October 20

North.
A homeless man was killed by a hit-and-run driver on Falls Road at 40th street in Hampden-- the driver's car had been found.
[Not considered a homicide-- should it be?]

A woman parked on the 3600 block of Malden Lane in Woodberry called to complain that a bunch of juveniles took rocks and materials from a city construction site and piled them on her car.

West.
Someone was "stabbed in the butt," another in the chest at La Palapa on Main Street, Ellicott City.

Northwest.
Rod Rosenstein: "The Rice brothers lived the gangster lifestyle for a few years and now they will pay the price for the rest of their lives."
Included in "gangster lifestyle": minivans, NW split-levels.

A female officer responding to a call about a baseball-bat weilding woman was stranded in the 2400 block of Denison Lane when she got no response from the radio dispatcher for a request for backup.

After someone broke a car window, four police cars and a couple of officers à pied chased a pack of 15 black male youths who'd been gathered on the corner of 3900 Labyrinth.

East.
Police conducted a "centralized debriefing initiative" in the parking lot of Old Town Mall in East Baltimore.

Northeast.
On Lily Pound Court in Edgewood HarfCo, as an old man, a 9-year-old girl, a pot plant and two dogs were minding their own business, someone threw a firebomb through a window . The people were okay, the two dogs were killed, house was wrecked, don't know about the plant.

South And Elswehere.
The CSA will hear Kevin Clark's O'case.

The City got $500k from the federal government to put surveillance cameras in schools.

Bill and Martin at the rally! Bill ♥s some Ben Cardin, those two were all huggy and whatnot... but not so much as one picture of Bill with O'Malley! That could be just how the photo opp worked out ... but note M'O's placement on stage-- back left-- not where you place someone if your point is to show the world your hot sweaty love (right)!

O'M's talking opening a big drug treatment lockdown if elected, Ehrlich says he'll expand RESTART, which provides services to inmates.

Steven I. Platt, an associate judge on the PCG Circuit, wrote a smarty editorial for the Doily Wretched. <-sub. required

An important issue when we select our leaders in November is how they plan to ensure efficiency by insisting on responsibility and accountability in the criminal justice system ... The issue: whether Mayor O’Malley's policy of zero tolerance of "quality-of-life crimes" in Baltimore City is efficient and wise ... the governor and ... Judge William Murphy, contend that this policy... has resulted in "mass arrests" of individuals in the city ... Critics say a disproportionate percentage of those arrested are African-American or other minority citizens. Following their arrests, these individuals are either never formally charged or find the charges against them summarily dropped.

... this policy has resulted in a substantial reduction in crime in Baltimore City. However, as far as its critics are concerned, the reduction is not enough to justify the large percentage of arrests that are not followed by formal prosecution. There is no mention in any of the governor's ads about any positive effects of the policy, specifically the reduction of crime ... Conversely, the mayor's ads tout the reduction of crime without mentioning the downside of the policy -- the large number of arrests that are subsequently deemed to not be worthy of prosecution and, therefore, perhaps of dubious legality. ... [But] this debate can be developed into something more useful than a get-out-the-vote technique.

Zero tolerance is a law-enforcement strategy that seeks to reduce all crime by not tolerating any crime. It has worked in one form or another in New York, Boston and Philadelphia, as well as in Baltimore. In all those cities, the same criticisms have been made.

The policy is more controversial than it would be otherwise because this strategy is not shared by the Baltimore City state's attorney, who is independently elected and who, in the criminal justice system, has the final say over whether a person arrested will be prosecuted. The state's attorney and her assistants choose not to prosecute many of the people arrested for a variety of reasons, including a cost-benefit analysis. This cost-benefit analysis begins, and in many cases ends, with the fact that even though technically the case could be successfully prosecuted, it is not worth it because the arrest itself deters further criminal activity by the suspect, which is the only purpose for detaining the person even briefly.

The police know that, in many cases, the State's Attorney's Office will not prosecute individuals arrested for these minor crimes. That being the case, critics suggest that the mayor and police are violating the civil rights of certain citizens, ostensibly to make other citizens safer by preventing crime. The critics then question whether it should continue.

The question that the governor and Mr. Murphy do not answer in their political ad is: Are they willing to trade off the reduced crime rate and the improved quality of life that accompanies it to return crime to the levels that made the city more dangerous prior to Martin O'Malley becoming mayor? The governor should answer this question if he wants this policy to be an issue in this election.

This hammer, of course, should swing both ways. Does the mayor believe that arresting large numbers of minority citizens who are then not prosecuted is acceptable and appropriate because crime is deterred by this process? If so, is there a tipping point where these arrests become abusive? The mayor should answer this question if he wants the reduction in Baltimore's crime rate to be a reason to elect him governor.

Finally, we may want to ask the mayor, the governor and the state's attorney whether any of them think not having a joint law-enforcement strategy on this, as well as in other areas, is in the interest of the citizens of Baltimore and the state. Do they believe the criminal justice system can ever work efficiently if the law-enforcement strategy of the state's attorney is not coordinated with that of the police department? The answer logically must be, "Of course not!" If so, the next question must be: "Don't you think you have a responsibility to move beyond your electoral posturing to devise a coordinated strategy that will work for all of the people? Doesn't this political and other criticism visibly undermine public trust, confidence, and respect for law enforcement and the courts?”

The overriding principle of accountability in the criminal justice system is not confined to governors, mayors and state's attorneys.

Judges, too, should be willing to accept responsibility for their decisions and ... should acknowledge that media coverage and scrutiny, as well as proposals for judicial evaluations, are not threats to judicial independence.

... We are all, however, accountable for electing leaders who will work together to produce a law-enforcement system that is coordinated, efficient and economical. This principle should shape our debate. It has not done so to date.

October 19

Patterson Park, West side:
The Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted Donnell Williams, 23, of Conkling Street on first-degree murder and other counts. Court documents allege Williams was identified on camera beating and kicking Cecil Saunders, 28, about the head at the Executive Inn in the 3600 block of Pulaski Highway. Saunders died as a result of his injuries. An arraignment is scheduled for November 16 before Judge John P. Miller.

West Side/ Gwynns Falls
The Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted Jonathan Brock, 20, of Harlem Avenue on first-degree murder. Court documents allege on July 28, before he died, Teon White, 25, identified Brock as the person responsible for shooting him in the 2100 block of Koko Lane. An arraignment is scheduled for November 17, before Judge Gale E. Rasin.

A woman allegedly raped by Southwest Baltimore police officer Jemini Jones has filed a $1 million lawsuit against him and two other members of the police "flex squad" gang.

The boy fatally shot in Cherry Hill Tuesday (220) was ID'd as Cornett Robinson, 16.
And 15-year-old Gerryl Boatwright was arrested for killing 16-year-old Bernard Davis on N. Castle Street, juvenile murder #22.

You just can't make this stuff up: Cancer-stricken septuagenarian Harry Gehlert is suing the police for arresting him after his toilet overflowed.

How this can be construed as a new trend is beyond me ... as usual, young hoods, female muggers and homicidal arsonists are honing their skills in Mount Vernon. Note use of "bumming a cigarette" in course of mugging

An eagle-eyed reader notice homicide #221 in the above story ... Marcus Rogers, who was beaten and had his apartment set on fire, died Tuesday.

Examintertorial: citizens, grand jurors deserve response from Mayor re. ignored Grand Jury report.

File under NW female body:
Two children found a body yesterday in Owings Mills.

The Feds indicted James Abu Bangura and Dartanion Antwon Wallace for a bunch of local bank robberies; Donnell Berry got 170 months for PCG and MoCo bank robberies; Kevin Dewight Honesty, busted by DNA from a hat, got 25 years for robbing the Silver Spring SunTrust.

Edgewood home invaders forced victims to strip, stole clothes, wallets, cell phone.

A hostage situation in a PGC carryout ended with the arrest of two people.

Jay Fayne, found shot to death by his son in Severna Park, was charged by Feds in June with loan-sharkery.

File under sex, music, pedo:
A former violin solist with the BSO, Timothy Baker, pled not guilty to sexual assault and indecency in CT after being accused of acts with a 16-year-old girl in Texas.

October 18

At arraignment today, Zachary James, charged with two counts of murder (and implicated in four, says Hamm), pled not guilty to both counts. The court set a January 17, 2007 trial date.

Murder #220 was a 17-year-old boy from Cherry Hill, shot in the 2800 block of Carver Road last night.
(Check out the video, hear the "homocide" rate still a major concern. Damn those homos!)

That's nice! Homicide suspect Demetries Sturgis was caught after someone saw his picture on the tv.

From an anon reader: "Did you see this? Everyone in Baltimore who crows about expungement should read it— waste of fucking time!" Not if you're trying to create a permanent underclass it ain't!

The Ink covers murders of Donnie Blanding, 22; Glenn Carlton, 38; Antionio Hill, 16.

Anna Ditkoff explains last week's mysterious SA's office press release regarding the "call-in" for violent offenders.

Renato Cawthorne, 37, was arrested for the shooting death of Jonathan Coles, 23, last December.
A man was shot during the course of a robbery in the Western.

"Stomper" in Greenbelt: MS-13 bunch of wacked-out, murderous drunks.

In Howard County, Ghafour Asemani, left, who choked his wife Samira Salmassi almost to death, got the maximum for attempted murder, 30 years.

A possible homicide on the 500 block of Center Drive in Severna Park yesterday afternoon.

Dept. of Booze and Nudity
AAC's Calvin F. Johnson was shot twice by police, now he's being charged with assault and drunken driving. JZ reports Johnson claimed he left because he had to pick up his son ... though he had cocaine, alcohol and PCP in his system.

Marquis Bridgewater, 22, is accused of raping a drunk 16-year-old girl at the Woodstock Job Corps Center on Old Court Road.


Chief liquor board inspector, "we will have to keep an eye on" Scores strip club; naked boobies on the second floor could get "dangerous."

Though a judge found Howard County officer Edward Thatcher not guilty of exposing himself to a co-worker, the internal affairs investigation continues.

Former Harford County Council President Robert S. Wagner: I regret getting blind drunk at 8 a.m., driving, falling on face.

October 17

Sixteen-year-old Antonio Hill was shot to death Sunday (<219) in the 800 block of West Baltimore Street.

Grand jury report: arrest rate "bordering on violating a person's constitutional rights." Meanwhile, protestors against the BPD arrest policies marched on War Memorial Plaza.

Police are looking for Demetries Strurgis (or Sturgis), wanted for the murder of Rasheed Stevenson, 17.

A 17-year-old stabbed a 16-year-old to death with modified kid scissors at the Hickey School.

The City Council will hold a hearing December 13 to consider a resolution asking police to reopen the investigation into the death of Robert Clay.

Jacob Radin, 89, confused his Honda's gas with its brake, ran over a security guard and hit the bank building at the 5100 block of Roland Avenue. He wasn't charged with anything, so he can keep driving! Super!

In Greenbelt, Juan "Diabolico" Lopez got seven years, three months for participating in an armed robbery and burning a bandanna that had been wrapped around a gun used by another gang member to kill a teenager.

In AAC, two idiot teenagers are charged with calling in phony bomb threats at Northeast High.

Out with a bang: (Now former) Harford County Council President Robert Wagner was arrested after driving drunk, exiting vehicle, landing face-first on pavement.

Post Op-Ed: When it comes to crime and punishment, both gubernatorial candidates have questionable managerial abilities.
BTW you can watch last night's JZ debate online.

October 16

From the U.S. Attorney's office: Howard Meyers 58, of Rockville was indicted on various illegal gambling charges.
Bertha Yolanda Paez, age 56, of Colombia, South America, was sentenced to 37 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release for money laundering more than $3.5 million of cocaine and heroin $.

An unId'd man in the 6900 block of Marsue Drive killed himself after a standoff in Pikesville.

On Friday, October 13, a Baltimore City jury found Calvin Amos, 53, guilty of voluntary manslaughter in the shooting death of Joseph Schlick, 25. The shooting occurred in the home of the defendant at 2301 Herkimer Street on March 3. According to Court documents, Amos shot Joseph Schlick once in the forehead. When officers arrived at the scene the defendant stated he had just shot the victim, Joseph Schlick. The defendant was transported to the BPD Homicide Unit and advised of his rights. Mr. Amos gave a full confession to shooting Joseph Schlick in self-defense after Schlick entered his home through a window. A search and seizure warrant was obtained and a black powder handgun was recovered from the counter top of the kitchen. The victim was found on the kitchen floor. On March 4 the victim died of his injuries. The Office of the Coroner and Medical Examiner ruled the cause of death to be a homicide by shooting. Sentencing is scheduled for December 5 at 9:30 am before Judge John Carroll Byrnes, Part 93. Voluntary Manslaughter carries a maximum penalty of 10 years.

The Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted Devon Richardson, 15, for first-degree murder in connection with the shooting death of 67-year-old Janice Letmate, shot September 26 in the 4000 block Biddison Lane with a rifle.

The Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted Eric Tate, 18, of Guilford Avenue on two counts of first-degree murder and carrying a deadly weapon. Court documents allege on September 10 Tate became involved in a verbal argument with another man. The argument escalated to a physical altercation, fighting and gunshots were fired. The argument occurred because the victims wore certain gang colors. The two victims, Anthony Taylor, Jr., 20 and Adrian Holiday, 19, were found suffering from gunshot wounds to the chest in the 300 block of East 22nd Street. Both victims died as a result of their injuries. An arraignment hearing is scheduled for November 2 before Judge Gale Rasin, Room 509 Courthouse East.

A protest against the police department's arrest practices will be held today from 3-5 p.m. in front of the courthouse.

At Wabash District Court this morning, Judge Hargrove sentenced Rodney Bethea in the April 13 incident which occurred at the Northeast District Baltimore Police Department as follows: four years on the false imprisonment charge; two years on the assault on law enforcement charge and two years on the escape charges ... but the sentences to be served concurrently, which means this lunatic will be out in four years .. or less than two with parole! Wow, if I was the cop beaten by a lightbulb or the employee held hostage with the scissors for three hours I'd be really pissed!

Miconduct allegations were dismissed against federal prosecutors Jason Weinstein and Steven Levin, accused of not warning the Rice brothers that a plea deal didn't mean they could keep slinging the smack.

Former Oriole Sammy "Throwin' Swannanoan" Stewart Jr., pitcher in the '83 World Series, in now in jail for his crack habit. He's still "not confident" he can kick it.

Cumberland Times Op-Ed "we're not surprised that Baltimore's crack kings would eye our community as a lucrative market for their addictive, destructive wares."

Cokie Gopshes of Baltimore got 18 years in prison after leading police on a high-speed chase on the BW Parkway.

Burglary, robbery and a home invasion in the SE.

Assaults, robberies and theft in PCG.

Probable "overzealous volunteers" are vanadlizing campaign signs.

Op-Ed: "most people charged with gun crimes skate through the state court system in Baltimore."

Culture:
But that's part of our charm! Mystery shoppers say Baltimore's customer service is among the worst.

October 15

No crime news today, because all the reporters have the day off.
So have some politics...Only 23 more days to go...
The Hagtown Herald-Mail has endorsed Ehrlich.

Can't get enough debate coverage? Here's five more stories:
"Ehrlich, O'Malley Swap Scorn in TV Debates"
"Two rivals clash with two styles"
"Schools, crime are debatable"
"It's All About Baltimore"
"Candidates Spar In Governor [sic] Debates"

Other crap we're reading:
Married couples are now the minority.

"What do you give the woman who has everything? A little black baby, it seems." A Malawian charity is seeking an injuction to keep Madonna from adopting a baby.

October 14

Officers fired after the Smoot beating death want their jobs back.

"In the summer of 2005, police burst into a Gardner (MA) apartment and expected to find a drug-dealing operation. They allege they did, but they also found a surprise: a 15-year-old boy from Baltimore who had been kidnapped ... The kidnappers were never found."

Former Sun editor-in-chief Bill Marimow has resigned as head of news for NPR, taken demotion to post of "ombudsman."

Nothing to do on a Saturday evening? Catch the live gubernatorial debate at 7 p.m. on WBAL, again Monday at 7 on JZ, or anytime at thewbalchannel.com.
Update: In case you missed it... the debate just raised more questions!
Why were the candidates sitting in little wooden bumper cars?
Why can't either one of them find a suit that fits? Were the slouchy sportcoats a conscious effort to project the common touch?
Does Ehrlich ever smile? And what's up with his gummy bracelets?
When did O'Malley start copying Bill Clinton's delivery, blinks, hand gestures and all?
O'Malley's desk was tidy and Ehrlich's was covered with papers ... what does that mean?
Who looked worse: O'Malley for interrupting over and over, or the governor for getting (repeatedly) flustered by it?
And finally, who won? (I have my opinion, but I want to see what you-all think!)
ps. the JZ story sums up a few points, if you can get past the typo in the headline.

October 13

At about 5 p.m. a 14-year-old boy was shot in a drive-by at Frederick Douglass High School.

The eight-year-old with the loaded gun was charged with gun possession, which he'll serve under house arrest with his mom.

A man was shot to death last night in Seton Hill on the 600 block of W. Franklin Street (≤218).

A NE Baltimore woman claims she was abducted on Light Street Monday, taken to PGC, drugged and raped.

A man found in a burning apartment on the 1000 block of St. Paul Street Wednesday night was beaten before he was burned.

A suspect was shot in the NW after trying to run down an officer.

Vernon Evans' lawyer: greater care should be taken not to hire dog-poisioners as executioners. Because there are so many well-adjusted people who want the job.

Yesterday, in Rod vs. the Trout-Saving Gang, Shorty snitched on Casper and Pony.

The Court of Appeals ruled that Ehrlich can't cut off health benefits to immigrant children <- subscription req'd.

Hookers, sharpen your stilettos ... the American Bar Association Young Lawyers' Division will be conferring from Oct. 19-21 at the Marriott Waterfront.

Last Friday the family of Amanda Smith won a $675k wrongful-death suit against GBMC.

Robbing the pizza-delivery guy is popular pastime in the Northwest burbs.

James M. Thomas, 29, of Glen Burnie, left, was charged with sexually assaulting two young relatives nine years ago.

George A. Reigel of Reisterstown pled guilty in Federal court to possession of child pornography and two twentysomething Bowie women got twentysomething months in prison after stealing an old lady's identity.

Bad news, Galt: you're going to have to live in Baltimore for two more years. Maybe take up smoking?
Jeezmcrow!!: white women live 13½ years longer than black men!

Political BS Dept.
According to the Examiner, governor "blasted" the O'M for "unconstitutional" "mass arrests." (Oddly, the interview is not up on the WBAL web site, so there's no way to put the remarks in context). But assuming this was a recent interview ... how long have we had a high arrest rate-- one year? Two? He just now felt this worthy of comment?

"If you knew that Martin O'Malley wears a toupee, is attracted to little boys and tortures animals, would you still vote for him?" (TG for caller ID!)

I don't care which bozo wins this election, I just want it over so I don't have to hear this shite anymore!

October 12

An eight-year-old brought a .22 to Grove Park Elementary and discharged it accidentally. No one was hurt, TG.

In Oakland CA, possession of David Simon's "Homicide" is being used as evidence against Hans Reiser, accused of killing his wife Nina (you'd think the blood would be enough).

Interesting announcement from the Sa's office:

In a coordinated partnership, involving local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, police, prosecutors and law enforcement agents, including parole and probation agents will speak directly to offenders from the Northern Police Precinct areas regarding violent crimes TONIGHT AT 6 P.M. This call-in of offenders is an opportunity for law enforcement and the community to speak directly to known perpetrators of crime with a joint request to end the violence and seek community assistance. MEDIA ARE INVITED TO ATTEND THE FACE TO FACE MEETING BUT CAMERAS ARE RESTRICTED AND MUST REMAIN OUTSIDE THE BUILDING. This iniative continues the operation safe neighborhoods launched by State's Attorney's Jessamy and the community in 2002 ... Northern Police District is located at Keswick and 34th Streets.

A Baltimore jury found Dameon Woods guilty of second-degree murder, depraved heart (?), first degree assault and second degree assault in the murder of Raymond Smoot. Judge Glynn revoked Woods' bail. James Hatcher was found not guilty on all charges. Sentencing is scheduled for December 12.

Jobrea Lodge pled guilty to attempted first degree murder today. He received 20 years and 5 years' probation. He also pled guilty to conspiracy to commit robbery with a dangerous and deadly weapon. For that he received 20 concurrent (aka "why bother") years. Sherray Douglas, alias Brittany Johnson, pled guilty to conspiracy to commit robbery with a dangerous and deadly weapon. She received 12 years and 5 years probation. Douglas lured Detective Dontae Hemmingway to Wilgrey Court for a meeting; Hemmingway believed that he was meeting someone else. When he arrived and walked onto the porch of the address, Jobrea Lodge pulled a gun and told Detective Hemmingway to "kick it out," (whatever that means). Detective Hemmingway reached for his gun, and Lodge shot him three times. Lodge was shot once in the leg. After witnesses identified Lodge and Douglas, both were arrested and confessed.

A 14-year-old girl was stabbed with a 10-inch kitchen knife at Pimlico middle school.

Two brothers, Tavon Tyner and Dante Tyner, are being sought for murder in the death of Darrell Artis (186) on McClean Blvd.

ME Dr. David Fowler: the rumors of a NW serial killer are false. Comapre to this Examiner story from Tuesday. Did Janis even try to call the ME's office?

The Vernon Evans death-row appeal goes on.

"Ladies, ladies!" Julie B reports on the "biting exchange" at the CJCC.
Ps., looked up Leonard N. Garrett. He was due for court in HoCo on the 5th for a "marihuana" charge. In May another drug case was nolle prosequi'd. In July an assault charge was nolle prosequi'd. In April of last year his Cadillac was forfeited. In 2004 he was arrested for having a gun in his car. In December of 2001 he forfeited bond posted by the Lexington insurance group. His wife Geraldine sued him for divorce. And there were a lot of traffic violations. Not a model citizen, but not the worst-of-the-worst, either.

Rose Peterson and Skinny Suge's trials were both postponed.

Two shootings in AAC, one fatal (#7 for Annapolis), one not (even though guy was shot in the stomach and dragged by a car).

Ew. A WiCo football coach, David Lee, was arrested on child porn charges. Dude was posing as a 14-year-old boy on MySpace, which must be like amazon.com for pedophiles.

October 11 nuit

From Free State Politics: the governor has offered a stay of execution to ... a raccoon.

Holabird Elementary in Southeast Baltimore was on lockdown after a man was shot nearby.

Dept. of Duh: executioners have mental problems.

George F. Spicka, 59, of Woodlawn was charged Wednesday with e-mailing two bomb threats to BWI.

Police: girl grudges last for years.

Edward Hoffman, 75, of Elkton pled guilty to shooting and killing his 72-year-old wife Jane.

Henry Barrington of Leonardtown plead guilty to felony child abuse.

CJCC: Flying Fur Alert!

Almost didn't go to CJCC, but then I heard the rumor that O'Malley himself was going to appear and "yell at everyone," potentially too exciting a spectacle to miss. Sadly (but unsurprisingly) the Big Man never showed, but reporters anticipating flying fur weren't let down.

Hamm noted the increase in murders and said they were "attributable to gang activity ... it's the same guys we've been arresting year after year, they'r ejust putting Blood or Crip in front of the name." He noted there are six outstanding warrants for four murders and that the wanted men had been arrested more than eight times, that murderers are getting younger and that 15-year-old Zachary James was thought to be resposible for four murders. Any questions?

Sheila Dixon had a question: "the murder victim in Leakin Park [Leonard Garrett] had been arrested more than 18 times and was awaiting arrest when he was murdered. Why was this guy out? He'd been on probation three times, why was this guy out? Can anyone help me out here?"

Jessamy jumped right in: "Sheila, if you were really interested, you could research this case. Arrests are made but in order to secure a conviction you must have evidence ... you brought it up here because you wanted to make a public statement. If you want an answer, call me!"

Bickering ensued, broken up by Judge Glynn. "Anyone could look it up, I doubt anyone knows the facts of the case off the top of their heads."

Frank Conaway had a question for Hamm: "At a previous meeting I asked you about the Jayne Miller investigation and if the unreported crimes were troubling to you. Now that there's been a spike, is that troubling you?"
"Yes," Hamm replied peevishly.

Then Jessamy talked about gaps in city substance abuse services.
Then some guy got up to talk about a $1.4 million DOJ grant for creating a statewide domestic violence database.
Apparently the state was given millions to create a database after Richard Spicknall II killed his kids, but nothing every came of it and the state still has 56 different databases for restraining orders and the like.
And so the meeing wrapped up.

October 11

A 15-year-old boy was shot in the head in Pikesville.
Monday's murder victim (217) was ID'd as 22-year-old Donnie Blanding.

Nursing assistant and paramedic: we can kill Vernon Evans!

Violence is up in Federal Hill; a resident videotaped Southern High students beating a 73-year-old man, breaking his jaw. ("Digital Harbor High"?)

Deborah Jean Palfrey of Vallejo (pronouced "valet ho") CA, allegedly ran a Baltimore-based escort service, evaded taxes and laundered money. And still found time to win a preservation merit award for work on her historic home.

Four employees of the Newcare Pharmacy were indicted for selling more than $20 million worth of Vicodin.

A former CP freelancer is headed to the federal pen for helping burn down a building at the University of Washington.

City health department: Hampden needs needle exchange.

Joseph Schroen, a volunteer firefighter charged with arson, once set a high school classmate on fire.

Dirty old Dean M. Trout of CaCo, charged with sexually abusing a girl in May, was arrested again and charged with abusing three other girls.

Stolen cars, purses, computers in the Messenger crime log.

A HarfCo deputy found $50k's worth of stolen clothes, perfume and shoes during a routine traffic stop.

The CEO of BCSB, Gary Loraditch, resigned after the bank lost $7 million in a check-kiting scam.

Politiques:
What the?! Is the O'Malley campaign brainwashing children in Govans?

October 10 evening

Screw the honor system! Inmate Antoinio Rice (assuming NOT of the crime family) walked out of the Towson Detention Center last Thursday.

Panel: Ehrlich's firing of employees violated state law, constitution. But wasn't illegal. Huh?

No verdict yet in the Smoot case. The jury deliberations ended at 4:30 today and will resume tomorrow at 9:30 a.m.

Assistant State's Attorney (ASA) Gerard B. Volatile today entered a nol pros in the second-degree assault case filed against Thomas B. "Mike" Miller that alleged the assault of Leo Bruso on September 20, 2006 during a County Council hearing on Bill 75. The hearing today was held in the Prince George's County District Court in Upper Marlboro.

A trial for Rodney Thomas aka Skinny Suge, 35, of Edmondson Avenue, is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. tomorrow before Judge Welch. The Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted Thomas May 1, 2006 for first-degree assault; court documents allege that on February 13 following an argument Thomas assaulted an employee of the USA Boutique in Mondawmin Mall striking him/her about the head. The victim also sustained a chipped bottom tooth, black eye, busted lip and a fractured nose from the attack.

The witness intimidation trial of mother of the year Rose Peterson, 36, is scheduled for 9:30 tomorrow morning before Judge John M. Glynn, 236 Mitchell Courthouse, 110 N. Calvert St. The Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted Peterson February 15 for witness intimidation, obstruction of justice, assault and misconduct in office. Court documents allege that on January 23, 2006 Peterson, who was working as a correctional officer at the Central Booking Intake Facility (CBIF), did by corrupt means/threat/force obstruct and impede/endeavor to obstruct and impede the administration of justice. It is further alleged that the victim, an inmate at CBIF, is a witness in a pending murder trial.

A transfer hearing is scheduled for Damon Holmes, 15, of Old Harford Road, for 9:30 tomorrow morning before Judge Albert J. Matricciani, Jr. The Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted Holmes June 26 for first-degree murder and robbery with a deadly weapon. Court documents allege on May 31 Holmes shot and killed Oumar Bah, 28, in the 7100 block of McClean Blvd. Bah was a cab operator who had picked up Holmes on Northern Parkway.

October 10

An unid'd man was found shot to death in a parked car in the Northwest (217).

"Flare-ups in crime have occurred across the city, but have spiked mainly in neighborhoods in the eastern, southern and northwestern parts of Baltimore ... The Eastern District has seen a 30 percent increase in homicides. The Southern District has had a 9 percent increase in shootings and a 17 percent increase in killings. The Northwestern District has had a 62 percent spike in shootings, a 12 percent increase in robberies and 24 percent in slayings."

By the way, two people were murdered six days ago (215-16). The deaths of Herbert Betz of Pasadena and Sean Dill of the Eastern are relegated to the blotter.
There's also a lot of carjacking going on.

The E covers the persistent rumors that there's a serial killer at work in the Northwest and brutal murders are going unreported.

Brandon Rusin of PGC shot and killed his ex-girlfriend's boyfriend.

Sad: Alzheimer's-stricken Nevolia Duvall is still missing.

Two students were robbed at gunpoint at TU. Yawn.

NAACP reps and a group called Justice Maryland want to meet with prison officials to talk about jailhouse violence. Meanwhile, Smoot jurors are still deliberating (as far as I know).

We could have told you that: "O'Malley has a lot of convincing to do, and within his own party."

$30k? Geez, that's like 700 bras!

October 9

WBAL: Leonard Nathaniel Garrett was found shot to death in "Lincoln" Park (they probably mean Leakin Park?). (<214)

Liz says there was a dead body at 26th and Miles in Remington.

Another violent weekend in Bumberg. Eight people ... wait, 9... no, 10... were shot over the weekend in the South and NW.

Stephon Nicholson, 19, was stabbed to death at the detention center, and Kevon Gantt, 19, was stabbed also.

A horribly depressing father-son murder-suicide in Gaithersburg.

bad guys arrested over the weekend:
An armed man in a stolen car was arrested Friday in the wilderness of White Marsh.

The teenager who was shooting kids with a BB gun at Pikesville High was arrested.

In MoCo two (suspected) MS-13 members, Roberto Moreno, 25, and Dimas I. Castillo, 27, were arrested for a stabbing in Gaithersburg.

AAC police arrested Williams Ludlow, who robbed a cab and left his ID, social security card and paycheck in the back seat.

Ed Norris wants a presidential pardon. Meanwhile, former commish Kevin Clark wants a state legislative committee to look into the legality of his O'firing.

Ehrlich collected the police union endorsement Friday.

Anybody read this week's NYker article about prison escape artist Richard McNair? Here's a link to the dash-cam video of the last sighting of the slippery sociopath.

october 6

Shanda Harris' bail rewiew was set for 11:00 a.m. today at Central Booking. She is in the 5th group. A court commissioner set her bail at $100,000 yesterday.

Away for the weekend: visit Galt's Baltimore b!

October 5 evening

Closing arguments were heard in the Smoot case.

Prosecutors and police today announced that they have concluded a two-month child-welfare investigation that followed the death of 11-year old Irvin Harris on July 28. As a result of a joint investigation with detectives of the Child Abuse Unit of the Baltimore Police Department, and other child welfare agencies, prosecutors in the Felony Family Violence Division and detectives today filed charges against Shanda Harris, 41, of Lawnview Road, Belair-Edison, mother of Irvin Harris, alleging that Harris failed to take appropriate action to keep convicted child sex offender Melvin Jones away from her children. Shanda Harris was arrested today and charged with the following crimes:

• 1 count of Reckless Endangerment, maximum penalty, five years;
• Four Counts of Contribute to CINA status, Maryland's version of a criminal neglect charge maximum penalty, three years.

The maximum penalty that Harris could receive is 14 years of incarceration.

Why not to live on the first floor: a Peeping Tom is afoot in the Riderwood area of the county.

Students protested against Towson U, which fired an orthodox Jewish guy supposedly because wanted off for jewish holidays.

October 5

Remember that fight at the Inner Harbor on July 4? Turns out it was a show of force by the Blood set called the L-Gang, and an officer was struck on the back of the head: a VERY different story than the Police and Mayor's office has been telling the public for four months.

Murders 212 and 213 are unidentified men, one died on the 1200 N. Luzerne Avenue, the other on the 1000 block of Bristol Place.

Danielle Riley, the former Villa Julie student accused of killing her newborn, admitted to second-degree murder in the county yesterday.

The widow of Marvin Ferguson (208) talked to Richard Sher. Ferguson was killed by his crazed neighbor Bill Horne on the 3800 block of Lyndale Avenue.

More on the dismissal of Nathan Colbert's murder charges. He was the third officer charged in the Smoot stomping. Kane: officers don't believe in justice, "just us." (groan)

Another officer has been arrested for burning a car for the insurance money. Terre N. Shields, 28, and her special friend Rashad J. Brooks, 29, were arrested on charges that they set her 2002 Acura SUV on fire.

TG no one was killed on 83 by this recidivist drunk-driving football player. Dick.

What's up with Howard County? Domestic violence incidents for one thing.
But it's all relative-- Howard County's population is about 270,000. Baltimore City, pop. 650k, got 26,000 domestic violence calls and arrested 5,300 people for incidents in 2005).

Dept. of Entertainment and Politics:
House Speaker Dennis Hastert: "The people who want to see [the Mark Foley scandal] blow up are ABC News and a lot of Democratic operatives, people funded by George Soros."
Gingrich: Democrats have "stench of hypocrisy."

Tamara Dobson, aka Cleopatra Jones, ten miles of bad road for every town, has died of MS.

JZ will air the Debate for Governor debate Monday October 16 at 7 p.m., the same night demonstators will be protesting arrest practices at City Hall.

I just discovered the Baltimore Chronicle. Shouldn't sources this politically biased have some kind of a warning label? Do I need to start putting little flags next to links? Remember kids, you never can tell who's who on the Internets!

Spekaing of labels, this Examiner self-reportage deserves a little tooting bugle, or maybe a spanked monkey.
Is newspapers reporting on newspapers reporting or blogs reporting about newspapers news? I smell a poll question...

October 4

The Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted Zachary James, 15, of the 4200 block of Towanda Avenue, for first-degree murder. Court documents allege on July 16 a black male known as "ZACK" was responsible for the murder of Richard Smith. Mr. Smith was found with a gunshot wound to the head in the 3600 block of Cottage Avenue and was pronounced deceased at Sinai Hospital the same day. Mr. James was also indicted September 20 for the first-degree murder of Michael Freeman. An arraignment for both cases is scheduled for October 18, 2006 before Judge Gale Rasin, Room 509 Courthouse East. Fifteen juveniles have been charged with murder so far this year, all but one has been charged as an adult.

The defense and prosecution have rested in the Smoot case, closing arguements are due tomorrow.
This afternoon Judge John M. Glynn granted a defense motion to dismiss all charges against Nathan D. Colbert.
Jury instruction and closing arguments in the matter of State vs. Dameon Woods and James L. Hatcher are scheduled for 9:30 a.m. tomorrow in room 203 Mitchell.
Courthouse speculation is the guards will get off, as the witnesses changed their statements multiple times.

Finally, three days after the fact, the S "covers" the shooting of 16-year-old Bernard Davis of the 1600 block of Castle Street in an exceptionally detailed 200-word feature.
Davis is the 19th juvenile killed this year.
Another boy was also shot during the incident but survived.

Ink: Last week was exceptionally violent, with 10 murders .
Andrew Jackson, 26; Davon Sampson, 18; Janice Letmate, 67; Lateef Chase, 25; Sultan Z. Matthews, 19; Gary Nelson, 47; Lamont Brown, 20; and Jamelle (sp?) Carter, 18, have left the building.
Also excpetional: the Sun wrote something about all 10 murders.
Is someone in editorial attempting to change the error of the paper's status-quo-loving ways?
What's next, humanizing these people with a hint of a detail of their lives?
Two hundred and fifty words, maybe?

Students were shot with a BB gun outside of Pikesville High.

Twenty-five pounds of pot was seized in Laurel.

Media coverage helped in the arrest of David Fernando Garcia for rape in Elkridge.

Five months after the death of Rey Rivera, the blog still gets multiple hits a day from all over the country for keywords related; evidently a lot of people don't believe his death was suicide.

Politiques:
The Gazette newspapers have endorsed Ehrlich.

O'Malley's people, via the Baltimore Chronicle, say Ehrlich refuses to debate.

Smug Sexism Dept.

Nothing like stepping to the 'puter to find out your worst suspicions about the media have come true.
If, like me, you ever wondered idly, "what's more printable to the Sun, beauty gossip or, say, a powerful Democratic Delegate making serious accusations of abuse of power by a Democratic candidate for governor in an election month?" all of our nightmares have come true.
So Jill just exaggerated when she said the Sun erased her for criticizing the powers-that-be... she's not totally erased yet, they'll still put her in .... to be condescended to!
Where'd the rest of the post go?

October 3 Evening

From the US Attorney's office, more details on the Tamil Tiger indictments, plus Daniel Trader, 57, and a prison guard at the Eastern Correctional Institute was indicted for having lewd chats with someone who he thought was a 15-year-old girl (but was really an Illlinois officer).

Alphonso Scott, 18, under house arrest, drove drunk in Severn, wrecked car.

Pollice arrested DeJuan Laron Hunter for leaving his semi-automatic at BWI.

A man of Iranian heritage was arrested for taking picture of the MD state house. Turns out he was working for a magazine.

History corner: how Glendening became governor.

October 3

Luther Bryant, 28, was shot to death near the 1300 block of Havenwood road. And a one man was shot and an unid'd man was killed at Gossip's nightclub on Calvert Street (@210-211), half a block from the State's Attorneys office and the Mitchell Courthouse.

Missing babysitter Tiara Chapman, her son and her 8-year-old charge Kia Edwards (left) returned home.

Two men, James L. Owens, 41, and James Thompson, 47, convicted of the rape and murder of Colleen Willar in 1988, may get new trails after DNA test results pointed to a third party. If so, it will be the first time in MD a DNA test clears a defendant after a muder conviction. (The Sun also has the story.)

Devon Richardson, 14, was charged with the murder of Janice Letmate, the 67-year-old woman (202) who neighbors first though had suffered a heart attack.

Two men were arrested for the home invasion robbery and murder of 45-year-old Eric Fountain in the county.

The man who killed his neighbor, Billy Horne (208) yeserday in the NE was ID'd as Marvin Fergueson, 40.

Suspended officer Jemini Jones was arrested Monday morning for an illegal handgun after leading police on a car chase. And PGC officer Sheldon Vessels has been indicted for pepper-spraying four young men who were not charged with a crime, and kicking one in the groin. Vessels was not on duty at the time.

Robbery, theft, larceny etc in the blotter.

Nate Chapman is in trouble again, this time for making false statements on a loan application. He was convicted two years ago of defrauding the State pension system.

Did you know? The Baltimore Police Department phone numbers on the City's site have been taken off the web, and the new BPD site has been non-fuctional for about nine months!

Is that normal? O'Malley is getting City Council members to donate to his campaign.

October 2: 'Happy' Yom Kippur

There was a double shooting on Castle street on the east side.

A fatal shooting at 6 a.m. on the 3800 block of Lyndale Ave. in the Northeast (<208). Update: a suspect was taken into custody after a standoff.

Two murders Saturday (<206-207). Jemel Carter, 18 was killed on Oswego Ave., (first reported by galt)
and Victor Council, 43, was shot on the 1400 block of Baltimore Street.
The man killed Friday (205) was ID'd as Lamont Brown.

A Baltimore County judge is due to sentence Matthew Horner today for trying to fake the suicide of his wife Lorraine. She lived and is expected to give a victim-impact statement.

Eighteen-year-old Loneil A. Smith was murdered in PCG Sunday morning.

A 16-year old boy was shot in the shoulder, and former president of the police union Frederick Roussey was hit by a truck while directing traffic downtown.

Terrence Gunnels was fatally shot near the Great Frederick fairgrounds.

Rockville police are questioning a delivery-truck driver in the dragging death of grandmother Ketty Alvarado, 69.

The penalty for being a drunk-driving teen just went up.

Former circulation manager fpr the PGC and MoCo "Sentinels" was convicted of stealing $288k.

One would think the prison system would be happy to let inmates atone any day.

Wow, Jill Carter has never been a shrinking violet! She rages against the Mayor's arrest practices in this undated feature. "The person that's the mayor of Baltimore shouldn't be the mayor or the governor. He has no interest in furthering the agenda of the people he represents or empowering anyone."

Washington Post: "the murder count ... remains a political liability" for O'Malley, reports the town went to hell after Norris left.
Mayor: "the downside [of setting the goal of 175 homicides] is far outweighed by the number of lives we saved."
Meanwhile, Team O'M says state and federal police and drug-treatment money dropped after 2002, team Ehrlich says it went up.

National:
Five victims plus the gunman Charles Carl Roberts IV are dead after a hostage situation in a school in a small town in Lancaster County, Pa.

TX supreme court refused to legalize "obscene devices.".

You're so Cheap!

The most trusted news souce of news a la BCrime readers is ...
the City Paper!!
Yes, the journal that features "Smut" on the cover this week, illustrated by a biblio-glory hole and an typographed male part.
Really?

Second-most relied on: WBAL, tied with the Examiner. In fourth, the Sun. In dead last, WMAR.
Okay, I'll bite, why do you hate the Sun so much? (no copping answers from thesunlies.com)

October 1

♥ the law? Check out the Supreme Court preview for this month.

This week, MedImmune battles Genentech [<-subscription required] for the rights to palivizumab, a bioengineered antibody, at The Supreme Court.

William C. Bond, author of "Self-portrait of a Patricide: How I Got Away with Murder," won a case against the Bank of America for improperly releasing financial records to his wife's ex in a custody case [<-subscription required].

Godson M. Nnaka (right), a Baltimore lawyer who happens to be running for President of Nigeria, had sex-offense charges dropped against him[<- subscription required] by the Baltimore City state's attorney's office.
Say charging documents, a 16-year-old girl came to Nnaka's office with two friends, wanting to hire him to represent her boyfriend in a criminal case. The girl said she let Nnaka grope her in exchange for his promise to reduce his fee. One of the friends picked up a pair of scissors to defend herself(?) ; Nnaka then escorted them from his office, the girls then flagged down a police car and made a report.

A man shot in the 1400 block of W. Baltimore St. is in critical condition at shock trauma.

Best PIO o'Balto Sviatko: Smoot guards attended a "party where apparently everybody got their stories straight."

There's only one time sports will be mentioned here, and that's when the over-esteemed, overpaid jockstaps break the law! Yes, sounds like three O's shot steroids like Mexican dairy cows. Tsk, tsk.

HoCo cops party with hookers, display porn, taxpayers fork out $75g.

Greedy, consorting cops pulled burning-car scheme to buy an Asscalade in Frederick.

Would be nice but isn't exactly true: Ehrlich sent out mailer alleging FBI probe of O'Malley's management of the BPD. Other election news:

• Ehrlich's team mailing out dollar bills breaks election laws.
• Sun assumes all readers are white and unwhite people voting Republican is impossible.
• Diebold: we've fixed flaw that made check-in computers crash during primary.
• Rodricks: Race card trumps reason in crime debate.

Yawn.

Media notes: the Sun's line appears to be to not cover too much crime because it's hard to sell ads next to depressing stories.
OR ... is the crime writing just boring?
The NYPost gets the tone right and embraces the drama and still manages to sell ads (next) to death. Or maybe it's that the NYP has more interesting stories to cover.

September 30

A man was shot dead at Park Heights & Quantico (at least 205).

.. speaking of Park Heights, when I was on Ed Norris the other day a guy called in to say that there had been a string of murders in Park Heights, "at least five or six" people duct-taped in their houses with their throats cut, but no one is reporting it. The freaky thing? It could well be true. But without the ME's office to say either way, the rumor can't be confirmed-- or denied. I also heard from a narcotics detective that there's "a war" going on in the NW that's taking the efforts of all six (!!!) City narcs. If I was a journalist I'd get up there and chase that story ... (TG I'm a blogger!)

A string of related burglaries in Timonuim and Sparks.

Jessup is being downgraded to a minimum-security prison, and prisoners from Supermax are supposted to go somewhere called North Branch.
Friday, former officer Candice Harlee testified about the pandemonium at Central Booking on the night Raymond Smoot died.

Perv: Andre C. King, PCG.

September 29 afternoon

Today Judge David Ross denied a defense motion to transfer David James Marshall, 14, to juvenile court (!!!). He will remain charged as an adult in Baltimore City Circuit Court. Marshall is scheduled for trial October 30, 2006. The Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted Marshall May 5, 2006 for first-degree murder, two counts of robbery deadly weapon and four counts of kidnapping. Court documents allege that on April 20 at 1404 Kuper Street, Marshall and a co-defendant broke into the house, announced a robbery, and shot and killed an occupant of the home, Robert Atkinson, 47. Marshall remains held without bail in the Baltimore City Detention Center.

A Columbia man killed himself in the Howard County Detention Center.

Graphic testimony about an MS-13 gang rape.

Six arms-smuggling Tamil Tigers are being flown from Guam to MD to face trial.

One more day left to get rid of your dingo.

Letter from Martin deems Ehrlich 'Foghorn Leghorn,' advises sand-pounding

The gloves are off!!
We wondered when M to the O was going to say something about crime, and suddenly this article is out, and just we got this in the inbox:

BOB EHRLICH: LYING BECAUSE HE'S LOSING, PART II
Down In Polls, Ehrlich Caught In Lie About Police

Bob Ehrlich has a truth problem - he has a problem telling the truth, and the truth is a problem for his campaign.

You may have seen or heard Bob Ehrlich strutting around like Foghorn Leghorn recently on television and radio, claiming that he wanted to send the Maryland State Police to Baltimore to fight crime, but Martin O'Malley told him to "pound sand."

Turns out, once again, the Governor is lying.

As today's Baltimore Examiner reports: "Documents obtained by The Examiner indicate it was Maryland State Police who failed to provide Baltimore City with the assistance they offered in 2003."

Ehrlich's newest fabrication comes on the heels of the 18th straight independent, public poll that shows him trailing Martin O'Malley.

Today's Sun reports that with less than 40 days left, "Ehrlich's campaign is getting increasingly more negative because he trails in the polls."

Earlier this week, Ehrlich launched another attack ad, this time attacking the integrity of Baltimore's police officers.

The Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 3 - which endorsed Ehrlich in 2002 - says the ad leaves them "disgusted." And they will not be supporting Ehrlich this time, because he has turned the brave men and women of the Baltimore Police Department into "political punching bags."

Police Commissioner Leonard Hamm calls Ehrlich's attack ad "absolutely false."

...The truth is that law enforcement and neighbors have come together and now crime is down in Baltimore:
The City increased investment in the police department by 47% and placed a system of hundreds of security cameras in troubled neighborhoods to give police more tools in making streets safer. [Baltimore City Police Department]
The Police and Neighbors reduced violent crime in Baltimore by 40%.[Federal Bureau of Investigation, "2004 Uniform Crime Report," Crime in the United States by Metropolitan Statistical Area; Baltimore City Police Department, "UCR Crime Total"]
The officers of the Baltimore Police Department helped reduce homicides by 18%. [Baltimore City Police Department, "UCR Crime Total"]

According to Commissioner Hamm, "We have the greatest crime decrease in the state of Maryland, and we did it without state help."

And that's the truth. Here's Bob Ehrlich's real failed record on crime - which makes clear why he is launching his shameful attack on Baltimore's Police Officers.

• He cut State funding to the Baltimore Police Department by 42% from $11.3 million in FY 2002 to $6.6 million in FY 2006.


• He cut State drug treatment funding in Baltimore by $3 million - from $52.2 million in FY 2003 to $49.2 million in FY 2005.
  
• He broke his promise to reform Juvenile Services - and instead, it has gotten worse, with children sleeping in bathrooms near toilets and riots caused by understaffing, according to Maryland's Independent Juvenile Justice Monitor.
  
• He broke his promise to implement Project Exile - which calls for all eligible gun crimes to be prosecuted in federal court. Federal gun prosecutions went down sharply under his handpicked U.S. Attorney, and he never delivered on his promised public/private advertising and outreach campaign.
  
• He broke his promise to end parole for violent criminals - and in fact, parole of criminals has increased on his watch.
  
• He has flat funded the State gun prosecutors grant to the Baltimore State's Attorney's Office (SAO) at the same $1.7 million that his predecessor began in 2001 - failing to account for inflation. The city has increased it's funding for the SAO by 50% since Mayor O'Malley took office (from $16.6 million in FY 2000 to $24.9 million in FY 2007).
  
• His much-hyped "Hype vs. Reality" campaign, launched at a press conference with Carmelo Anthony in May 2005 produced, literally, nothing.
  
• And under his watch, prisons are out of control, with corrections officers being murdered and nearly 20 times more violent incidents involving weapons than the larger Pennsylvania prison system - 257 compared to 15 for the first six months of 2006.

We understand that Bob Ehrlich is down in the polls and has a horrendous record of failure. But, that doesn't justify lying to the people of Maryland, and it certainly doesn't justify attacking the brave men and women of the police force who put their lives on the line every day to protect our communities.
... Bob Ehrlich: Can't Be Trusted to Fight Crime; Can't Be Trusted to Fight for Maryland Families

MEOW! He's taking it to the street!
UPDATE: The mayor and the gov. have agreed to have two debates before mid-October.

Op Ed by Galt

Mayor needs to point that finger at himself.

Have you seen the lame response of the Mayor's office to the position of the Governor's office that it offered policing assistance which was rebuffed by Baltimore's executive?

link here to my OpEd Letter in GaltSpace.


I'm including in the comments section a discussion of the legal basis for Mr. O'Malley's false arrest policies, because of its length.

September 29

Sultan Z. Mathhews, 19, was shot to death during an arguement in his home on N. Bentalou Street in the Western. (204)

A man was stabbed on his front porch in Lake Montibello, #203..

That's no lady, that's Dee Deirdre Farmer, looking less than fabulous.

Death of port supervisor Robert L. Benway has been ruled accidental.

JZ has video of an armed robber shooting at the head of a cashier at a Brooklyn park Crown station.

Towson U. Jew to sue.
(I must say it's rude that some public schools are closed today for "professional development," but not Monday for Yom Kippur)

Finger-Pointing
Examiner: State police offered assistance in the city, and the city agreed-- but the troopers never showed. Now fingers are being pointed from either side.

A state-run home for the mentally challenged was cited for "horrific" violations.

Hamm disputes new Ehrlich/Billy Murphy Jr. ad.

Letter from Jill

Del. Jill Carter is my new favorite politician! She totally called me out on being sexist and shallow and then let loose on the mayor! I don't even know what district I'm in (Mary Pat Clarke is involved somehow?), much less what Jill's job is, but I do now know where she gets her hair done! Read on ... (and Jill I'll take it down if you want me to... but I assume you knew who you were writing to!)

Dear ...

Recently, I have scanned your blog and I think it has a lot of value ... I can't dictate to you or anyone what you choose to think or convey to others about me. But, I would like to set the record straight on some of the things I've read.

1. I was not the "girlfriend" of Robert Clay. But, I revered and respected him a great deal. I learned a lot from him about minority business, politics, and life. His death is an immeasurable loss to me, personally, and to the community at large. My life is better because I knew him. Out of respect for him and his family, in particular, I would like to quash that rumor. What difference would it make even if true?

2. I think "fake" is the last word anyone who knows me would use to describe me. I, often struggle politically, and otherwise, because of my penchant for truth. It is what it is.

However, I think your refernces to "everything" about me being "fake" refer more to the physical, than the mental or spiritual. Micro-peels, a number of years ago is as far as I've gone cosmetically (to date). But, I have always said I would be amenable to cosmetic surgery as I age if I feel I need it, and can afford it -- a big If. I want work done on my teeth, but I can't afford veneers. Years ago, in 1992, I had my eyebrows tattooed. I have felt it was one of the best things I've ever done. Having naturally thin eyebrows, I used to put on eyebrow pencil all the time. When I was in a hurry, it was a real pain. With the tattoo, I am get-up-and go with no maintenance. Say what you will, but I prefer it to super thin brows or daily make-up.

On hair, I have natural (unprocessed, uncolored) thick, medium-length hair. I have been going to Salon Mechelle since age 18. Wynnonna Fountain, 410-367-3122, proprietor and friend, got my hair healthy and spared me from a life of permanent hair straigtening and salons that did not know how to deal with my thick, kinky-curly, Black hair.

I've sported numerous looks and hairstyles over the years. I used to experiment a lot with weaves. My hair is a lot to deal with and I am extremely busy. So, I usually pull it back if I don't have ample time to style it otherwise. I have discovered wigs to get me through bad hair days or for a quick style change. Only my aesthetician knows for sure. I am certain you have seen both. But, I'll never tell. ...

I immediately realized what a jerk I had been and wrote

Ms Carter,
You are totally right that talking about your hair or any other superficial part of you is totally sexist and takes away from your message. It's tough enough for women in any business without things being taken to that level ... On the other hand, my hair is thin and my eyebrows are a disaster, and I feel like women should be able to do their jobs without having to worry about looking perfect all of the time but then again I'm not a politician.
I would like to know more about the substance of your work. I consider myself pretty involved but I have no idea who my delegate is. It's very difficult as a voter to know what the issues are.

And then Jill said ...

... It is not surprising that you don't know much about my positions. My experience with the mainstream media for the past four years, which is how long I've been a delegate, has been horrendous. Because of my refusal to comply with the will of "leadership" when I believe it is wrong, and my audacity to propose new ideas that challenge and threaten the status quo, I've been essentially blackballed. The Sun has attempted to erase me. The City Paper is not much better. Reporters from the Sun often take orders of who, what, and how to cover issues, straight from the mayor's office.

The mayor is possibly the biggest megalomaniac I've ever encountered. City politicians and state democrats put more effort into serving him than their own constituents. The media, for the most part, gives them all a free pass. So, the public is perpetually in the dark and chronically confused ... We know the mayor lies. We know that there are close to 2500 homicides under his tyrannical leadership. We know there are likely close to 250,000 unwarranted (illegal, uncharged, false & minor crimes) arrests. Former commissioners, police officers, FOP head, judges, a grand jury, investigative reporters, politicians (me), citizens, ACLU, NAACP, etc., have uncovered the truth that his policing policies have failed miserably, crime is not down, and non-criminals are being unnecessarily criminalized while criminal are not being pursued. All the while, the mayor avoids, evades, and lies.....and the people of Baltimore have not collectively demanded his removal from office, and many actually support him for governor. It's beyond sad.

This is why we love local politics-- huge personalities who are willing to take it to the mat!
Jill Carter is real like the Velveteen rabbit!
Where's her district again?

Quick Stats

From the State's Attorney's office: 45,947 cases have been brought so far in '06 (that means about 7 percent of the city's population has been arrested so far this year! ... or 459 people were arrested 100 times). Of these, 11,103 cases the state declined to prosecute (24 percent).