak.

At a hearing today, Judge Roger W. Brown sentenced Charles Benedict Knott, Sr. 52, of Clipper Heights Avenue to seven years in prison for the homicide of James Garrett, 56. Knott was the guy who beat Garrett to death with a cane in front of the Hampden family center on 36th street as kids were on their way home from school. Local rumor had it that Garrett had molested Knott's granddaughter. Knott pled guilty to voluntary manslaughter March 13.

David Evans, 23, of Bethesda and Duke University was indicted for first-degree forcible rape, sexual offense and kidnapping in Durham County, NC. He pled guilty to alcohol violations last week.

Five teenagers were arrested for assault and a car and plenty of cash stolen in the blotter (back after a nine-day hiatus).

May 14

Police barricaded blocks around Garrison Blvd. and Gwynns Falls Parkway after 36-year-old Justice Georgie was shot to death at a hair salon yesterday evening.

An unidentified male body with a bullet wound to the head was found floating in the harbor near the Bay Lady.

Police shot 18-year-old Justin Fisher to death after he stabbed his girlfriend and himself with a large pair of scissors.

A Crofton father of three turned out to be a member of an international drug cartel.

Hugh McWhinney, 73, shot his 76-year-old-wife Constance and then himself in Garrett County.

A Frederick County man lost is girlfriend and was driven out of town when FBI officials mistook him for a child molester. Good advice: "don't mess with suburbia, because we will chew you up and spit you out."

A Marine in Annapolis left his kids in the mall play area to apply Brazilian jiu-jitsu to a jewelry thief.

May 13

Dusty Shuck's mother says that the murdered 24-year-old suffered from schizophrenia and had walked away from a treatment facility in New Mexico.

Dundalker Steven Liller Jr. spent two months in jail for carjacking and assault in what turned out to be a case of mistaken identity.

Two shockingly stupid Montgomery County teens are charged with setting 17 fires after posting pictures of their handiwork on Myspace.

Crazy shit, yo: A 57-year-old woman in Harford County hoarded more than 100 pets in conditions so squalid a hazardous materials response team shut off electricity for fear that the methane could cause an explosion.

May 12

Stephan Vaughn, 27 (or Baughan, if you're JZ), got 20 years in prison for counts related to a burglary, police chase and accident that ended in the deaths of Avon Holman, 15, and Denis Jurkiewicz Jr., 24. Said the state,

On July 29, 2005 at 4:53 a.m. police observed and pursued a black BMW 325i being driven at excessive speed and failing to stop for red lights on Broadway in Fells Point. The BMW crashed into a Mitsubishi Galant killing its driver, Denis Jurkiewicz, 24, a nearby resident who was on his way home from work. Both vehicles then struck a parked Chrysler Concorde, traveled up onto the sidewalk and into a tree, totaling both vehicles. The driver of the BMW, later identified as Stephan Vaughn, was observed to exit through the driver's side window and run into an apartment building at 3 N Broadway where he was eventually apprehended after forcing his way into an apartment. Further investigation revealed that the BMW had been reported stolen. Found inside was the deceased body of Avon Holman, 15. Also recovered were three plasma TVs and two cash registers which had just been reported stolen from a commercial establishment, the Red Fish, located at 845 South Montford Ave.Vaughn has a previous conviction in Baltimore County and could face 15 years additional prison time. More than 50 family members and victims were in court this morning and many offered victim impact statements.

A Baltimore City jury convicted Damien Whitaker, 26, of attempted second-degree assault and carrying a dangerous weapon with the intent to injure. Judge Shirley Watts sentenced Whitaker to five years plus three years of probation. Says the State:

On May 26, 2005, Damien Whitaker, along with other unknown associates, allegedly to held a woman and her grandson hostage inside their home in the 2800 block of Hilldale Avenue for several hours. Mr. Whitaker threatened to kill someone if he couldn't find his money and his "stuff" which he alleged was stolen from him the day before. Mr. Whitaker lay in wait at the residence until the woman's son returned home. When the son returned to the house, he was assaulted with a baseball bat and beaten by Whitaker and two of his associates. The victim's car keys and money were taken from his pockets and Mr. Whitaker forced the victim to drive to a motel on North Avenue to find the person Mr. Whitaker believed stole his property. The victim was eventually able to escape Mr. Whitaker and called 911.

A Baltimore City jury late last night convicted Herbert Wyche, 55, of West Saratoga Street, of attempted first-degree murder and a related handgun count, but acquitted Wyche of first-degree murder in the death of William Staten, 60. The jury deliberated approximately three hours following two days of testimony. Sentencing is scheduled for July 12. Court docs allege that on April 21, 2004 Staten was cleaning the steps andsidewalk area in front of his home at 1031 N. Stricker St. when Wyche dropped some orange peels on the sidewalk, angering Mr. Staten. The two began to argue and Mr. Staten hit Wyche in the head with a bottle. Wyche then pulled out a gun and shot the victim once in the abdomen. Mr. Staten died 15 months later.

The murder trial of Nathaniel Broadway, scheduled to begin today, has been postponed until August 3 before Judge Schwait. The defendant had indicated to the court he was going to plead guilty in this case but changed his mind.

The Capital: Four members of the MD PSC, Kenneth D. Schisler, Allen M. Freifeld, Charles "Kinky Boots" Boutin and Karen A. Smith violated the law when they secretly met with the governor's staff regarding the BGE rate hike (weren't they supposed to have been fired already?).

The Sun catches up with last week's murder news and misreports the age of murder victim Zion Clemmons, who died from blunt-force trauma at the age of 16 months, 3 days.

Bitch, please: Melissa Harton plans to appeal her 10-year sentence today, claiming her chock-full-o-lies police interview should not have been used against her.

AAC police are seeking the public's help in finding some shotgun-toting convenience-store robbers.

Donald Handy of QAC got 17 1/2 years for selling the crack, Timothy Fisher of HC got 13 years for being a felon with a gun (and crack, and cocaine, and ammunition).

The Sykesville perv is described as fat, bearded and driving a blue compact car. And a Rockville school bus aide has been accused of groping a 9-year-old.

Banks have been robbed in Westminister and Fallston.

May 10

Daughters of a 62-year-old rape victim have taken it upon themselves to publish a sketch of the suspect (left) who attacked their mother in the driveway of her Northwest home with a barbecue fork. They claim police have "discouraged" them from publicizing the sketch.

Officer Rodney Price, who pled guilty in 2002 to the first-degree murder of Tristan Little (who was having an affair with Price's wife), asked the court to reduce his 50-year sentence.

The murder and child abuse trial of Nathaniel Broadway, 26, of E. 31st Street, is scheduled to begin at 9 tomorrow morning before Judge Allen L. Schwait. On June 7, 2004 Broadway and Sierra Swann, the parents of infant twin girls, were indicted for first-degree murder and child abuse in connection with the death of their one-month-old twins. The indictment charges them with the murders of Emmoney Broadway and Emmonea Broadway on May 11, 2004 at their residence. On February 13 Sierra Swann pled guilty to two counts of child abuse resulting in death and she is scheduled to be sentenced on May 30. Nathaniel Broadway and Sierra Swann are being held without bail at the Baltimore City Detention Center.

The judge in the case of Terry Jones, a 24-year-old man accused of beating his 15-year-old girlfriend to death has reversed her decision and now will allow DNA evidence (warning: story rife with typos). Meanwhile, during jury selection this afternoon, defendant Jones became ill and was transported to the hospital for medical care. The matter has been continued until tomorrow and will be heard in Administrative Court.

The Police Blotter has been suspiciously absent this week. Maybe Richard Irwin is on vacation, which would explain why three of the five deaths in "Murder Ink" -- including that of an 18-month-old child -- weren't covered in the Sun.

I think I'm getting this one right, but it seems too absurd to be true: David Allen Cullum was charged with first degree murder for shooting his stepsister's boyfriend yesterday. The boyfriend, Billy Wayne Corbitt, had beaten her, threatened to kill her, come to Cullum's house with a gun, and continued to advance on Cullum even after he had fired a warning shot. I guess Cullum was supposed to stand there and watch his sister get murdered by Corbitt.

An 18-year-old was injured and a 25-year-old man was shot to death in Northwest Baltimore.

A military hearing began yesterday in Iceland for the accused murderer of Airman 1st Class Ashley Turner, a resident of Frederick.

A Carroll County pervert has been offering middle school girls rides to school.

Dusty Shuck may have been killed by a trucker.

A 69-year-old woman who owned an assisted-living facility was sentenced to 18 months house arrest for patient neglect. One patient died after being found with bedsores on 40% of her body, gangrene in one foot, and maggots in the other.

Robert Nicholas Pyle will do three years for stealing a truckload of plasma TVs.

A man who cheated the Social Security Administration for over $20,000 was sentenced to 366 days in prison.

Utech, the employer of City Council President Sheila Dixon's sister, cannot contract with the city for at least two years.

May 9

A man was shot to death at 6:00 Tuesday evening in Bowley's Quarters, and Baltimore County police have made one arrest.

Police are seeking Darryl "Day Day" Bolling, 18, for shooting into a crowd of people at an Essex bus stop, wounding a 16-year-old boy.

BAL covers three child sex abuse cases today.

One of the surviving robbers who attacked Mark Beckwith at the Village of Cross Keys pleaded not guilty. Beckwith defended himself against the would-be robbers and killed one of them in the process.

Leroy Young faces up to 50 years for killing Terrence Smith last year.

An assault and robbery occurred outside of a Westminster hair salon last night.

Unshocking report: MD's joovy halls are poorly managed hellholes.

Howard county schools are getting tough on bullies.

The 6th grade teacher is out to get you.

After being held for 51 days, a misidentified carjacking suspect was released from jail.

Kids at Chinquapin Middle School in Northeast Baltimore were off yesterday because someone vandalized the school over the weekend.

Police in Aberdeen met with local residents to teach them about gangs.

May 8

From now until Thursday, I'll be posting updates in the early evenings. Please check back then.

Octavius Savage, 20, of Waldorf, was charged with first-degree murder of the grody, bisected, burnt remains.

Three men were arrested for breaking into Melissa Lynn Lowery's Abingdon home last night. The men, including her ex-boyfriend Richard C. Schofield Jr., attacked her and attempted to cut off the legs of Marc Edward Travers. Schofield and Lowery dated last year and had a history of domestic violence, including several reported threats against her and people she knew.

Police in Hagerstown are using a flashing yellow roadside sign that reads "HOMICIDE HERE" in hopes of learning information in the death of Dusty Shuck, whose body was found alongside I-70 on May 4.

BGE, Verizon, and Comcast all deny responsibility for the electrocution of 14-year-old Deanna Green during a softball game on Friday night.

A man in his 60s was attacked, cut, and robbed by two men while attempting to make a bank deposit in Crofton. One of the men used a large knife, possibly a machete.

A man was shot in the stomach three blocks away from Mondawmin Mall on Monday.

The best way to avoid getting shot by the Annapolis police? Don't hide drugs in your mouth, drag an officer behind your car, steal his partner's gun, then threaten to start shooting at police.

There was an appeals court hearing today regarding the death sentence of Vernon Lee Evans Jr.

Arvel D. Williams was stopped for a traffic violation and arrested for possessing a pound of pot, 100 grams of crack, and 127 grams of cocaine.

53-year-old Michael Zemanick of Ellicott City was charged with robbing his local branch of the Bradford Bank on February 15.

New Pikesville digs for the Baltimore County police. Perhaps the commander of the newly created Precinct 4 will be given an inadequate staff and then relocated when crime goes up. Not that anything like that would ever happen in, say, the city's Northern District.

May 6

One person was murdered last night in Overlea. Two suspects were arrested after speeding away from the scene and crashing into parked cars.

A hit-and-run in Elkridge left a 58-year-old bicyclist dead.

The woman whose body was found along I-70 in Frederick County has been identified as 24-year-old Dusty Shuck of Silver City, NM. She died from head trauma and a slashed throat.

A 14-year-old girl was electrocuted when she leaned against a fence in Druid Hill Park during a softball game. BGE claims their equipment wasn't involved and it wasn't their fault.

On Thursday evening at 5:00, a 19-year-old woman was raped as she was walking in Columbia.

After being attacked by a group of teenagers outside his house, Gregory Kane contemplates the juvenile murderers behind the deaths of Bryant Jones, Jerrod Hamlett, Jennifer Morelock and Jason Woycio.

A quiet day in the Blotter with only one person getting shot. (Oh, and a quick observation about yesterday's Blotter: A woman was in critical condition at Johns Hopkins Hospital after she was shot Monday morning by a man she knows. The woman was walking in the 400 block of N. Broadway about 9 a.m. when the man began to chase her. During the pursuit, he fired several shots, hitting the woman once in the left shoulder. This puts the shooting somewhere between the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins (401 N. Broadway) and the creatively named "500 Broadway" building at Johns Hopkins. I wonder how much news coverage this shooting would have received if one of those "several shots" hit someone besides the intended target.)

On Friday morning, a white man in his 20s attempted to carjack a woman in the parking lot of the Wal-Mart by the Arundel Mills mall.

The BPD is eating itself from the inside out: One of the accused officers in the Southwestern's Flex Squad was secretly working for Internal Affairs, and is now part of a lawsuit against other officers.

A case against two BPD officers for assaulting a man and two women in Federal Hill was dismissed because prosecutors didn't follow the proper procedures. The victim is "mad as hell."

The new jail in Baltimore County opened yesterday.

Another addition to the department of screwed up web sites: the city government has added fuel to the BGE fire by creating a site that incorrectly calculates your new electric bill rates. BGE claims their equipment wasn't involved and it wasn't their fault.

May 5

Baltimore police have been touting the new Web site, but all but the header/ticker is blank on my browser (Safari). Can anyone else see it?

PGC police closed four homicide cases this week.

WMAR's Keith Mills got nine months' house arrest for stealing prescription drugs from his neighbor who was undergoing chemotherapy for cancer.

The Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted Officer Jemini Jones, 28, of the Southwestern District for second-degree rape, second-degree sex offense and misconduct in office. Court documents allege on October 24, 2005 Officer Jones executed a search and seizure warrant at the home of the alleged victim. Jones informed her that she would have to engage in various sexual activities in order to avoid arrest. An arraignment date has not been scheduled. This is a different incident than the one in December in which Jones is accused of raping a woman at the station house.

Kenneth Oakley, 41, was shot in his home in East Baltimore by a man who was chasing him.

Three non-fatal shootings in the blotter, and Shaheed Boyd was identified as the man fatally shot on Elderon Avenue last Saturday.

Alleged murderer/arsonist Daniel Murray's motive? He ws "teased." Murray was arrested after confessing to a co-worker.

Grody. Burnt human remains were found in Charles County.

Former Homeland-Security flak Brian Doyle of Silver Spring is out on bail after being accused of sending pornographic messages and films to (someone he thought was) a 14-year-old girl.

There's a hot new drug on the streets, says the DEA: a mixture of cold medicine and heroin that's being called "cheese."

James Wright, 32, got 20 years for selling crack.

The trial of Kenneth "O?r$a(i?)cl$" Ellis was postponed until May 23, 2006.

The FTC has sued five Internet companies, including Baltimore-based Information Search Inc., for selling consumers' cell-phone records.

May 4

Baltimorean Cindi Rush, 20, has been arrested and charged for the murder of Waldorf restaurant owner Patricia Caniglia.

A Virginia man was arrested for stabbing of 19-year-old William Green III to death in Baltimore County last October.

The second-degree assault trial of police officers Jack Odom, Jr. and Michael Brassell is scheduled to begin at 2 tomorrow afternoon in Hargrove District Court, room 2. Second-degree assault carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.

In Curtis Bay, police shot fleeing suspect Scott Fischer.

Memphis anchorman Ron Meroney, 69, was arrested and charged with child abuse and rape for an incident that happened in Baltimore County more than 30 years ago.

Dundalk murder mom Denise Lechner got 30 years for child abuse resulting in the death of her 3-year-old son, Roy. Another son, Donald, had died mysteriously four months before.

The Baltimore City Grand Jury today indicted Jamal Charles, 16, of Edmonston Ave. and Dwayne Drake, 17, of Dolefield Ave., for first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder and handgun counts. Court documents allege that on April 14 Charles and Drake shot and killed Bryan Jones, 42, in the 1000 block of N. Augusta Ave.

A woman's body was found by I-70.

Sun: the flex squad investigation is "dragging," with only one charge after four months of investigation.

A UM College Park student, Daniel Murray, was arrested and charged with first-degree murder and arson in the death of 22-year-old Michael Scrocca.

Barbara Gahan, reported missing, was found dead in a creek in Essex.

The trial of Kenneth Ellis, 35, left, charged with malicious destruction of property, is scheduled for trial 8:30 a.m. tomorrow in courtroom one, Hargrove District Court. Ellis is accused of being the graffiti "artist" resposible for the tag "Oricl" or "Oracl."

May 3

The happy-hour auction was won at $660 by an extra-large individual who's fond of tacky watches and gently used boxer shorts! Congrats!

At a hearing today, Kevin Hunter, 37, of Baltimore, pled guilty to first-degree rape. Judge Allen L. Schwait sentenced him 20 years in prison and five years' probation and ordered him to register with the Maryland sex offense registry. On June 25, 1990 Hunter broke into the victim's home and forcibly raped her twice. A suspect was identified at that time but was cleared through DNA testing. In March 2003 Baltimore City police received information from the Maryland State Police that Hunter's DNA matched the DNA collected during a rape kit exam. Hunter is currently serving a 30-year prison term for first-degree rape, first-degree sex offense and attempted first-degree murder for a crime that took place in 1991. Judge Schwait ordered that today's sentence run concurrent to this previous conviction.

Ink: Three murders last week, including 14-month-old Kayah Jackson. That's 87 murders so far, 86 not counting Julia Boussari.

Howard Rote was arrested for attempted murder, accused of shooting his wife, Mary, in the neck.

Andre Staton was convicted yesterday in PA and may face death for stabbing Beverly Yohn with a butcher knife in front of her son. Staton was on parole in MD following another stabbing.

A body found in NY may be that of missing Baltimorean Melvin Sharpless.

Police arrested two adults and "some juveniles" who are linked to more than 115 burglaries in the Baltimore area.

In Annapolis, a second midshipman, Kenny Ray Morrison, faces sexual assault charges.

Judge Richard Palumbo of PGC faces charges of misconduct after dismissing Yvette Cade's protective order, comparing women to buses, making a trooper void his traffic ticket because he was a judge, and discouraging another trooper from writing him a ticket by saying he "knew the trooper's boss." Meanwhile, Cade appeared on "Oprah" today. [Username ho420@yahoo.com; password go2hell]

A former Caroline County deputy, Michael K. Sheward, was the second former member of the sheriff's department charged with felonies related to sexual contact with an underage girl.

Six Duke lacrosse players have applied to JHU.

Pamela Hoffler-Riddick (remember her?), a former teacher, got 6 1/2 years for helping launder drug money.

Time to get like Whitney and stop the madness, stop the madness now.

May 2

Mary Galston, 31, was found stabbed in her home in Brooklyn.

A man was shot on Grayson Street in the Southwestern.

Natalyn Tart-Jones, 49, was stabbed by her ex in Columbia.

Davon David Temple, 17, has been arrested and charged for the murders of Jennifer Morelock and Jason Woycio.

Vernon Evans will have his appeal heard.

Sixty-six people are being held locally on immigration charges following raids on Monday.

For the second time in a month, a man was glued to a toilet seat in Salisbury.

Why is the Harford County sex-offender population on the rise?

May 1

An unidentified man was shot and killed near Wabash Avenue in the Northwestern.

Blotter: A man was shot near Johns Hopkins Hospital, and 20-year-old Ashley McLaurin was arrested for carjacking.

Man steals hair, paper uses cliche for headline.

Dept. of non-breaking news: prostitution is a nuisance, and some hookers have drug habits.

One month left to get that pet monkey.

In Wicomico County, Baltimorean Steven L. Pratt was found guilty of impersonating a police officer and was fined $157.50.

April 30

Two men were shot dead near a business complex in Linthicum.

Attorneys for the two officers accused of failing to intervene during a rape at the Southwestern District station house have filed motions to dismiss charges.

April 28

Police identified murder victims Kimberly Skyers and Larry Greene.

A woman was stabbed in the stomach and back at her home in Waverly by a friend of her husband's.

Yes, it's for real! You can bid on eBay for a "Happy Hour" with Hamm and Jessamy! (Disclaimer: happiness not included.)

At a hearing today, wheelchair-bound Jerome McCardell, 32, got a total of 20 years after he pled guilty to first-degree murder for shooting and killing Thomas Robert Pratt, 26, on December 9, 1991, guilty to use of a handgun in the commission of a crime of violence, and also guilty to an unrelated attempted armed robbery from January 2, 2004.

Roger Hargrave was found guilty of attempted first-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder and assault. WBAL has the horrifying video.

Baltimorean Craig Scott got 12 1/2 years for drug trafficking.

Two people were indicted for bilking the city school system of about $12,000.

Lavar Clark got 90 days for driving the getaway car for an Overlea robbery. Lavar is the brother of Javon Clark, convicted getaway-car driver in the William Bassett murder.

Nice! Cops are getting new cameras and computers to help them post pictures of sex offenders.

Erik Stoddard, charged with second-degree murder, pled not guilty at an arraignment this morning. His trial date was scheduled for August 10, 2006. On December 8, 2005 the Maryland Court of Appeals vacated Stoddard's second-degree murder conviction, citing evidentiary issues regarding the testimony of a three-year-old witness. A Baltimore City jury convicted Stoddard March 13, 2003 of second-degree murder and child abuse resulting in death for the death of Calen Faith Dirubbo, 3. Court documents allege that on June 15, 2002 Dirubbo was pronounced dead at her home, where she lived with her mother and Stoddard. Dirubbo died as a result of multiple beatings over a period of at least a month; the fatal blow, which severed her bowel, occurred June 15, 2002.

CBS National News reported that more than 90 percent of witnesses in Baltimore murder cases face intimidation. (Yet judges give career criminals and intimidators such as Clyde Meadows probation.)

April 27

Ghafour Asemani, 38, of Ellicott City pled guilty to attempted second-degree murder for choking his ex-wife, Samira, who remains in a coma.

Blotter: A 24-year-old man was shot four times in the Western, and there's a whole lot of stealing going on.

Baltimore thieves stole $9,000 worth of gas from two stations.

Details on the sad case of the PGC 12-year-old who stabbed his mother and 9-year-old brother to death, if you're not depressed enough already.

Why was a Howard County police officer creeping around his wife's office building at 3:30 a.m.?

In AAC a man was stabbed in the hand and a crackhead left his dog in a hot car, which led to his arrest on outstanding warrants. And did you know PCP comes in a bottle?

April 26

A Baltimore Circuit Court Jury returned guilty verdicts on all counts this afternoon in the first-degree murder trial of Mohammed Biglari, who sounds like a total psycho. Sentencing is set for June 15 at 11 a.m. before Judge Allison. This was Biglari's third trial for the 1991 murder of Barbara Halsey, a Veteran's Hospital employee and mother of two. His two previous murder convictions were vacated by the Maryland Court of Appeals.

The BCGJ returned two indictments charging Baltimore City police officer Walter Jackson-Hill, 36, of York, Pennsylvania with two counts of Bribery, two counts of Extortion by Government Employee and two counts of Misconduct in Office. Jackson is accused of taking cash bribes in exchange for failing to appear in court.

The BCGJ returned an indictment charging Baltimore City police officer Che Christopher Jackson, 35, of Randallstown, with one count of Felony Theft. If convicted Jackson could be sentenced to up to 15 years and/or fined $25,000. The indictment alleges that between January 4 and January 6 Jackson removed four 20-inch Rox Fossill rims and four Wanli tires valued at $1800 from a 2000 Cadillac Deville belonging to Lisa Smith. Ms Smith's vehicle had been seized as a result of an investigation into a shooting. The rims and tires were removed while the vehicle was being stored at the Northeastern police district. The tires and rims were subsequently located on a 1999 Cadillac Deville belonging to Jackson.

CP recounts the tragic tale of 15-year-old Vatell Murray, murdered on the last day of 2005.

The Ink recounts last week's seven murders. In case you haven't heard, crime is up in every category in Baltimore (by 4 percent city-wide, says the Sun) and we're up to 86 homicides.

Student mathletes filed a motion in court demanding $800 million and the removal of the school board.

Harry Hudson Conway got 12 years and 7 months federal for robbing two Towson banks.

Scary: a man trying to call 911 about an assault in progress was transferred four times and hung up on by operators.

Tainted heroin is causing addicts' deaths in PA, NJ and possibly Maryland's Eastern Shore.

April 25

Judge Stephanie Lynette Royster, 45, passed away last night after a long battle with cancer. Last November Royster was appointed to the 8th Circuit for Baltimore City by Gov. Ehrlich. Prior to her appointment she spent 15 years working for the Baltimore City State's Attorney's Office, most recently serving as Chief of Staff and Deputy State's Attorney. She went to Western High School and earned her BA in philosophy from Loyola College, then spent 10 years with the advertising agency W.B. Doner before earning her JD from the University of Maryland School of Law.

The Commander of the Northern District, Maj. Steven Lukaskik, has been reassigned to the property crime division. The new man in charge will be Michael Pristoop, formerly of the Western. And Maj. Richard C. Fahlteich is retiring again.

Blotter: three people were arrested and charged with attempted murder for shooting a 20-year-old man on Barclay Street March 28. And in the Western, a man was shot in the head and lived.

Burning victim Yvette Cade testified against her estranged husband and alleged attacker Roger Hargrave.

The trial of Donta Allen, accused of murdering Linda Trinh, has been postponed until September because the prosecutor is busy on another case.

County police are looking for five possible witnesses to the murders of Youani Alvares and Joel Gonzales, found in a field near Shelbourne Avenue. They were last seen at the Club Mate & Lounge in South Baltimore.

Wonder if Patricia C. Jessamy got the "little lady, you should know better than to leave things of value in your car" speech.

Oy vay, JZ. A "pitbull" was shot after allegedly attacking a child in Pasadena. Charges are pending against the "dogs owners." Here's the story in English.

April 24

The murder trial of Brian Christopher Cooper, 21, is scheduled for 9:30 tomorrow morning before Judge Shirley Watts. A Baltimore City jury convicted Cooper of first-degree murder April 28, 2003 and he was sentenced to life in prison June 26, 2003. The Court of Special Appeals vacated that murder conviction July 6, 2005 ruling Cooper's Miranda rights were violated. Court documents allege that on April 16, 2002 Cooper and Elliott Scott, 21, argued in front of an unlicensed taxi stand in the 2600 block of West Fairmount Avenue. After the argument, which occurred shortly before midnight, Mr. Scott walked toward his home with a female neighbor. Cooper got a "hack" to drive him home where he got a knife and returned to the neighborhood looking for Mr. Scott. Cooper allegedly found Mr. Scott on North Catherine Street, chased him into the alley behind his home in the 2500 block of West Fayette Street, and stabbed Mr. Scott three times. Mr. Scott underwent emergency surgery at the Shock Trauma Unit and described his assailant before succumbing to his injuries.

The murder trial of Keith Garrett, scheduled for today, has been postponed until June 1 before Judge Wanda K. Heard because there were no courtrooms available.

Pregnant Jennifer Morelock, 25, and her companion Jason Woycio, 29, of Carroll County, were shot on the West side.

Good(?) news: Arrests without charges are down to 11.7 percent from 23 percent.

Harold Medan was arrested for the murder of Aaron Mackley, and a student at Thurgood Marshall High was arrested for the attempted murder of Antoine Matthews, 18.

A middle-aged guy with a beard is robbing banks.

What the ?! is up with PGC? A 12-year-old boy was arrested for stabbing a 9-year-old boy and a 31-year-old woman to death, and 14-year-old Dominick Edelin was arrested at school for sexually assaulting girls.

A College Park bar's "Ladies Lockdown" raged, in spite of a table full of superciliously non-partying school officials.

April 22

Jarell Adams, 20, and an unidentified man were fatally shot on Thursday (so there were four homicides that day-- two in the South, one in the East and one in the West).

Kendall Charles Alexander got 27 years federal for robbing the Wachovia Bank on Northern Parkway, twice.

Twenty-five-year-old Kondwani Martin got 10 years for being a felon with a firearm and admitting to being involved in a gunfight with police outside the Upper Deck Grill last year. Less-lucky Harold Greene, 32, a felon in possession of a gun who didn't shoot at anyone, got 17 years.

April 21

The murder trial of Keith Montrell Garrett, 34, is scheduled to begin 9:30 Monday before Judge Althea Handy. The Baltimore City Grand jury indicted Garrett 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. Garrett remains held without bail. Assistant State's Attorney and Homicide Division Chief Mark Cohen will prosecute this case.

Two homicides in South Baltimore yesterday: Robert Atkinson, 47, was found shot on a kitchen floor. Vincent Paige, 23, was shot and died at Harbor Hospital.

A 16-year-old boy was shot in the back at a bus stop in Essex.

In the blotter, arrests for murder, attempted murder and armed robbery.

In Towson, Jeffrey Ricardo Jones Jr. got 25 years for stabbing his ex-girlfriend Lesley Dunlap with a steak knife outside the Venable law firm.

Remember the bizarre killing of Ralph Amadi, shot on his front lawn in White Marsh last March? The FBI now has a suspect: Duane Latoye Geiger, 32.

In Westminster, 23-year-old Jasen Weigman is in custody and has confessed to assaulting the 7-year-old boy at the Ruby Tuesday's.

This blog got its 100,000th hit this morning, a reader from Silent Flute. Don't miss the link to these rare and fabulous V103 mixes: priceless Baltimorerfernalia.

April 20

A second suspect, Dwayne Drake, 16, faces first-degree murder charges in the sweet 16 murder.

A shooting in the Southwestern, three attempted murder arrests, theft, robbery and burglary in the blotter.

Tonya Tyson, who worked at Ferris, Baker Watts in D.C., was one of five Marylanders indicted for investment bank fraud in a scheme to launder drug money.

A former mental health counselor, Moses Ige, was sentenced to probation for defrauding Medicare of $6k.

In Cumberland, kids aren't just dabbling heroin and meth, but are also getting hooked on fentanyl pain patches.

Men for Others Dept:
In Montgomery County, officials at Georgetown Prep sent home a letter to parents to inform them that that sexual abuse charges against former teacher and priest Garrett Orr were "substantially true."

In Westminster a 7-year-old boy was molested in a Ruby Tuesday's bathroom.

In Anne Arundel County, associate pastor Enoch Hill of the Essex House of God Church was arrested for molesting a boy.

April 19

Oswald V. Voigt pled guilty and was sentenced to 30 years for choking Robin Hoey with an extension cord.

Ink: eight murders last week, 80 this year.

The Baltimore Police Department is facing four federal lawsuits for allegedly retaliating against employee/critics.

Police are seeking the public's help in locating Emani Baxter, a 15-year-old runaway from Pikesville.

April 18

In PA, jury selection is underway in the case of Baltimorean Andre Staton, accused of stabbing his girlfriend Beverly Yohn to death. Staton has an extensive record going back to the 80's that includes arson, battery, thefts and obstruction of justice.

On August 9, 2005, police discovered the body of Robin Hoey inside a safe located in the 3100 block of Lorena Avenue. The Medical Examiner concluded that Hoey died as a result of asphyxiation and ruled her death a homicide. Tomorrow, the murder trial of Oswald Victor Voigt, 49, is scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m. before Judge Allen L. Schwait. A Baltimore Grand Jury indicted Voigt on September 9, 2005 for the first-degree murder of Robin Hoey, 36. Court documents allege that on August 18, 2005 Voight confessed to murdering Hoey. State's Attorney's office: "Don't hold your breath on this actually going forward...."

The 14-year-old who was shot to death last Saturday was identified as Raymond Revley.

A group of four or five men went on a robbery and carjacking spress in PGC and DC Easter Monday afternoon.

Prince George's County homicide detectives held a funeral for their littlest victim, a newborn found by a pond in Riverdale Park.

Ehrlich-appointed Republican Delegate Terrill "Terry" R. Gillelan Jr., left, was arrested nine months ago after drunkenly crashing his Mercedes and stumbling into traffic, unkempt and drooling. District Judge Thomas Pryal acquitted him of drunk-driving charges due to faulty evidence. Gilleland is up for election this year.

Finns: salmon is the new prison saltpeter.

April 17

Following a bail review hearing this morning, Judge Nancy B. Shuger ordered the "Sweet 16" (alleged) killer Jamal Charles charged with first-degree murder and held without bail. A preliminary hearing was scheduled for 8:30 a.m. May 12 in room 3, Hargrove District Courthouse.

Judge Wanda K. Heard sentenced Marvin Dorsey, 23, of West Lombard Street, to life in prison for first-degree murder and 20 years in prison for use of a handgun in the commission of a crime of violence. Judge Heard ordered that the sentences run consecutively and said that it was her hope and desire that Dorsey "never see the streets again." On January 20 a Baltimore City jury convicted Dorsey of the murder of Raymond Savoy, 16. On October 27, 2004 Dorsey shot Savoy eight times with a .45 caliber handgun in the 200 block of South Caroline Street. Asst. State's Attorney Matthew B. Fraling III prosecuted the case.

Melissa Harton got 10 years in prison for the killing of Natasha Bacchus Magee. The AP reported that she could be out on parole in as little as a year and a half.

What the ... ? A Dundalk family couple is being terrorized by a 16-year-old hoodlum/witness intimidator who, says a police dept. spokesperson, the State Juvenile Justice Department refuses to deal with.

A man in the NW was arrested for the possession of a stolen Glock 9 mm.

April 14

Two teenage boys were shot on Cardenas Avenue in East Baltimore. Both survived.

A 23-year-old man was shot Wednesday on the 1100 block of East Lanvale.

Loco Rodney Bethea tried to hang himself in the NE District Station, then hit an officer over the head with a halogen light bulb and held a woman hostage in an office with a pair of scissors.

Tavon Wilson, 21, got 16 years in prison for shaking his girlfriend's toddler to death.

Felon Jerome Henderson, 42, got 15 years for a gun charge.

Benz-driving Kawasaki owners pled guilty to immiglation ferony and money raundeling. They stole tips, too.

University of MD police: help us arrest this drunken, hooting hatboy.

William D. Chase, 49, is the new head of the FBI's Baltimore office.

A 15-year-old Aberdeen boy is in critical condition after a gang-related shooting.

What's up with the Sun's coverage today? It's, like, on 'roids all the sudden (this time steroids, not hemorrhoids).

April 13

An as-yet-unnamed man is dead after a double shooting at 6:40 in Reservoir Hill. A woman was also wounded.

Dick Irwin especial: 371 words for the past seven days' murders:
Last Thursday: Curtis Mitchell, 19, was fatally shot to death.
Saturday: Darnell Butler, 24, was fatally shot in the NW.
Sunday: Homeless Julia Kimberly Boussari, 34, died of a stab wound to the chest; A woman was found suspiciously dead on Druid Hill Ave.
Tuesday: Charles Sparrow, 53, got a fatal chest-stab wound at a house on Glydon Avenue.
Police found the body of a woman who died of head injuries in a vacant home.
Wednesday: The body of a burned man was found inside a rowhome in West Baltimore.
And yesterday, three boys were shot in the Northwestern near Liberty Heights Avenue.

Devin Jamele Milbourne, 21, of Edgewood, was arrested for attempted murder in the shooting of 15-year-old Tyrone Orr in Aberdeen.

The Sun gives the police department's Kristen Mahoney a chance to respond to Jessamy's accusations that numbers prepared by the Police Department were an intentionally misleading attempt to discredit the office of the prosecutor. "'The information that Mrs. Jessamy provided yesterday added no value to the discussion,'" said Mahoney. (What discussion?)

April 12

Ditkoff: eight murders last week and 72 for the year.

Judge Paul E. Alpert sentenced Emanuel Young, 27, today to a total of 80 years in prison. A city jury convicted Young March 22 of second-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder and handgun counts. Judge Alpert sentenced Young to 30 years for the second-degree murder, 30 years for the attempted second-degree murder and 20 years for the use of a handgun in the commission of a crime of violence, with all the terms to run consecutively.

On April 13, 2003 Young murdered Marcus Gordon, 20, in the 3000 block of Oakley Avenue. A second victim was also wounded in that shooting.

The CJCC monthly meeting is today. The meeting is open to the public.

A second man pled guilty to bilking UMBC. Patrick R. Sisk, 49, admitted to grifting $137k of cash, goods and services via a construction-fraud scheme.

Creepy crap in the county: A painted-black effigy was found dangling from a bridge in Edgewater.

CJCC:
Clerk Frank Conaway asked if there were going to be any changes made in the way flex squads operate, because 60-some cases out of the Southwestern had to be dropped, adding, "I've never seen it this bad."
Marcus Brown replied, "the percentage of officers in flex squads is relatively small."
("Those flex squad officers were all skinheads who followed Ed Norris from New York," a judge opined to me later.)
Marcus Brown of the mayor's office reported that the FBI's Uniform Crime Report for 2005 was out and that overall crime is down 6.4 percent, violent crime 3.8 percent. He said that when the mayor referred to a 40-percent figure he was referring to since 1999.

Then it was Jessamy's turn, and she let loose. She said that in information released by the police and mayor about her office, only 140 of 500 cases had accurate information. The office handed out huge chunks of paper with details of hundreds of cases from what she called a "rouge database."

While Jessamy was pontificating a guy from the U.S. Attorney's Office was reading the paper with his back to Jessamy. How horribly rude, I thought. I found out later what the guy was reading was today's Daily Record story, ("Prosecutors clear the air before CJCC meeting") in which Glynn (the top judge of the city and chair of the meeting) was quoted as calling Jessamy a "liar" for claiming that prosecutors had "strongly objected" to the 90-day sentence of Amanda Johnson. Anyway, Jessamy was livid. "The rouge database is a direct attack, and that will not be tolerated, and if it happens again I'm out of here, because we're messing around on the citizens."

Glynn, himself, was still pig-biting mad. After the meeting I asked, "what's up with 90 days for Amanda Johnson?"
He said, "Do you even know the facts in the case?" The fact was, he said, Amanda Johnson was the girlfriend of Kenneth George, who was charged with attempted murder. Somehow George managed to get a plea deal in which he got probation in exchange for sniching on Amanda. So indeed, it's already not fair for the girlfriend to get time. "And nobody said a word, much less 'strongly objected,'" huffed Glynn. So indeed, how did Kenneth George plea himself down to probation?

Turns out it wasn't Amanda Johnson's boyfriend (Kenneth George) who got probation in exchange for snitching on Johnson, it was the boyfriend's friend Clyde Meadows. There are actually two Kenneth Georges, a Jr. and a Sr., Jr. is Amanda's boyfriend. Both Georges, father and son have been charged with attempted murder, but it's the boyfriend's dad, the senior, who is charged with intimidation. They both are clearly extremely intimidating and have been charged with more than 100 crimes since the early 80s, with charges related to everything from speeding to ripping of a jewelry store to attempted murder and robbery. Kenneth George senior is getting sentenced on the 24th, and Jr's attempted murder trial is supposed to start this week.

Clyde Calvin Meadows III, (the one born in 1979), was the first person charged under the state's new Witness Intimidation statute, and should and could have gotten 20 years, but he got three years of probation. His "rap sheet" lists 24 case numbers... burglarly, theft, attempted murder, robbing businesses, probation violations... how could any judge look at his record and let him roam free? Mind-boggling.

April 11

News from afar: a prison radio station.

Jayne Miller: Though Baltimore's medical examiner ruled the death of 58-year-old James Royster a homicide and said his death caused by his aorta rupturing during an assault, and though a suspect had been indicted, the police department took the death out of the "homicide" category and changed the record to indicate that Royster instead died of "natural causes."

The Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted Dana White, 51 of the 400 block of East 25th Street, for first-degree murder. On March 21 White got into an altercation with a neighbor, Lee Artis Tatum, 73, and stabbed him to death in the Brentwood Apartments building where they both lived.

The Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted Corey McLeaurin, 29 of the 3400 block of Gwynns Falls Parkway, for armed robbery, use of a handgun in the commission of a crime of violence and other related charges. Court documents allege that on March 17, McLeaurin and another man robbed a man of $5,900 cash in the parking lot of the Village of Cross Keys shopping center. The victim shot and injured McLeaurin during the robbery. Another suspect was shot and killed, and the State's Attorney's Office is reviewing that fatal shooting. There has been no finding in that incident and the matter is considered still under investigation.

The murder trial of Mohammad Biglari (who is accused of killing his neighbor in Charles Village) which was scheduled April 6 and continued until April 10 for lack of courtroom availability, was continued again Monday. The defendant was not transported to court from the Detention Center; an interpreter was not available; and no courtroom was available. The State was ready to proceed to trial both days. The new trial date is 10:30 a.m. April 17 before Judge Kaye Allison, 451 Mitchell Courthouse.

Four years after the murder of Taharka McCoy, will Tyrone "Moochie" Beane face trial?

Shakia Watkins, 19, got four years for making fake calls to 911 to clog up the police system before the firebombing of Edna McAbier's house.

A body was found yesterday in Crownsville.

Police identified Saturday's murder victims as as Shelton Turner, 21, Noble Johnson, 26, and Andre Brantley, 21.. also a girl was abducted and raped on North Curley street.

Though both parties said in January that tougher penalties for sex offenders were a priority, the legislature couldn't agree on a bill.

Oprah: "We're standing in a city where the dropout rate is atrocious for young black males ... 76 percent. That should make you gasp." She was in town and raised $1.4 million for the Beth Tfiloh Dahan Community school. She also paid a visit to Richard Sher, her former "People Are Talking" co-host and a friend of the school's dean.

April 10

A 21-year-old man was shot in the Southeast.

Tragic: after two months of not reporting a single word about his murder, the Sun realizes that Donte Bellamy was no typical victim but a boy of Baraka.

The body of seven-year-old Edward Blue was found in the water off the pier at Lynch Cove in Dundalk.

Did you know? According to Steve from Catonsville, because of "extremely loose" zoning regulations, Maryland has 13 establishments that "facilitate the swinging lifestyle."

City judges Glynn and Keith Mathews blasted city police for routinely not returning signed search and seizure warrants, a "sloppy and unprofessional approach to police business" that jeapordizes cases. Speaking of business, should the police really be spending time helping people find jobs*? Don't we already have any other agencies, clubs, churches and nonprofits, YMCAs, Dan Rodericks, the Police Athletic League or librarians for that?

Maryland also has one 46-year-old woman, Valerie Fletcher, who pled guilty to prostiution to protect her clients, including Charles R. Boutin. Maintining client dignity and protecting privacy is the capstone of the companionship business, after all. "I am deeply mortified for the man that he was portrayed this way," Fletcher was quoted as saying in the Sun, adding, "he sought me out because I offer role play and domination."
Oh well, all PSC members are about to be fired anyway... and not in a pyrosophical way.

Sucks to be Phillips: sixteen tons of Indonesian crabmeat was seized by U.S. Marshalls following allegations of improper storarge.

*The first Examiner link. Those are some short articles.

April 9

In Worcester County, after a car chase a man was arrested for killing a couple and two of their grandchildren.

City police officer Che Jackson, 24, was arrested for stealing tire rims from a seized Cadillac.

Perv news:
A QA County middle school gym teacher, 26-year-old Christopher Tribbett, is accused of having a sexual relationship with a girl that began when she was 12 years old.

Dateline NBC is under fire by the Wash. Post for paying the civilian watchdog group Perverted Justice. The group did three shows that attracted some 24 million viewers, by the fourth show they negotiated to be paid a paltry $100k for their work. Three members of the group were also deputized so the arrests would meet local legal requirements, and the series has generated accusations of news-manufacturing. Whatever.

April 8

Karen L. Foxx killed her estranged husband Herman last Saturday afternoon in Randallstown with some shots to the torso. Good for her. He broke her dog's neck for godsake.