September 6

A woman's death is called 'suspicious' in West Baltimore (192?).

A body (193?) has been found near the railroad tracks around Wabash and West Belvedere Avenue in Northwest Baltimore.

The Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted Davon Pearson, 19, for first-degree murder and conspiracy to murder. Court documents allege that on August 3, 2006, Howard Tavon Jones was found with a fatal gunshot wound to the head and Pearson was identified as the person seen in the area at the time gunshots were heard. An arraignment is scheduled for September 29.

WJ's story of William Langley, 49, sentenced to life in prison plus 20 years, consecutive for murder and a handgun count. A Baltimore City jury convicted Langley June 2, 2006 of first-degree murder and use of a handgun in the commission of a crime of violence for the killing of Korean immigrant Nae Chun Pak, 46 at Cherry Hill Friedchicken Carry-out NFish. Langley had been out of jail for less than a year and had served time for murder.

Wicomico County is seeking to protect itself from adults and the activities certain peep-show-like rooms induce them to engage in which are unlawful (nudge, nudge), as Dewey Beach deals with a 17-year-old compulsive flasher.

Harassment and threats at the courthouse, and that's just in the Clerk's office. [sub. required]

"Nine of the 10 employees of the [Baltimore city circuit court] jury division signed grievances against [Jury Commissioner Nancy Dennis and her lead worker, Cheryl Reese] in June and requested a transfer. Last month, jury division employees staged a lunch-hour walkout along with union members.

The jury division employees allege that Reese set unrealistic expectations with respect to their workload and engaged in verbal harassment.

Dennis, the employees allege, is often absent from the office and has changed the policy with respect to jurors who fail to appear for jury duty so that the employees were asked to handle an additional 400 to 500 calls a day.

Reached by telephone last week, Dennis declined to comment on the allegations.

Jury division employees said last week that they welcomed Reese's transfer."

A family beating in Crofton, some toughs in a cab and tossed dresser drawers in the Annapolis Police Beat.

Baltimore police officer Quandra Johnson allegedly committed credit card fraud, had goods shipped to the Western, named several other officers as accomplices.

Anna Ditkoff: 76 of 2006's homicides have been closed.

Lots of armed robbery in the blotter.

Julie Bykowicz on the city's littlest murder witnesses.

The city's best-armed preteens are at Thurgood Marshall Middle.

In AAC, Jose Amaya pled guilty to stabbing Angela Holland.

A dead woman was found in Carroll County.

Best. Web find. Ever. From 8-12 p.m., mdscanner.com streams various local police and fire frequencies!

Why we love this town:
Apparently Comptroller W. D. Schaefer's bizarre "old-fashioned hair makes the man" remarks were not an off-the-cuff thing! He was quoted as saying something nearly identical (yet nonsensical in a different way) to Post columnist Marc Fisher!
Is he
1. genuinely senile
2. having a big joke on everyone
3. commenting on the gender wage gap?
Whatever-- if Janet was my client I'd have her in a granny gown with a team of trannies serving up dog treats at the ASPCA this minute!

...speaking of the elderly and elections, AARP will be hosting an O'Malley/ Ehrlich debate Setpember 14 at 10 a.m. at the Greenspring Avenue Holiday Inn.

Even the Sun get confused sometimes.

Int'l:
In Japan, Amaterasu Omikami Imperial line assured (for now) with birth of Chrysanthemum prince.

September 5 continued

Oh, Lord, the old coot's at it again. Schaefer said Janet Owens looks like "Mother Hubbard," calls her hairdo "old-fashioned" and adds, inexplicably, "you know it sort of makes you a man." Huh?

A Baltimore City jury convicted William Langley, 48, of Parkville, Maryland of the first-degree murder of Nae Chun Pak and the use of a handgun in the commission of a crime of violence today. The jury deliberated for approximately seven hours yesterday and today after hearing two days of testimony this week. Judge Roger W. Brown set sentencing for September 6. Says the SA,

On October 3, 2005 in the 600 block of Cherry Hill Road Langley and Nae Chun Pak, 46, got into an altercation about a food order that Langley had placed in the victim's carry out store. Pak returned Langley's money and Langley left the store, only to return a short time later and fatally shoot Pak in the head.

You really hate the police.

Wow, BCrime readers don't have much nice to say about the Baltimore Police. Only 17 of 113 respondents reported never having a negative experience. Reckless driving, rudeness, slow response times, refusing to take a report, arrests without cause .... I guess we already knew the BPD had a major PR problem, but that's pretty bad. Assuming the BPD cares what citizens think, how could it repair its image? Is it even possible?

September 5

Three fatal shootings over the weekend, of Michael Freeman, Andre Dudley and Darren Wilson, bring our homicide total to about 191.

Again?! An officer was stabbed at Jessup.

Five Maryland teachers have been convicted of participating in a national drug-trafficking scheme. And the former chief of PGC schools, Andre Hornsby, will appear in court today to face charges of mail and wire fraud.

The parents of 14-year-old Kevin Cooper, shot by a police officer, want the state to investigate the incident.

There were three police-involved shootings in PG County over the weekend, including an officer who shot his own mother.

Why would someone want a 1994 Buick Skylark?

A Louisiana man, David Clyde Smith, was stabbed by a panhandler in the parking lot of the Laurel Wal-Mart.

The Court of Appeals term starts today, and has plenty to hear before it gets to the gay-marriage thing. (Subscription required)

Tonight at 6:30 is Katie Couric's first CBS broadcast, a major milestone for cute girls everywhere.

Let's hope JZ will be able to find some new interns now that Towson has more applicants for its "Honor's College."

... can you believe this is the 500th post?

September 4

Two murders this weekend, one on West Lexington and one in the Northwest, bring the annual murder total to somehere between 181 and 190.

Am I reading this right? A 74-year-old man was stabbed with a steak knife as he tried to steal furniture, and a woman was beaten with a metal pipe at 10 a.m. Saturday on North Avenue.

Irony, Two-Edged Swords, etc
A teenager is being questioned after the death of Dr. Wayne Fenton of Bethesda. Fenton was a nationally known schizophrenia expert and director for clinical affairs in the Division of Mental Disorders, Behavioral Research and AIDS at NIMH ... but apparently didn't realize the danger posed by his own patient.

Crikey! The Crocodile Hunter's been killed ... by a stingray!

Defendants are blogging ... and defense attorneys are getting nervous. [username: chococatsanrio@yahoo.com pwrd: choco] (Thanks PG!)

Boozehoundery
"I did the shots of tequila last night, your honor!" Thanks to a reader for sending this video of a Nevada lawyer litigating under the influence.

Study: Children of alcoholics highly likely to lead effed-up lives.

September 3

Julie Bycowicz explores why Baltimore City hardly ever pursues the death penalty. And here's the Sun's collection of death penalty stories.

Fellow soldier on the death of Pfc. Michael Potocki: "His death has started an uproar of emotions in the platoon ... No one understands why we are here and what our mission is. This war is lost. We aren't helping these people. We are just dying and getting injured."
[username and password: 123isis]

Two men were stabbed in Columbia.

Suspicious fires and a woman beaten with a weight in Annapolis.

Which senate candidate once asked Keith Richards to stop smoking near his car? Hometown Annapolis has the dirt.

September 2

A suspicious death on Wednesday. I'm going to add that to the eight probable homicides (see comments August 31 - I am counting Julia Boussari and Said Sawab but not hanging guy or police-involved guy), making the number at least 179, probably more like 188 and possibly higher than that.

Three men were shot to death in PG County last night.

The Sun dutifully reprints the "three-foot halogen light bulb."

O'Malley admin: Cameras on the corner = genius. Cameras in prison = shameless, transparent vote-grubbing.

"Court papers say that in 2003 and 2004, [high schoool band teacher Jeffrey Thompson and a 16-year-old student] had sexual relations in Thompson's office at the school, in his Honda, at a Laurel motel, at Thompson's home and at Patapsco Valley State Park ..."

Alexander Massari of Owings Mills pled guity to having child porn.

The guys who stole guitars and sold them on ebay were sentenced.

"Does this boat make your nipples hard?"

September 1

Rodney Bethea pled guilty this morning to the Assault on law Enforcement, False Imprisonment, and Escape. The disposition is scheduled for October 16 at Wabash District Court, Part 4. The details:

On April 13, 2006, at approximately 10:45 am, Mr. Rodney Bethea was arrested for possession of marijuana. At this time the defendant was transported to the Northeast District to be interviewed by detectives of the District Detectives Unit (DDU). After being interviewed, while waiting for the wagon to transport him to the Central Booking Intake Facility, Mr. Bethea attempted to hang himself in the interview room with a string. This attempt was unsuccessful at which time Mr. Bethea removed one halogen light bulb from the overhead light in the interview room approximately 3 feet in length. Officer Paul Southard at this time responded to the interview room and noticed that the lights had been turned off, causing the room to be dark. Officer Southard then opened the door to the interview room to check on Mr. Bethea. At which time Mr. Bethea jumped off the table located inside the interview room, striking Officer Southard over the head, shattering the halogen bulb, causing numerous lacerations to Officer Southard's head. Officer Southard fell to the ground ... Mr. Bethea ran out of the interview room and into the Northeast DDU office.

At approximately 11:56 am a Signal 13 was dropped at the Northeast district for an escaped prisoner. Mr. Bethea at this time ran into the office of Community Services Officer Jessica Marcus-Lowe, a civilian employed at the district, and locked the door behind him, arming himself with a pair of scissors and a letter opener. He held CSO Macus-Lowe against her will and refused to allow her to leave. After over two hours of a stand-off, Baltimore City SWAT forced the door open and utilized a stun gun to take Mr. Bethea into custody.

Better-late-than-never news we missed: The Grand Jury returned an indictment August 22 charging Baltimore police officer William Darrell Welch, 40, of Quiet Stream Court, Timonium, Maryland with one count of second-degree rape and three counts of misconduct in office. The court pre-set bail in the amount of $50,000 in this matter. If convicted of the count of rape, Welch could be sentenced to imprisonment not exceeding 20 years. Misconduct in office is a common law offense that carries a period of incarceration in whatever amount a court deems is fair and reasonable. The indictment alleges that on July 16, 2006 in the Southeastern District Station Welch had sexual intercourse with a 16-year old girl after she had been taken into custody by another officer.

Youths at the Baltimore City Detention Center beat a boy for 90 minutes before anyone on staff noticed.

Eric Hicks and Nicholas Floyd were arrested for the murder of Kimberly Skyers. Murder victim #177 was identified as 35-year-old Juliet Robinson.

A man beat a stranger with a metal pole in Hampden, a man was mugged and shot in the cheek with a BB gun on York Road, and plenty of break-ins in Charles Village in the Messenger blotter.

If you live in the County and enjoy extramarital affairs with psychotic secretaries, William Buie III (left) is a judicial candidate you can relate to.

... and in totally unrelated news, four female congregants of Salisbury's New Life Apostolic Church were allegedly told by bishop Richard C. Lawson that his wife was sick and he was shopping for someone to replace her when she died. His son, the pastor, was also indicted (but acquitted) on charges that he had sex with a 16-year-old girl. No word on the health of Mrs. Lawson.

Leeander J. Blake was indicted federally, and as the state trial was never completed, that means he's not technically being tried twice for the same crime. The Post reports that prosecutors may have new evidence. If not, can the federal prosecutors use evidence inadmissible in state court? Sounds like a risky move, though the guy did admit to carjacking Straughan Griffin, shooting him in the head and running him over with his own car. The Sun has a timeline of the case.

In PG County a civil jury awarded $6.4 million to a man who was interrogated for more than 38 hours, then wrongfully imprisoned for his wife's murder.

Baltimore County prosecutors have decided not to pursue charges against Louis Clark, the gym teacher at Dundalk High accused of stealing from students' gym lockers (what's with the headline?).

Stephen Janis rounds up another citizen claiming to be wronged by the city's Dept. of Transportation. Hey lady, if your son is 29, shouldn't he be responsible for his own car?

Summer really is over, sigh... the OC Dispatch recaps a summerful of crime (among other things), including various stabbings, a NJ cop + a 15-year-old girl + bottle of Jagermeister, and a drunken "Pop-Pop" firing a .38 semi-automatic at children he was supposed to be babysitting.

Quote of the day: "At this point, HBO knows it doesn't have a breakout hit on its hands." -- David Simon on season four of The Wire

Mfume v. Cardin

Anybody watch the debate? When it comes to issues there isn't much of a difference (yes, Bush sucks, we know), but ... Cardin seemed stressed and had a constantly constipated expression, he even got downright whiny, and he sounded provincial calling Washington "Warshington." Mfume was poised and subtly but effectively pointed out his differences (he grew up in poverty, mom died at young age, he served in Vietnam, in contrast to Ben's nepotistic rise to power and lack of military service) and he certainly had the better-fitting suit. And it was most brave of him to say he was against gay-bashing and immigrant bashing. Advantage: Frizzell.

Meanwhile, low-polling candidite Allan Lichtman, his wife and a campaign worker were arrested while protesting the debate.

August 31

Rickie Tinsley, shot while riding a bicycle in south Baltimore, has died. He was murder #179. (The Ink had previously counted Kevin Cooper, the 14-year-old shot by police.)

A woman and a child were shot last night on the 1600 block of McKean Avenue.

Cedrick Bowman, one of the six Bloods involved in firebombing Edna McAbier's house, got 15 (federal) years.

In HoCo, Monti Fleming, 15, will be charged as an adult.

The Leeander Blake case just won't go away. The Supreme Court ruled that incriminating statements he made after asking for a lawyer couldn't be used against him. Now he's been indicted. I'm confused.

The Guardian Angels are back in Baltimore and plan to patrol Fell's Point. The group is also re-emerging in Minneapolis and Phoenix, AZ. The group laid low for a while after it was revealed in the early '90s that its leader, Curtis Sliwa, had faked various crimes (including his own kidnapping) for publicity.

Sorry, ladies, there are no lap dances allowed in PG County. Dollars now must be placed in g-strings with six-foot tongs.

WJZ: "City Surveillance Camera's Paying Off" And for writing students who want an example of the passive voice: "Police said it didn't appear anything was stolen, but it's more proof the city's surveillance system is working." Wow, I just realized every single sentence in that story has an error except one.

Dept. of Crappy Employers (subscription to Duly Wretched required for these links): The Baltimore office of Nasdaq has settled a discrimination claim with the EEOC after underpaying and failing to promote a black female employee. Jerks. And law firm McGuireWoods LLP was found to have violated the FMLA after telling an employee she could take time off to care for her ailing mother-- then firing her.

Oh, the irony: Martin Schultz, the director of a group that opposed mandatory helmet laws, died when his motorcycle collided with an SUV.

If you're into preening old men, the Cardin/Mfume debate is tonight at 7 on MPT.

August 30

A man is in shock trauma after being shot on the west side.

Three suspects were arrested after some kind of shootout in Dundalk.

The BCGJ indicted Arnold Punter, also known as Arnold Griggs, 39, of the Bronx, New York, for first-degree murder. Court documents allege that on February 7, 1999, Antoine Warren, 29, suffered a gunshot wound to his upper torso. While at the crime scene and before he was transported by medics, Warren identified his assailant to police as Arnold Punter. He died three days later.

178.

The half-brother of Ellis Lee Hickman, who's accused of suffocating and mutilating Rakiyya States and setting her apartment on fire, testified yesterday that he gave Hickman a gas can.

Famous pathologist Henry Lee has now joined the chorus of experts who believe the death of Robert Clay was not a suicide.

Raymond Vernon, 17, faces the possibility of life in prison after pleading guilty to an armed home invasion and rape in Woodlawn.

Murder suspect Monti Fleming has been arrested. He's only 15?!

Eeeewwwww ... Jobrea Lodge, suspect in the shooting of Detective Dante Hemingway, faces more jail time for spitting and throwing a cup of urine on a corrections officer.

Even eeewier: Robert Carey, 52, of Bowie got 15 years for sexually abusing a family member and taking pictures of the abuse, and for having more than one million child porn pictures on his government-owned computer at the NOAA.

Three wanted bank robbers, Terrance Edwards, Darthanion Wallace, and James Bangura were caught while riding in a minivan with a toddler.

Examiner on the BPD: There's no way that could be protocol right? Huh? C'mon!

The Westboro Baptist Church, owners of the domain name "godhatesfags.com," is being sued in Maryland by the father of the late Lance Corporal Matthew Snyder.

Who are those hooded hordes swarming
Over endless plains, stumbling in cracked earth?
Suckers at the impound lot!

The ACLU has filed requests under the Maryland Freedom of Information Act in an attempt to uncover the extent to which the government (via the BPD) spied on local groups, including the AFSC (Quakers) and Jonah House (Catholics).

August 29

The death of a woman in the Southeastern Friday has been ruled a homicide (#177).

HoCo police are looking for Monti Mantrice Flemming, left, accused of killing 18-year-old Shaun Powell at a fight outside of a party.

The Managing Director of Hodes, Ulman, Pessin & Katz), Michael Hodes, has been charged with second-degree assault for shoving around a process server trying to serve him with divorce papers. Tsk!

Today Judge Roger Brown gave one Kirk "Poppy" Taylor 20 years for 2nd degree attempted murder, the use of a handgun in a crime of violence and being a felon with a gun. Here's the tale from the State's Attorney's office, related with exceptional detail and panache:

In June after trial by jury Kirk Taylor, 27, of 2200 block of Booth Street, was convicted of Attempted Murder in the Second Degree, Assault First Degree, Assault Second Degree, Use of a Handgun in the Commission of a Crime of Violence, Reckless Endangerment, Possession of a Regulated Firearm After Conviction of Disqualifying Crime.

Kirk Taylor aka "Poppy" saw Robert Carter get into a fight with Poppy's close friend Jermaine Legins aka "Wiggles" at the end of a Labor Day barbeque during the early morning hours of September 6, 2005. After Robert Carter beat up "Wiggles," Carter's sister told him to leave the area. It was too late. "Poppy" came running out of the house with a gun toward Robert Carter as he was getting into his car with his pregnant girlfriend, Claudia. Robert Carter's sister yelled "No, Poppy, Stop, that's my brother." "Poppy" hesitated and then fired six shots at Robert Carter as Carter drove off. Carter was hit once in the side of his torso and drove to the hospital.

The day of the shooting, three witnesses identified "Poppy" as the shooter and "Poppy" did not turn himself in until two and half weeks later. At trial, the witnesses stated that they were mistaken. The State introduced evidence of a phone call of the Defendant referring to Robert Carter as "the boy I shot." [whoops! --ed.]

At sentencing, Robert Carter testified that he was friends with the Defendant still and that he did not want him to get 50 years. Robert Carter's father, Robert Carter, Sr., testified that the Defendant has torn his family apart from this shooting and asked the Judge to give him all the time he could. The Defendant's girlfriend and father testified on his behalf.

The State recommended that the Defendant get 30 years on Attempted Murder in the Second Degree consecutive to 20 years on Use of a Handgun in a Crime of Violence, consecutive to five years on Possession of a Regulated Firearm After Conviction of Disqualifying Crime.

The Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted Sean Ramseur, 36, and Johnny Tyrone Johnson, 43, for first-degree murder and other counts. Court documents allege that on July 12, 2006, an argument about money escalated to an altercation during which Ramseur and Johnson beat and fatally stabbed the victim, Gary Shipman. An arraignment is scheduled for September 27, 2006.

Malik Vandiver, 18, was found guilty of second-degree murder and use of a handgun in the commission of a felony or crime of violence in the January 8, 2005 shooting death of Bayonna Cox, of the 2500 block of Francis Street. Assistant State's Attorney Mary Ann Burkhardt proved that Vandiver murdered Cox, 29, after she returned home in the early morning hours of January 8, 2005. Witnesses heard gunfire, and saw the defendant leaving the premises with a gun. The murder weapon was found later that morning at the home of the defendant's friend in the 4600 block of Homer Avenue. Sentencing has been set for November 13 before judge Handy.

The jury selection process began today in the case of Jason Moody; opening arguments may begin as soon as tomorrow morning. A Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted Moody on charges of shooting and killing 26-year-old Kevin Shields in July 2003 at Cross Country apartments in front of his eight year-old son.

Derrick McFarland of NW Baltimore was shot and killed Sunday in VA as he tried to retrieve a stolen gun from a prisoner.

Ellis Hickman definitely stalked Rakiyya States. But did he also suffocate and bludgeon her to death, and set her apartment on fire?

What the?! Keith Spence of Baltimore was not only arrested for stealing his own car, but the police department sold his car at auction!

PA police will visit Loyola College today, trying to unravel the mystery of psycho grad student Garrett "I'm very excited about getting an eye for an eye" Alder.

An arrest in a shooting, lots of robbery and a man stabbed in Parkville in the Blotter.

By age 18, Tion Jamaar Bell of HoCo sexually offended a 13-year-old, shot 4-year-old Fahad Islam in Columbia, exposed himself to an inmate, was arrested for assaulting his girlfriend, trashed his cell, spit on an inmate and now will be serving 15 years, TG.

The WP runs an action-packed profile of retiring FBI agent Brad Garrett.

DNR: Chistopher Forker, 24, drove drunk and was cited for possession of an undersized flounder, several boaters were charged with DUI and Vincent Mettle of Westminster upset his catamaran.

Un. Buh. Leave. Able. The Sun has published a story even fluffier than the "Birds of Home Depot." Hundreds of words about the 30th anniversary of the poster of Farrah Fawcett smuggling raisins in a red swimsuit. Because nothing newsworthy happens in Baltimore, editors have to fill space around the ads somehow, right?

Int'l ...
Did the NSA fake the suicide of Greek cell phone exec Costas Tsalkidis and Italian investigator Adamo Bove out of fear that they would reveal American wiretapping of European officials? BBoyNeko thinks so...

August 28

Herbert Wyche, who shot his neighbor, William Staten, in a dispute over an orange peel, got 20 years for attempted murder and a handgun count.

A man was fatally shot yesterday in Cherry Hill (#176).

Antawan Corprew, 23, of Edgewood, got 25 years for the murder of 18-year-old Gerald Hale III, whose decomposed remains were found at Aberdeen Proving Ground.

An inmate was stabbed at the pen in Jessup.

Police shredded documents pertinent to a civil rights lawsuit against the department.

Three teenagers were arrested for attacking homeless men near Harborplace.

Examiner's Stephen Janis alludes to T.S. Eliot, uses word "myriad" in story about city's auto impound lot. Did you know? The city and its hired subcontractors have towed more than 89,000 cars in the past year!

Police in Baltimore County are trying to discover the identity of a little boy, left, who was found naked and dirty outside the Motel 6 in Woodlawn.

In Southeast D.C., Cynthia Gray, 17, died saving her infant godson from gunfire.

Quote of the day: "I'm not planning to be a potted plant." -- Candidate for Maryland Attorney General, Stu Simms. FYI, he's running against Doug Gansler and like, two other guys.

August 27

Spotted: Kweisi Mfume having dinner at Amicci's, Little Italy.

As parents get paranoid, the Post asks: has the world really become more dangerous? Meanwhile, a 13-year-old girl evaded kidnapping in Clifton Heights.

Post: Ehrlich Prolific in Granting Clemency, pardoning more prisoners in last three years than past two govs. combined

Internal police department "insensitive" memo, "heaven is full of watermelon seeds"written by black SHA employee.

Rodericks: O'Malley "not smart to make such statements" on crime, education

Shooting on Belair Road

Three men conducted an armed robbery at a check-cashing establishment on Belair Road today. They apparently shot at least one employee and then the three fled on foot.



Do you think maybe the police will actually write up the B&E when it is the
Mayor's office which was broken into?

City of Victims

The good news*: 15 percent of Baltimore Crime readers haven't been the victim of a crime in Baltimore City (or never lived here). The bad news: the remaining 85 percent have been victim of a veritable myriad plethora of offenses, most prominently, a car break-in (note to self: call Safelite® re. advertising). A shocking number of readers have also been physically assaulted by a stranger, shot, stabbed, scammed, jacked and swiped from. At least eight readers have had a relative murdered in the city.

Don't forget to take the new poll (you may have to scrool to the bottom of the page if you're using Explorer), and to vote in the CP's BOBs (in case you're trying to remember for the "best scandal" category the PSC member who solicited 'ho Valerie Fletcher and released a letter blaming his acts on "ED" was named Charles R. Boutin).

*Other than that I'm back in America

... Other News

Darien Lawson, age 7, is back home after being >stabbed by another 7-year-old on a playground in Essex.

Some asshole in a dark SUV with Denali rims and a red-eyed skull sticker ran over teenager Lia Longhofer and her dog.

Billy Wells: high school student, basketball player, wholesale coke dealer.

Ex-from-hell Stephen Kokinakos of BaltoCo has defied a court order and kidnapped his three sons.

Why does Loyola College keep letting nutjobs into its grad programs? Former student Garrett Alder is charged with three counts of attempted murder, arson and stalking after harassing a professor, setting his house on fire and lurking in the woods. (The 25-year-old Connecticutian was quickly located by a Belgian Malawa. WTF that is.)

Marc Munford of Randallstown got 33 Federal months for harboring wanted bank robber Kendall Alexander Sr.

As if the Senate race wasn't weird enough, Russell Simmons went all the way from NY to Laurel to endorse Michael Steele.

..Int'l

Maryland teacher Ali Asad Chandia got 15 years for helping to ship 50,000 paintball pellets to Kashmir.

No matter how bad things get, sloppy cops may still be better than the well-organized ones of Bobo Freedom City, Beijing.

Airports and airlines everywhere went insane yesterday ... there was also a "mystery package" scare at De Gaulle, which closed the closed the airport and prevented trains or shuttles from coming in or going out for more than an hour.

August 26

Methodology problem

An Edgewood man was sentenced to 25 years for abducting an 18 year-old from 20th & Boone in Northern Baltimore in 2001, transporting him to Harford County, and shooting him dead in the head.

The question here is, who should record the murder? The deed was done in Harford, but the hazard is clearly to people on the Greenmount corridor, Baltimore City. Interestingly, we had another similar case a couple of years ago at 25th & Greenmount who was abducted and removed to a location in the Eastern District before being killed. That incident was recorded as an Eastern homicide, even though the hazard was to patrons of a location in Northern.

In Greg Kane's opinion article, catch his take on the fatal shooting of a boy by an assaulted police officer on a domestic dispute.

In police coverage, a good sized retail drug bust in Reservioir Hill nabs several dealers, including the 13 year-old son of one of the dealers.

Friday August 25

Do you smell something? Nah, that's just another body.

A decaying body found at St. Mary's in Seton Hill had apparently been in the bushes for about a month. Another day in paradise, I mean Baltimore.

Misconduct? What misconduct?

A highly racist email was sent from DPW to someone in the BCPD and then forwarded within BCPD many times. When questioned about it, Police Department spokesweasel Jablow had this to say:

"The Baltimore Police Department has no tolerance for employees who make racially insensitive remarks or distribute racially insensitive material,"

But Matt, your department does have tolerance. For racism, false arrests, lying under oath, covering up crime stats, declining to write up incidents, raping hookers, taking bribes to not appear at trial, etc. More tolerance than I've ever seen in a city police department. Thank goodness Councilman Harris is willing to call you on the carpet for this incident. Clearly, Mr. O'Malley will never do it. He's pretty darn tolerant. Kinda recommends against NAACP endorsing him, dontchya think? As for Mr. Hamm, if the Commissioner is supposed to be intolerant of misconduct, then Lenny cannot be the Commissioner, cuz' he looks the other way at a lotta nonsense. He's publicly stated that the BCPD will not tolerate .... a whole buncha stuff that's still going on to this day.

A useful City Council would demand that the BCPD comply within 60 days with the purported intolerance of all these things. Our just looks for more contracts to hand off to Sheila Dixon's associates. (OK, so the last two paragraphs were less than journalistically neutral. Sorry.)



Oh, this is rich. A former Psychology graduate student from Loyola tried to torch his Prof's home in York Co, PA. What was his thesis on, Career Dissatisfaction and Pyromania?


So, we have a new Acting Head of Corrections for the State of Maryland. Howzabout locking the bastards up in their cells? Just a naive concept of my own making.

In the Police Blotter, a shooting and a robbery. In yesterday's Blotter, a shooting a robbery, an assault on an officer, and an arrest on a murder warrant.

Also, a shooting, a robbery, and a whole bunch of burglaries in Charles Village and North Baltimore generally as detailed in the Messenger's Crime Log.

Two brothers operating a wholesale drug distribution ring to Hagerstown have plead guilty in Baltimore City to federal conspiracy charges. They were under surveilance near Union Memorial Hospital in Charles Village and face a maximum of forty years with a mandatory minimum of five upon sentencing in November.

The couple from Chantilly, VA who were falsely arrested in Baltimore had their day in court with the arresting officer. They were falsely arrested. The case was dismissed.

The Sun raises questions about how much O'Malley's administration has reduced crime and created jobs in Baltimore. The numbers appear not to bear out the Mayor's claims.

Wednesday August 23

Circuit Court judge Althea Handy has accepted a plea from convicted murderer Robert C. Griffin in the 1985 murder of Annie Cruse, who was found in Druid Hill Park. His counsel presented a DNA challenge which doesn't refute the prosecutor's case, but rather could muddy the waters. The State's Attorney indicates the conviction is solid and that it has credible witness(es). In any event, a so-called Alford plea was granted, acknowledging that the findings would likely be sufficient to sustain a guilty finding and commuting the sentence at time served. The Cruse family is not so pleased as Griffin.

Continuing coverage of the investigation of City Council President Sheila Dixon's affiliates in connection with improper diversion of City Council contracts appears in today's Sun article. Maybe the Council should consider passing an ordinance against stealing from the taxpayers. It's already illegal? Who'da thunk it? O'Malley's campaign promise of greater minority setasides raises concerns about corruption in his government in the Sun 's coverage.


Activist Bill Cosby to area excuse-makers: "You can't keep pointing the finger and saying, 'They're building more jails.' So what? Let 'em build 'em. Nobody says you have to go."
I heard that.

BCPD Det. William Welch was indicted by a Baltimore grand jury on rape and misconduct charges in connection with a 16 year-old prostitute he allegedly raped at the Southeast District station.

A robbery, a shooting, arrests on a murder warrant and an attempted murder with handgun warrant, and an arrest on an armed robbery in the police blotter today.

Homicides (5 this week per Murder Ink, 6 in fact) Total to date: 177

Mon. Aug 14 23 year-old Ryan Teel was murdered (176) and two other boys shot on the 400 block, Ilchester Ave. in tiny, 8 square block Harwood, part of Charles Village and host to six murders already this year. Note: another of the boys, Rodtinae Jones, has passed away as of this writing (177). The third victim is in critical condition with a collapsed lung.

Tues. Aug 15 27 year-old Harold Williams was shot on Clifton Ave. (175), as were two other young males.

Sat. Aug. 19 63 year-old Mary Page was stabbed at her home (174) on the 200 block N. Culver St.

Sun. Aug 20 26 year-old Pepe Bennett was multiply shot (173) on the 1800 block, N. Montford.
Sun. Aug 20 21 year-old William Tillman was found in the alley behing Spaulding Ave. shot several times. (172)

FYI: we are less than two-thirds through the calendar year and have already recorded more murders in shrinking Baltimore City than the entire State of Massachusetts does over the course of a year. That ain't right. T'aint right.

August 22

The 63 year-old found stabbed to death in her home at the 200 block, N. Culver, in Edmondson Village over the weekend has been identified as Mary Page. The case is being investigated as a homicide.

23 year-old Darryl Cook, jr. is being sought pursuant to a warrant for the Aug. 9 beating death of 28 year-old Cecil Saunders at the Executive Motor Inn on Pulaski Highway. Cook, who also went by the alias Donnell Williams, frequented the 2200 block of Wilkens Ave.

Also, Dennis James Wallace, 54, has been indicted in the 1983 killing of William Gibson, then 57, at the 2200 block of east Pratt Street. The cause has up until this time been listed as undetermined.

The editorial page of the Examiner calls upon Police Commissioner Lenny Hamm and spokesweasel Jablow to publicly apologize for the department's false arrest and charging of a Baltimore man for the theft of his own car, of which the police disposed prematurely. Don't hold your breath; the department's real good at making mistakes, not good at admitting it.

Around 1:30 this afternoon a motorbiker was hit and run on Frederick Ave. He was taken to shock trauma.

I usually don't include white-collar crime, but given the City's tacit assent to part I crime in Baltimore, it just seems that a link to the Examiner article on the ongoing State investigation of key staffers of City Council President Sheila Dixon is appropriate. The lucrative contract to manage the information systems of City Council has bounced from one Dixon affiliate to another. Her campaign chairman's home has been raided in connection with the investigation. link to article Now, since Dixon would succeed O'Malley as Mayor of Baltimore if he wins the gubernatorial race, a vote for O'Malley is a vote for.... this ?? Grreeaatt.

August 21 in the City That Bleeds

I knew it was too good to be true.

Well, the media coverage made it at least seem as if it was an uneventful weekend, in terms of local crime. However,...


... we got three more homicides, which apparently were not as newsworthy as increased voter registration tallies statewide.

A 63 year-old woman was found dead in her home on the 200 block of North Culver St.

Saturday night Pepe Bennett,26, of the 2900 block of Montford Ave. was found shot dead on the 1600 block of Montford, in the Eastern District.

Around 7:30 a.m. on Sunday William Tillman, age 21, was found in the alley at the rear of the 3000 block, Spaulding Ave near Pimlico. He had died of gunshot wound(s).

In broad daylight

A 25 year-old man walking the 300 block of East North Ave. was accosted by a gunman and shot in the hip around 4:00 p.m.

A few blocks north along the 2900 block of Greenmount Ave., about three hours later, two female pedestrians heard gunshots and ran, finding that they had each been hit in the leg.


Now, mind you, we get better tv news coverage of people falling in Rock State Park and of robberies in Columbia than incidents dead smack in the middle of town. Where I was brought up, a shooting was considered kinda important. Welcome to O'Malleyville.

So, get yourself some stylish kevlar clothing, perambulate the neighborhood, and Get In On it. Or maybe Get Shot In It.

But stay out of cars, even your own. City resident Keith Spence was arrested in February for stealing a car, a used Eldorado. Who's car was stolen? Keith Spence's. Yes, he was arrested and tried for being in posession of his own car, according to the story in the Examiner.

BTW, German shepherd Rolf, the MTA k-9 officer, was found at Cold Spring Lane and Reisterstown Rd. He's good to go and back on the job.

August 20 A slow weekend

When the police blotter is sumarized tomorrow, we'll see if the truth was as serene as the media portrayed it this weekend.

Around 11:00 p.m. last (Sat.) night a 14 year-old pedestrian was clipped by a black SUV while walking her dog, now dead, at Guilford & Fayette, according to wjz news. Yes, right by City Hall. Eyewitnesses are encouraged to contact the police.

Also, a German shepherd canine officer described as having a distinct black coat with silver and brown markings and a tattoo that says "J-328" in his right ear has gone AWOL around Hilton Pkwy. Please contact the police if you see Rolf.

I just saw Pres. Sheila Dixon on WMAR's local political talk show To The Point. She was asked about the increase in violence toward children of late. Her answer was that that 'society' needs to mend the faulty domestic environment through the schools. She observes that "we don't just need a nurse in the school, we need a psychologist, a social worker..." She refers constantly to 'providing resources to the families' because as she notes, minors are making more money on the street than their mother, they're paying the bills. And all that without an identifiable employer. She also spoke of the churches taking ownership of their neighborhoods.

Translation: she has no idea what to do as the President. Lotsa ideas what someone else oughta do. So nice to have a municipal government with real leadership, huh?

Friday August 18

Apparently, Gov. Ehrlich likes to watch.

Hizzoner the Guv yesterday announced an online GIS mapping of Maryland sex-offenders.
Click here to see the perv portfolio.

The Sun reports a 13 year-old male shot in the head on the 1600 block of Appleton in the Western and a male body found on South Vincent St., among other things, in the Police Blotter.

Convicted assailant Sean Davon Scott was sentenced to 17 years by a Baltimore federal judge for possession of a .40 cal semi-auto handgun when stopped by the po-po.

Serial hold-up star Donald Gladden, jr., who robbed numerous stores and individuals in Northern and Northeast Balto. City recently has been indicted. Thank you, BCPD. See the story in the Sun.

That said, representatives of the Rose Street Community Center, where a four year-old was recently shot, indicate that crime is worsening in the 'hood. Violence: the other Baltimore.

Criminal activity is certainly brisk in the Northern District. The Messenger recaps in its crime log.

Are Baltimore judges doing their jobs? Here's you chance to make your voice heard. The Examiner reports on campaign contributions to judicial candidates.

No relevance for jurisprudence in Baltimore, but while most judges do a lot of listening, this one has apparently been convicted of being a master debater on the bench.

19 year-old Lamar Prilliman has been indicted in U.S. District Court of conspiracy to distribute drugs as well as the November 2000 murder of witness Sharon Bagley in Harlem Park.

August 17 - Redux

These include the failed links in my earlier post today, plus new material at the end. Sorry 'bout that.

The Messenger article on Warren Brown's flamboyant interpretation of video evidence.

The Messenger's Crime Log up until this afternoon.

The Sun's Police Blotter today.

Now, hot off the presses.. lotsa, lotsa crime in the Northern District, particularly in Charles Village, as described in the crime log of the latest issue of the Messenger. Hmmm... didn't the City Council reauthorize the surtax on Charles Village for so-called supplemental security service? Empirically, 'twould seem not the very finest decision they've made of late.

(Update on the triple-shooting just east of Charles Village, one of the boys is to be interred tomorrow, while another is in critical condition. My sources on the street tell me the shooting was attributable to "He was lookin' at my girl. No, he wasn't. Yes, he was." Guess what? No, he wasn't. Too late now.)

The Examiner's article on police prevarication.

Also, the Examiner covers the beginning of federal RICO convictions in the pipeline for the Rice Organization, long the dominant dealing structure on the West side.

On the national front, the feds nabbed one of the top Mexican drug kingpins and a federal judge has instructed the Bush administration to cease unlawful domestic wiretaps immediately. The Attorney General is appealing, even if not to my taste, necessarily. Maybe it's just me, but what part of the fourth, fifth, and sixth amendments is ambiguous here? It seems to me that the FISA courts are pretty accommodating to the wartime needs of the administration., but then again, maybe I'm just an ignorant civilian.

Better Late than Never

So now we're shooting toddlers. Whatta tough gangsta you is!

On the 700 block of North Rose Avenue in East Baltimore early yesterday evening, a four-year-old boy was shot in the leg. Said Troy Harris of the BCPD, "We know multiple shots were fired"., some of which apparently hit another man in the leg. The boy was taken to Johns Hopkins Pediatric with non-life-threatening injuries. As of the interview, police had no suspects, but were investigating whether the man in late teens or early twenties who showed up at the hospital shortly after the shooting is connected to the incident. This block has several pole cameras, so tapes are being reviewed. The identity of the boy, who was attended by a babysitter, has not been released. Another man, who was shot in the back, drove himse;f to the hospital. Said a bystander, "It sounded like more than 10 shots," he said, describing the incident as "nothing new."


Fed up with BCPD shortcomings? Ready to get their job done? Don't tell Matt Jablow.

See the
wbaltv interview with a resident of the Coldstream-Homestead community who stepped up and got shot at, first by hoodlums and then (verbally) by Police spokesweasel Jablow. It's not the first time BCPD front men have arrogantly displayed disrespect of citizens trying do what they can to contain criminality. I won't hold my breath waiting for Commissioner Hamm's apology.

Definitely not your father's Oldsmobile.

A multi-agency task force intercepted a 1996 Oldsmobile bearing $170,000 in greenbacks and 53 lbs. of cocaine in the bumpers. The motorized mule was on a carrier pulled over for inspection by Maryland Transportation Authority Police before reaching the toll plaza to the Nice Memorial Bridge. They found stolen vehicles, which they were seeking, the drug cargo being a Bogota bonus.

Denny's assailant apprehended

Drifter David Burton, who allegedly stabbed and robbed the manager of a Denny's restaurant together with Sara Higgins, was arrested Wedneday in Virginia along with Higgins. The victim, meanwhile, is recuperating at Shock Trauma.

South Korean nooky enterprise interrupted.

31 individuals were arrested in a multi-state federal bust ranging from the District of Columbia up the east coast in connection with the importation of Korean girls for the purpose of working in the sexual services sector. The accused are foreign nationals who allegedly smuggled illegal aliens into this country to engage them in various facets of prostitution. Included are a couple from Woodlawn.

Looking for a loose screw with tomography

Mujtaba Rabbani Jabbar, the man who on June 15 opened fire on another patron at an Owings Mills movie theatre and killed him, has plead not guilty by reason of mental defect and has been ordered to undergo mental examination, including a CAT scan.

Producing an internal memo from Patricia Jessamy's spokesman Marti Burns, Steve Fogelman, her rival in the Democratic primary for Baltimore City State's Attorney, claims "We live in the only city in America where the top prosecutor wants police to stop making arrests," The memo asks staff to document instances in which the pole cameras espoused by the O'Malley administration produce poor quality video, resulting in cases being null-prossed for lack of credible evidence.

But even if there is evidence, there may be no one in the courthouse, because Mitchell Courthouse employees walked out, citing poor working conditions in the jury unit.

And even good quality video may not be enough for defense attorney Warren Brown, who is trying an armed robbery case in the Village of Cross Keys. Marti Burns characterizes his strategy as being on the theatrical side, as reported in the http://news.mywebpal.com/news_tool_v2.cfm?show=localnews&pnpID=574&NewsID=738671&CategoryID=8012&on=1
">Messenger. Also, the Messenger's http://news.mywebpal.com/news_tool_v2.cfm?pnpID=574&NewsID=738670&CategoryID=8012&show=localnews&om=1">crime blotter includes home invasion and theft in Charles Village, theft on Greenmount, armed robbery in Hamden, Hon, and auto theft in Hamden and on York Road.

As for the citywide http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/crime/bal-md.blotter17aug17,0,7790986.story?coll=bal-local-headlines">Police Blotter, among incidents were several armed robberies, another nonfatal shooting in East Baltimore, a B&E burglary, and an out of state arrest for a warrant on a 1999 murder in Mount Vernon.

The Examiner's http://www.blogger.com/ ">editorial considers the dubious merits of lying as a tool for the Baltimore City Police Department.

Readers, sorry for the messy links. Just don't have the time to debug the tags. - Galt

August 16 - Happy 63rd birthday mom! - Get in on it, Galt!

I'm going back to Paris and Chuck is going somewhere for at least a week.
Galt, it is time for you to put your ranting to use. I appoint you Esteemed Guest Taoist Cybrarian for One Week.
There is an invitation in the inbox of your hotmail account.

Feel free to link and report to whatever, opine, get as galty as you wanna be, just please use the "target" attribute for links, try to chronologically number the murders that happen within city limits, hyphenate appropriate compound modifiers and watch the apostrophe thing.

Au revoir bitches!

August 15 - Happy Assumption Day, Bitches!

Where the girls are dirty but the food is clean.

Goons over my hammy:BaltCo police are looking for 28-year-old drifter David T. Burton, who stabbed the manager of Denny's in Fullerton.

The Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted David Piccione, 28, on charges of kidnapping, false imprisonment, second-degree assault and reckless endangerment. Court documents allege on July 11 while at a gas station David Piccione and his ex-girlfriend got into an argument. Piccione assaulted the woman, dragged her into his car against her will and drove away.

Clyde Lewis, 80, charged with the first-degree murder of Thomas Batty, 66, pled "not guilty" at his arraignment this morning. His first-degree murder trial is scheduled for November 27 before Judge Glynn.

Yvette Cade wants former PGC Judge Richard Palumbo, right, to face charges. On August 10 the Commission on Judicial Disabilities cancelled a hearing on Palumbo, opining that the judge's retirement effectively protected the public from his crapulence.

Annette High, 47, was arrested for beating 14-month-old Kayah Jackson (#86) to death.
David Pearson, 18, was arrested for shooting 36-year-old Howard Jones (#164) to death.

The family of the teenager abducted and raped in Ocean City is searching for the perps, left, one of whom may be named Chris.

"I'd like to know where these kids' parents thought they were at 6 p.m. on a Sunday night." Seven lunatic children, ages 10 to 15, did six figures' worth of damage to City College and also trashed the Sheperd's Health Clinic.

Why did the Air Force need all of that Viagra®?

Death isn't a block party. (Unless you're, like, Christian, in which case aren't you're supposed to be happy about somebody going to heaven?)

GGS.: City chews, spews 10,000 youths annually.

Yoohoo, George Soros .... a few hundred thousand "Dohertys" might make a nice gift. Seriously.

Yet again, liquor advertisers are targeting a minority community.

August 14

Today Judge Wanda K. Heard sentenced Corey McMillon, 29, to life in prison plus 20 years for the April 1, 2006 murder of Jamel St. Clair, 17 (left). A Baltimore City jury convicted McMillon of first-degree murder and use of a handgun in the commission of a crime of violence on June 20. On April 1, 2005 officers responded to the 2000 block of North Avenue for a report of a shooting. Upon arrival they found the victim, Jamal St. Clair, suffering from four gunshot wounds. He died later at Johns Hopkins Hospital. Investigation revealed that McMillon approached St. Clair and began to rob him. When St. Clair attempted to run away, McMillon shot him multiple times with a 9mm handgun.

21-year-old Jujuan Winfield (#170) was shot to death on Nelson Ave. in Northwest Baltimore at about 4:00 Sunday morning.

Someone (#171) was killed and two people were injured early this morning in a triple shooting just east of the Johns Hopkins University.

Ivy Mayhew was choked to death by her estranged husband in Arnold.

Chivalry is dead: Benjamin Howard Curtis was protecting his female passenger when he was shot and killed outside an Odenton bar.

An Annapolis baby overdosed on PCP while in the care of a "family friend."

The manager of the Denny's in Baltimore County's Fullerton neighborhood was stabbed during a robbery at 9:25 this morning.

A pizza delivery man was shot in both arms during a robbery in the Western.

Kids are falling through the cracks of the city's juvenile justice system.

August 13

When mace didn't work, a policeman shot 14-year-old Kevin Cooper.

A city officer driving the wrong way down a one-way-street and hit another car on Chilton Street near the Alameda. The officer and his victim were both taken to shock trauma.

"The United States is losing the war in Iraq; more specifically, Philadelphia is." = Worst. Lead. Ever. From a WashPost ediboreial, which argues that glossy magazines, 50 Cent, profligate arrests = causes of destroyed villages.


Saturday night's alright for fighting: In Randallstown, Karim Cross, 27, died after being stabbed during a bar fight at the Rush Hour Bar.
A 47-year-old man was shot in outside My Place Bar and Lounge in Odenton.

Blast from the past: Michael Olesker on Ehrlich's takeover of the schools two years ago. Meanwhile, there's school-lunch food fights.

August 12

The Post reports that police searching murdered prison guard David McGuinn's Baltimore apartment discovered copies of incident reports that prison officials claim didn't exist, leading to speculation that fellow guards allowed McGuinn to be killed because he wouldn't turn a blind eye to corrpution.

The Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted Demetri Jamal Greer, 18, of the 2800 block of E. Monument Street on first-degree murder and weapons charges. Court documents allege on July 20 Greer, along with an unknown female, assaulted and engaged in an altercation with the victim. The victim, Dion Williams, 16, was shot at close range. He died a short time later at Johns Hopkins Hospital. He was victim #145 of 2006. Greer had been charged with armed robbery in Towson in 2004 when he was 16, but was released on the condition that he attend Harbor City High and abide by curfews.

Relatives of the victims of serial killer Raymont Hopewell (shown left, photo by Sun's Karl Fenton) have mixed reactions to his guilty plea.

"Do you call it a Romeo and Juliet story?" Charges were dismissed against Shakesperially challenged Senate candidate David "Romeo" Dickerson, accused of assaulting his teen bride Anna. Also off the hook: the Salisbury pastor accused of boning the babysitter.

Police on Ocean City are looking for suspects who kidnapped and raped a 15-year-old girl.

August 11

The Baltimore Police Department Media Unit has embraced YouTube. Did you know? Crime lab supervisor John French is also a writer of "hardboiled" fiction! And Debbie Owens, the Chief of Patrol, once managed six Wendy's® burger franchises!

Results are in: Bcrime readers, certainly the most pissed-off people in the most pissed-off city in America, have spoken. They have no hate for cracker-ass crackers, Koreans or Democrats, but when it comes to Jean Marbella, fergetaboutit-- we'd rather be stuck making conversation with a jailhouse tattletale. Even worse are Suburbanites, who are are tied with Hezbollah. And the most-hated demographic, more detestable than even Vegans, are .... Republicans. Sorry, galt!

The murder trial of Dennis Bowers, 21, and Aaron Scott, 19, is scheduled to begin at 9:30AM Monday, August 14 before Judge Althea Handy. The Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted Bowers and Scott April 18, 2005 for first-degree murder and handgun counts in connection with the shooting death of Jonathan Colbert, 21. Court documents allege Bowers and Scott shot and killed Colbert on the street in the 1400 block of E. Preston St. after attempting to rob Colbert.

At a hearing today, Raymont Hopewell, 34, of the 2800 block of Chelsea Terrace, pled guilty to five counts of first-degree murder, four counts of first-degree rape, and numerous related charges for incidents between February 1999 through August 2005. Under terms of the plea agreement, announced in open court, Judge John M. Glynn will sentence Hopewell to four consecutive life without possibility of parole prison terms at a September 14 sentencing hearing. He also faces numerous other concurrent sentences, including life and several 25 year and 20 year prison terms. To summarize:

On February 20, 1999 Hopewell entered the home of Constance Wills, 61, 1113 North Ellamont Street and burglarized it. He then raped and murdered Ms. Wills.

On November 30, 2002 Hopewell entered the home of Sarah Shannon, 88, 2503 Violet Avenue and burglarized it. He then raped and murdered Ms. Shannon.

On May 27, 2005 Hopewell entered the home of Sadie Mack, 78, 635 North Gilmor Street and burglarized it. He then murdered Ms. Mack.

On August 21, 2005 Hopewell entered the home of Carlton Crawford, 81, 3700 Greenspring Avenue. He then murdered Mr. Crawford.

On August 30, 2005 Hopewell entered the home of Lydia Wingfield, 78, 2701 Mount Holly Avenue and burglarized it. He then raped and murdered Ms. Wingfield.

Hopewell is currently in the Baltimore City Detention Center held without bail.

Hon. Althea Handy: Murder charges against Jason Moody can charge on.

Warren Young got more than 12 years for dealing crack. And an MTA officer was indicted for insurance fraud.

Police officer's son: cops stole $20k.

Two missing Egyptian students were found in Dundalk.

It appears police have found that guy who kept robbing the Family Dollar stores.

Blotter: Dice game robbed; lots of stealing, people arrested for various crimes.

Baltimore Circuit Judge John N. Prevas received a public reprimand for, among other things, losing his temper and calling a defendant a jerk.

Paula Johnson Branch, City Council representative for the 13th district, saved the butt of a former campaign worker.

There's 53 fewer Crips in the sticks.

Pervert Roundup:
Three sick perverts have disappeared from a Carroll County city, and several sick pigs have disappeared from a Carroll County farm.
The FBI is looking for victims of a Canuck pedophile.
A teenage babysitter testified against her 30-year-old pastor.

Attorney General candidate Tom Perez is going after manufacturers of lead paint.

The forced marriage of Old Navy and Baltimore DIY punk.

Napping and parking don't mix.

Smoke crack in Baltimore, but don't beat your fetus in DC:
The Court of Appeals held it's not reckless endangerment to smoke crack while pregnant ("'Such ordinary things as skiing or horseback riding could produce criminal liability,' Judge Alan M. Wilner wrote for the court.") The DC Court, on the other hand, decided attacking a pregnant mother = cruelty to children.

August 10

A man was found beaten to death in the stairway of the Executive Inn Motel on Pulaski Highway (#169).

A judge will decide today if murder suspect Jason Moody can be set free because his right to a speedy trial was violated.

The family of drug suspect Cheryl Noel, shot to death during the execution of a warrant, are suing the police department.

Warren Brown: Mark Beckwith may not have acted in self-defense.

"I don't believe [that] individuals that urinate on the street are a threat to our peace."

A rash of robberies in the Sun blotter, many stolen license plates and one purloined teddy bear in the Messenger.

August 9

The Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted Antoine Oliver, 22, for first-degree murder, robbery with a deadly weapon and conspiracy to commit robbery. Court documents allege witnesses saw Kemoni Sterrette and Antoine Oliver moments before a shooting incident at the Unity Hair Salon in the 2200 block of Garrison Boulevard on May 13 in which the victim, Justice Georgie, was shot and killed while trying to stop the robbery. The Baltimore Grand Jury indicted Sterrette July 17 for first-degree murder. Sterrette is held on $250,000 bail at the Baltimore Detention Center. Oliver is held on $750,000 bail.

Six murders this week, plus new information on Gary Shipman. Also, William Gibson's 1983 death on E. Pratt St. has been added to this year's homicide count (#168), and Dennis James Wallace of Highlandtown was arrested for the crime.

Dewayne Blanche Jones Jr., the man who was shot to death in Middle River yesterday morning, was a well-liked middle-school teacher.

A very strange shooting on Liberty Rd. this morning.

Fox 45 reports on a racial attack at the exclusive St. Paul's School in Baltimore County last spring. The two white students who chased a black student with a noose, put it around his neck, and attempted to pull him into the air claimed they were just joking. (Unfortunately, there's not a useable link on Fox's site yet, but for now try this link.)

Interviews with jurors from the Canela/Espinoza trial.

Now is a bad time to be a prison guard.

Donald Gladden was arrested for 19 recent armed robberies.

You mean "full service" means sex???

A man was charged with raping his 67-year-old neighbor nine years ago.

Former school teacher/principal Daniel Harner was convicted for being a perv.

Applications for search warrants are apparently immune from libel.

A former Hagerstown cop admitted to "terrorizing the city he once served."

An Elkton teen was arrested for setting fire to cars in a movie theater parking lot.

Lots of people are helping find Oxter.

ABC2 apparently needs a new proofreader: "Viral Video’s; feature films of the online world"

August 8

Gregory Moore, shot during the course of a robbery in the Northwest, was #167.

The jurors have announced a verdict in the retrial of Policarpio Espoinoza and Adan Canela ... GUILTY!! Judge David Mitchell ordered a pre-sentence investigation and scheduled sentencing for September 21, 2006.
For backstory, Julie Bykowicz has a guide to the case.

In the Western, a man was shot in the head and a teen was stabbed in the back.

Dewayne Blanche Jones Jr. was shot to death in Middle River.

Dennis James Wallace, 52, was arrested for the 1983 murder of William Gibson.

From Sunday's Post-- "The general public has no idea, and I mean no idea, about the messed-up lives these kids lead until they're dead. The public has no idea about the neglect, the foster homes, the violent acting out, the filth, the mother's boyfriend that abuses them -- the public doesn't know. Doesn't want to know."

Weathered windbag Dan Rodericks blogs about the case in which Judge Schwait accepted a "softie deal" which resulted in 7 months in prison for the pedophile who (allegedly) later stabbed 11-year-old Irvin Harris to death.

A high-school football coach pimped a 15-year-old student to a D.C. police officer, who is now out of jail.

Black widow Josephine Grey, rumored to have used voodoo to intimidate witnesses, was resentenced to 40 years for insurance fraud.

Boozehound Dwayne S. Williams, who killed a woman in a drunk-driving accident, also had a criminal record.

You'll shoot your eye out ... because the gun is just too cute!

WTF? A Forest Hill man assaulted his neighbor with a leaf blower and BB gun.

Former Ehrlich homeslice Joe Steffen, who'd previously agreed to cooperate with investigators, is fighting a subpoena to testify before the legislature. Update-- Judge to Steffen: T.S.

Still into "The Wire"? Cast, writers and crew will be signing copies of the third-season DVD tonight at 7 at Sound Garden.