September 14

The BPD is having a bad couple of days: an amateur video appears to shows a police officer punching a heroin-possession suspect in the jaw.

An arraignment is scheduled for Baltimore police officer William Darrell Welch, 40, of Quiet Stream Court, Timonium, at 9:30 a.m. tomorrow before Judge John P. Miller, 428 Mitchell Courthouse. The Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted Welch August 23, 2006 with one count of second-degree rape and three counts of misconduct in office. 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 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.

More on the "testilying" cops of the SE-- there'll almost certainly be a lawsuit (good thing the city doesn't have any money any more!)
ps., the story has been picked up by the AP and appears in papers from Los Angeles to the UK.

Sentencing for admitted quintuple-murderer Raymont Hopewell hearing has been delayed to 2:00 p.m. today. The hearing will be before Judge John M. Glynn, 236 Mitchell Courthouse, 110 N. Calvert St. UPDATE: Hopewell "issued a half-hearted apology" then was sentenced to life without parole.

Two homicide victims have been ID'd: the man killed on 8th St. in Brooklyn was Steven A. King, 19.
A man shot in Washington Village was ID'd as Geroge Young, 23.
They make the annual homicide total at least 191 and probably closer to 199. The State's Attorney's office reports 180.

At a hearing yesterday Penny Christian, 37, and Jerome Sutton, 33, of Ruxton Avenue, pled guilty to armed robbery. Judge Albert J. Matricciani, Jr. sentenced Christian to 18 months in prison (and three years' probation). Judge Matricciani sentenced Sutton to five years in prison (and three years probation). On February 2, 2006 the pair assaulted and robbed a Sun newspaper vendor at the intersection of North Avenue and Fulton.

Most interesting! Police, backed by the federal Maryland Exile campaign, passed out a flier to let the community know that murderer Charles Garrison is in jail. (It's like they're crime blogging, but in 2-D!)

International News
A double homicide in HarfCo, two brothers killed in Edgewood (not related to the home-invasion gunfire reported earlier.)

Horrible: In Westminister, under the watch of two 16-year-old moms, a 15-month-old child fell out of a moving car and was dragged 85 feet through a parking lot.

In MoCo, Doug Duncan got out of bed and removed his shoebox-slippers to demand that the county's election officials be fired.

...don't forget to mail your quarterly taxes, self-employed people... MoCo Franchot will be cashing your check!

September 13

Murder Ink: 190 intentional, unjustified homicides as of Sept. 10.

Two stories PR people waited to release until the day after the election:
Not a year after news of the SW district's "Flex Squad" broke, a second specialized police unit has been shut down on account of a criminal investigation. This time, a "Special Enforcement Team," or SET, in the Southeast is facing allegations that officers lied on charging documents. Once again, dozens of cases may be dismissed.

What the?! Baltimore city found $16 million-- and is going to give $440,000 to the Jewish Museum?! My kid's school needs $2 million of structural repairs and has contaminated water! That museum can't raise its own money?!?! How dare they. That is my money, and if I wanted to give it to some museum then I would! Who decided this? How can it be legal? Even if it's legal it sure ain't right!

In Baltimore Couny, trial is underway for Carl Evans, 36, accused of killing his 13-year-old stepdaughter Breaunna and setting fire to his house to cover up the murder.

Twenty-four-year old Nicole Stevenson was indicted for taking the personal info of a patient at Harbor Hospital and using it to buy more than $61k worth of stuff. And a Dominican man got 132 months in prison for smuggling cocaine and heroin into MD inside car batteries. And a postal employee who faked a bad back will have to pay $242k in fraudulently collected pay, back. And a serial bank robber, fake accounting at the credit union, felons with guns, etc.

A campaign volunteer for State's Sttorney candidate Steve Fogelman was robbed at 3 a.m. as he put on signs near a middle school on the West side. Duh.

Nutcase Karl Glenn Salenieks of Crofton got 6 1/2 years in prison for being a felon in possession. He was busted after posing as a cop and pulling over a car full of undercover officers, which had to have made one hi-larious scene.

Underage drinkers at Uncle Lee's China Room and the Latin Palace were charged for illegal consumption and trying to pass fake IDs.

Residents are being fined for not draining standing water after a rainstorm.

Two HoCo women are charged with animal cruelty for cat-collecting.

"That part of urban America which has been left behind by the economy and by the greater society" = good watchin'! The Wire will go on for a fifth season!

In Annapolis, a principal blamed MySpace for the recent high-school gang fight.

Looks like Franchot has won.

Fill in the blank: A Delaware band director was arrested for ...

September 13, early morning edition

Andre Wilkins, the last of the McAbier firebombers, got 20 federal years.

... as of this writing we don't know who won for Comptroller, sounds like Cardin won for Senate, and, most annoyingly, John Sarbanes (who has done nothing) appears to have beaten Peter Beilienson (who saved the city from a third-world-class epidemic of teen pregnancy and crocth rot) in the 3rd.
Jill Carter's in in the 41st (is anything on her not fake?).
And Doug Gansler [is almost] in the courthouse (did he know what the building smelled like before he decided to run?)
The Mfume/Cardin race is nail-bitingly close. I still think Cardin will win, but the margin is tightening (3,000 votes) and reports are just starting (at 1 a.m.) to come in from Baltimore city, so there may still be surprises.

Sisters with two different last names got in a beer-bottle-brawl. And a man shouted "Bitchmuthafucka, you know what it is!" before a robbery in the Western.

The Sun covers the Patterson Park community meeting following the shooting of officer Robert Cirello.

Primary Day '06

It's Primary Day!

The Sun's got the first stories of the effed-up poll machines. As you may have already found out firsthand today, brand-new machines are being run by untrained or badly-trained workers, polls didn't always open on time and in some areas machines and/or election judges, in particular, Republican judges, did not show up at all!

NEVERTHELESS, the board of elections voted against extending voting for another hour in Baltimore City! Judge Holland shot them down and polling places will be open until 9-- but if you haven't voted yet, go to the polls now!! (and bring something to read in line)

Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. 9 p.m.
Though here at the blog we probably disagree on who to vote for, we love election day! Especially local elections, because your vote might even matter.
Some tips:

• Check your polling place online or on your voter registration card before you go-- it may have changed since the last election.


• You do have to be reigstered with a party affiliation to vote in this here primary election. Sorry, independents, libertarians, Greens, communists, etc.


• Did you know? In the city you'll also be voting for members of your party's central committee, Clerk of the Court, Circuit Court Judges, Orphan's Court judges, State's Attorney, register of wills and Sheriff. Surprise!


• So do bring notes (we like the LWV info sheet)-- written materials are allowed, and you don't want to just vote for whoever happened to get a flier in your face.


• If you don't know the candidates or can't decide, you can just skip a category.
  Your other votes will still count.


• Before you go, find your city council district and figure out what district of your party you're in. Repulicans are district 3, 4, 6, 10-13, Dems are 40, 41, or 43-46.


• If you have your voter registration card, you may or may not be asked for ID. Just in case, it's a good idea take your license, passport or a bill (utility, phone, tax assessment with your name and address).


• You can take your kids inside with you, but not your dog(s).


• For more info or help use the board of elections site or the "Voter Empowerment Hotline" at 1-888-678-VOTE.

*Assuming your vote does count. So far I haven't talked to a single person who has a scrap of faith in the new Diebold® system.
The Friends-of-Cheney company made $90 million on the machines (just in MD), but couldn't have people on hand to train workers and make sure the machines functioned?
I'm starting to get why so many readers hate Republicans more than Hezbollah ...!

More September 12

At a hearing today, Christopher Nathan Porter, 18, pled guilty to voluntary manslaughter and use of a handgun in the commission of a crime of violence. Judge Martin P. Welch sentenced porter to 10 years in prison, the first five years without parole for the handgun count and 10 years in prison, concurrent, for the manslaughter count. Court documents allege that on May 15, 2005 police officers with emergency medial personnel responded to 100 Diener Place for a shooting. Damon Aldridge, 23, was found lying unresponsive on the pavement suffering from gunshot wounds to the head and torso and was pronounced dead at the scene. Porter, who was 16 at the time, was identified through eyewitness accounts.

At a hearing today Judge Allen L. Schwait sentenced Donald Smothers, 29, of Norland Road to 30 years in prison. Smothers pled guilty to second-degree murder on July 10. Judge Schwait previously sentenced a co-defendant, Anthony Wallace, 26, to six years following Wallace's guilty plea to manslaughter. On July 16, 2002 Smothers and Wallace murdered Phillip Kent, 22, during a home invasion at 2218 Round Road. A Baltimore City jury convicted Smothers and Wallace of first-degree murder in January 2003 and the Court of Special Appeals vacated the guilty verdicts in September 2004 for the improper admission of both defendants' criminal convictions.

The Ameer Taylor case was postponed for the second time today at the request of the defense (Warren Brown) until November 30.

An arraignment for Dennis James Wallace, 54, is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. tomorrow before Judge Gale E. Rasin, 509 Courthouse East, 111 N. Calvert Street. The Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted Wallace August 21, of this year for first-degree murder. Court documents allege that on July 31, 1983, Mr. William Gibson's decomposed body was discovered in a trash can which was placed in a wooden clothes locker outside a rear basement apartment located at 3418 Leverton Avenue. The landlord had complained of a strong foul odor coming from the apartment. Police identified Wallace as a potential suspect 10 days after the incident, but by that time Wallace had vanished and his whereabouts were unknown until he was located on July 28 of 2005. Wallace remains held without bail at the Baltimore City Detention Center. Assistant State's Attorney Sam Yee will prosecute the case.

Election Day!

(bumped up)

September 12

Kevin Clark, part Deux

The Examiner reports on the return of former Police Commissioner Kevin Clark, whom the courts have ruled was improperly discharged by Hizzoner NO'Malley. Now, as I've been calling for the doubling of police manpower, I didn't really mean in the Commissioner's office. I was actually thinking we could do without the current occupant.

In the Sun's Police Blotter the two young men murdered in South Charles Village are identified.

A crime emergency meeting was held in Patterson Park with councilman Jim Kraft and City Police. Never have have so few done so little for so very many white people. Really white. Looked like a Donny Osmond concert. In my neighborhood you cannot find so many at one time, unless it's Saturday morning and there are organic apples on sale.

More September 11

Ameer Taylor, alleged killer of Sam Richardson, is on the docket for tomorrow morning before Judge Glynn in 236 of the Mitchell Courthouse.

Residents of Montgomery County are more likely than anyone else in America to live to see old age, while Baltimore City residents are the second least likely. But researchers say the high death rate is actually not the (direct) result of violent crime-- city residents' crappy lifestyles and poor personal habits are to blame.

Spotted: Democratic Dr. Peter Beilenson and family waving at cars on the corner of Northern Parkway and Roland Avenue.

Medical Examiner's Office Withholds Homicide Data

I got a call back from the Medical Examiner's office. The man who my call finally landed with wouldn't even give me his name and said the office won't release ANY numbers, even though they have released them in the past and it is public information.
He said, "Things are still under investigation. We're working with the State's Attorney's office to make determinations." Well yah, isn't that what you do all day? Hence the name Medical 'Examiner'?!
I asked about the specific names, as suggested by a 'non, which I had to submit in writing:

[Sept. 1 2006]

Dear Medical Examiner's Office:

May I please have the total number of homicides for the year (Jan 1 to the present) in Baltimore City is according to your office.

In particular, there are a few that I'm wondering if there's a ruling on yet:

Ernest Miller, 58, found dead on 3/14/06 in the 6600 block of Holabird Ave.

Lana Jean Whalen, 37, found dead on 4/5/06 on the shoulder of I-95 in Southeast Baltimore.

An unidentified male, who died on 5/27/06 after struggling with police in the 1800 block of Fleet St.

Robert Benway, 45, who died on 7/1/06 after sustaining a head injury on the job at one of the city's ports on 6/26/06.

On 8/17/06, the body of another unidentified male was found in the 500 block of South Vincent St.

An unidentified male, found dead on 8/23/06 in the 600 block of North Paca St.

Thanks!
[my real name here]

... apparently all of those are all "under investigation," even the one from March.
Can you give me an idea of how many cases you have open?
No, they can't.
No ballpark figure, nothing.

What do you think is going on?

Meanwhile, by my count
(and we don't count Robert Benway or Fleet St. police-struggle man) we're at
197.
That's my number and I'm sticking to it.

September 11

Murder is up 4.8 percent nationwide.

Meow! Prospective Attorney General Stu Simms is whipping out the claws.

Judge Moylan: it's really not necessary for police to knock before executing a search warrant. "A purely ceremonial knock would have served no more additional purpose than a ritualistic touching of one's nose or a clicking of one's heels or a twirling about three times in a counterclockwise direction. We are not operating in Oz." [sub. required]

From TDR:

"A murder suspect was arrested following a car and foot chase through the city of Hagerstown's South End, police said Friday. Raheen Tajohn Edwin, 20, was charged with first-degree murder, handgun violations and other offenses stemming from the fatal shooting July 31 of Trisiviah Rodriguez, 20, on a downtown street. Edwin was captured Thursday night, police said. Demetrius P. McDaniels, 27, also is charged with murdering Rodriguez, who was shot during a late-night altercation among a group of people. According to court documents, McDaniels said after the shooting that he had missed his intended target."

In bucolic Fallston, Levi Lloyd was shot by his neighbor while riding his lawn mower.

Conventional wisdom says venerable Ben Cardin may as well be fluffing the cushion of his Senate seat, but we all just might be in for a surpise tomorrow: the BCrime poll shows Mfume in the lead.

Three murders Sun. morning: 197

Two young males were shot in an argument in South Charles Village around 2 a.m. at the intersection of E. 22nd and Guilford. One is as yet unidentified and police are investigating.

Another man was killed in a home invasion/robbery incident on the 3700 block, Eighth St. in Brooklyn a few hours later.

September 10

Is this for real? One of the 14 men being transferred from Guantanamo from a (now not-so-) secret foreign prison, Majid Khan, graduated from Owings Mills High in 1999. Teacher: "he wasn't a jokester."

The man shot at Upscale Billiards on Pulaski Hwy was ID'd as Charles Spencer (or is it Spenser?) of Edgewood.

Rodricks: Employers aren't terribly jazzed about hiring ex-cons.

The officer who shot a man in the NW was shot himself four years ago; his badge deflected the bullet.

The Post has an excellent special report; Tuesday more than just Japanese girls' favorite school holiday.

So everyone over the age of 8 knows that Elmo is really a six-foot-tall black man named from Baltimore. Aren't you dying to know how Kevin Clash created the world's most beloved muppet? This was a story begging to be written. Thanks for the tipoff, Laura Vozzella!

September 9

So far this weekend, two murders in Baltimore County: 45-year-old Eric Fountain was shot death in Dundalk, and an unidentified man was stabbed in the parking lot of a pool hall in Rosedale.

Also in the county, 16-year-old Franklin Leroy Smith is charged as an adult with the murder of Warren Porter, 24.

And another 15-year-old MD boy charged with murder. Zachary James is accused of killing Michael Freeman, 32, on the 3400 block of Park Heights Avenue on Labor Day.

A 26-year-old man was shot in the NW by a police officer early this morning.

Down in DC, Walter C. Anderson was found guilty of three federal tax-evasion charges, making him officially the Biggest Tax Cheat in American history.

Former head of the Guatemalan DEA pled guilty to atttmpting to smuggle coke into the US.

Baltimore health commissioner Joshua Sharfstein has banned lead-packed kohl Asian eyeliner after two toddlers were poisioned. (Were the parents putting eye makeup on the toddlers?)

Noemi Espinoza Quezada and Ricardo Espinoza Perez were interviewed by the AP. Backs up my theory that Guadelupe put the two guys up to killing the children to get back at Victor and Maria.

So that's the reason behind the hilarious campaign slogan, "vote from the bottom up." Speaking of, who are these judges? How are they doing? Anybody know? And did anyone know that there's an election for Baltimore City Sheriff, between one Shelton J. Stewart and one John W. Anderson? Who are these people? TG for the League of Women Voters and their info sheets, especially the ones that tell you where you are and what to think.

Accused spy Susan Lindauer sounds like an interesting character.

... still September 8

Arnold Schwarzenegger se disculpò después de una cinta escapada fuera de íl que decí a los cubanos y Puerto Ricans y naturalmente "feisty" debido a su combinació n de la "sangre negra" y de la "sangre de Latino."

Fiddy Cent was arrested for making an unsafe lane change in an unregistered, uninsured Lambo.

The BCrime Contest!

HOO HOO HOO!
It's the first-ever BCrime Contest!

Sample Schaefer's remarks* to make a club hit, rhyme, folk song or jingle --anything that can play as an embedded sound file-- and send it in by midnight, Friday November 3.
(We need something to listen to on election day as we work the PTA bake sale at RPEMS!)

Winner, as determined by listener votes on the Sparklit poll, will get to be the official BCrime-approved musician. We'll give you front-page real estate to plug all of your shows, albums, myspace page, basement tapes/or whatever for one year.
Aim for funny, original and catchy! Make us laugh and keep it short!

* Not necessarily from the WYR broadcast ... but you must use exact quotes as the center of your composition!

PS. I LOVE THE LAZY DUNCANS!
(but I wish the sound was better)

Also hilarious: Doni Glover interviews Steele while Kweisi Mfume drowns him out with shout-outs in the background!

More September 8

Ellis Lee Hickman Jr. , 34, was found guity of the murder of Rakiyya Tiana States.

An arrest in the murder of Teon White. And the man shot Wednesday in North Montford (194) was ID'd as Derrick Miller, 27.

Six defendants down, one to go, and one Jackie Brewington sentenced to 17 1/2 years in the McAbier firebombing case.

Police and residents did a model job of working together to catch a cat burglar, who turned out to be one Christopher Cook, 30.

Oy vay. David Kaye, the Maryland rabbi featured on Dateline NBC trying to hook up with someone he thought was a 13-year-old boy, was convicted of crossing state lines for illegal contact.

The CSA upheld life-without-parole sentences for former NSA cryptologist turned AAC double-murderer Darris Ware.

Two days of fighting gangs in an Annapolis high school led to 18 arrests.

I usually hate this kind of first-person present-tense writing (<-irony!), but Marta Hummel uses a style rare in newspapers to paint a vivid portrait of lunch with the Guv and his calorie-conscious wife. (Equal® on fruit and sugar in coffee... something ain't right!)

Crazy like a feeble octogenarian, or crazy like a fox? Perhaps this WYPR interview holds the answer ... Hoo hoo hoo!

A Lotta Guns in Waverly and an Officer Down

Police stops in Waverly are turning up firearms, as seen in the Police Blotter. (Oh, and by the way, East 30th Street is not in Central. )

A reality check in up-and-coming Patterson Park as a police officer is shot on patrol and rushed to Shock Trauma. Apparently, there are still a few guns there, too.

Federal judge Richard Bennett has assigned the ACLU/NAACP civil rights case against the Police Department to the judge hearing the Jones case regarding detention conditions, noting a commonality of interests in the adjudication of the two cases.

September 7 Continues...

A man denied alcohol at J&H Liquors went nuts and threw a Molotov cocktail into the store.

Unlike the guys who de-Beemered Beckham in Spain (twice!), a local prospective carjacker was likely confounded by the 2006's keyless ingition system. Police are still searching for a suspect.

One-and-a-half federal years for selling 11 pounds of cocaine for Daniel Pellegrini. Twelve federal years for Michael Thomas for conspiracy to distibute heroin.

Kane: They call it the "Jessup Cut." (He is. so. down.)

Question for the ladies: what's worse, Schaefer's remarks, or how seriously Janet Owens took them? Whatever! Go Franchot!

Things were better in the olden days.

Why can't we fill the whole big area in front of city hall with pillories, and hold people in them for three-hour stints for all of the "abated by arrest" crimes?
Why did we ever get rid of the pillory? Anyone? Anyone?

September 7

A man was fatally shot on the 600 block of N. Montford Avenue in the Eastern (194?).

Charles Co: Karl H., convicted of murder and trying to prevent his sons from being adopted, will probably be allowed to appeal a court order which terminated his parental rights last March. [Sub. needed]

AAC: Federal prosecutors talked about the new evidence they plan to present in the Blake case: witness accounts and statements.

WashCo: In Hagerstown, former middle-school teacher Robert Merle Haines Jr. got 4 1/2 years in prison for molesting a 13-year-old student [sub req.] in 1984.

HoCo: Howard County police published a muy multicultural list of Johns (Juans?). Also in HoCo, Dwayne Williams was indicted on two counts of vehicular homicide. And skeletal remains found in January were identified as those of Anber Sanchez, 18.

MoCo: MS-13 voted "most notable gang."

DC's Police Chief: Crime down 11 percent since I declared "Emergency."

Who's writing the X's editorials? Huh? Too tough a question? How come? Huh? C'mon!

Word: An Examiner editorial renews the call for the removal of the shiteous statue in front of Penn Station.

Fourth season of The Wire starts Sunday at 10. Nice slot!

An Austrian girl, Natascha Kampusch, who was kidnapped and imprisoned for eight years talked about her ordeal on TV.

Al Shipley will tell you what to do this weekend.

At least Enda's still being played by a big fat queen! Perez Hilton has the first pictures of John Travolta in Divine's role in Hairspray, and they are NOT pretty.

Speaking of Janet Owens, a NYT article reflects on Casa Susanna, a summer camp for transvestites in the land of Dirty Dancing.

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.