December 4, evening

Interesting goings-on at the US Attorney's office:

• Franklin "Dragon" Molina of the Silver Spring trout gang was sentenced to 114 months for racketeering.
• And scientist Pearson "Trey" Sunderland, III, age 55, faces charges of taking some shady dollars from a drug organization (aka Pfizer).
• "Wig lady," aka 54-year-old Carol Silva, was indicted for bank fraud and identity theft. Her younger friend Jacqueline Elaine Belim, 46, was indicted on the 20th.
• Anthony Pender, 37, of Laurel got life for guns and drugs.

Why does no one from Baltimore City ever get some of that? (I smell a poll question)

Anon Comments from email:

(1) the Feds have better evidence rules on what they can get into evidence and (2) they have juries that usually convict and (3) [prosecutors] can't get a life sentence for any drug offense in state court, even as a fourth striker, by Maryland law ... the evidence in those cases stink since most people don't cooperate...even witnesses.

There is no lifer law for guns and drugs - if the question relates to Federal Court - there have been life sentences in the past (usually with a murder attached) but in recent times No defendant has been stupid enuff to go to trial with the usually Baltimore County-like - convict'em all juries in federal court - that's what plea bargaining is - in Fedland it means do 20-30 years without parole or get life without after trial - which is totally the opposite of what we have in State Court - which is [why prosecutors] can't get defendants to necessarily take ten years with parole or even probation sometimes on a MURDER let alone drug cases!

December 4

A gun battle near the 3400 block of Cottage Ave. in the Northwest at about 7:10 p.m. yesterday; 17-year-old Keith Holly arrested for attempted murder in a shooting witnessed by cops; a second suspect arrested for the Executive-Inn-stairway-beating murder.

Bail for BalCo hit-and-run tot killer Arellano de Hogue, 40, was set at $250,000.... Her "vehicle struck Elijah Cozart, 3, and his grandmother, 55-year-old Marjorie Thomas, as she pushed him in a stroller across Goucher Boulevard."

The gay-marriage fight has surely pushed our court into one long-thrusting thorny thicket, with everybody watching the long, slow webcast!
(At least in theory... looks like they have plenty to hear about first, like who gets to award contracts to whom)
Other hot high-court action: DC Supreme probes race and schools!)

Down in Tacoma Park, a District man was arrested for the city's fifth homicide this year.

Looks like O'Malley's down with gambling gaming after all ... just the untaxed bar-video kind.

41st-Street Approval Index

Most-applauded Mayor's Christmas parade participants:
15. Fancy horses
14. The horse that pooped
13. Vietnam Vets
12. Ravens mini-motocycles
11. Charm City Rollergirls
10. Dulaney flag girls and band
9. Underdog as Winter Fairy
8. Steam Calliope
7. Hampden Red-Hat Ladies in Duck Boat
6. Sarbanes
5. O'Malley, wife and kids
4. Mary Pat Clarke- people love her!
2. Boumi lawn-mower-engine carpets/ Edmondson Village Steppers (tie)
and, for the fifth year in a row,
#1 most-cheered= the guys who clean up behind the horses!

"Miss Marylands" in the Parade: six
Most popular thrown candy: Tootsie rolls
"" "", populous dancers: Peruvian Bolivian puffy-sleeve dancers
Most popular media guy: Ron Matz

least popular car ... Sheila Dixon's!
Crickets!
(She looked cold and miserable, too!)
The teeming multitudes really do seem to dislike her!
Why would that be?

December 2

A man was shot near Monroe Street and Penrose Avenue; a 13-year-old girl cut off a teenage boy's thumb; a woman was abducted from a gas station in he 1400 block of Washington Blvd. and raped.

A Federal Judge refused to dismiss the NAACP/ACLU lawsuit against the police department.

Judge Heard yesterday denied a motion to have rape charges dropped against two members of the "flex squad."

Godfrey Bonsu and wife, Victoria Boateng were sentenced yesterday to 14 years in prison, and 11 years three months in prison, respectively, with each sentence followed by five years of supervised release, for running a drug-courier business from the Takoma Park Quality Inn.

Rabbi David Kaye, featured on "Dateline NBC," got 6 1/2 years in prison for trying to solicit sex from (someone he thought was) a 13-year-old boy (but was really a 26-year-old worker from Perverted Justice).

Lots of stolen cars, bikes and $s in the Northern.

Yay! Underdog will be at the parade tomorrow!

December 1

John Gaumer's statements will be allowed in court.

A five-month-old Cecil County boy was murdered.

Sad: a hit-and-run driver hit and killed a child in a stroller.

Police have arrested a 15-year-old boy for allegedly stabbing his 17-year-old brother to death this morning in East Baltimore [249]. The 17-year-old stumbled out of the house, collapsed and died on the 1100 block of North Chester.

At arraignment today, Shanda R. Harris pled not guilty to reckless endangerment. Court documents allege that between July 1, 2005 and July 30, 2006 Harris allowed convicted child sex offender Melvin Jones access to her children after being notified that he was a registered child sex offender. The decomposed body of her 15-yar-old son, Irvin, was found July 31 in a wooded area at Clifton Park Golf Course after he'd been missing for three days. Shanda Harris remains held at the Baltimore Detention Center on $50,000 bail. A jury trial is scheduled for February 15, 2007 before Judge Allen L. Schwait.

The U.S. prison population has hit a record high, with 7 million people in jail or on probation or parole.

Samuel Pounds, 30, of the 2800 block of Sanafae Avenue, pled guilty today to one count of reckless endangerment. Judge Kaplan sentenced Pounds to 18 months in prison and three years of supervised probation, and ordered Pounds to complete a parenting, submit to drug and alcohol screening, complete an anger management course and to stay away from the victim and the victim's family. On October 27, 2006 a co-defendant in this case, Tia Whitehead, pled guilty to one count of reckless endangerment. The court set a sentencing date of December 27. Reckless endangerment carries a maximum prison term of five years. On June 16 Pounds chained a 15-year-old-girl to a bed in an upstairs bedroom at a house in the 3200 block of Beehler Avenue. The girl was not discovered until three days later.

A double shooting on the 3000 block of White Avenue and Harford Road, a shooting on the 1000 block of West Lanvale, a shooting on the first block of South Conkling; no one was killed. Also a murder arrest, a boy shot with a paintball gun and lots of robbery.

Can I get a witness? With only two people working the relocation program, and many witnesses refusing protection or to stay out of their old neighborhoods, knocking off witnesses can be remarkably easy.

A fourth teen was arrested for stabbing Paul Jones. A fifth suspect, 16-year-old Antoine Martin, is still at large.

A 16-year-old Glen Burnie boy was stabbed in a fight over a cell phone.

Michael Sapko of Arbutus pled guilty to possession of 86 images of sadistic child porn.

A police-involved auto accident on Fulton and Pratt last night.

Sun: criminals are becoming more forensic-science saavy.

November 30

A man was found shot to death on the 3800 block of Towanda Avenue early this morning (248).

The City Grand Jury indicted Kendrick McCain, 15, of the 700 block of McCabe Avenue. for first-degree murder, robbery with a deadly weapon and conspiracy to commit robbery. Court documents allege on November 7 Kendrick McCain and three other persons approached Nicole Edmonds and her brother as they exited the MTA Light Rail Train at the West North Avenue station. Nicole's brother was thrown to the ground and a jacket was pulled over his head and that as Nicole ran away, she was chased, caught and fatally stabbed by McCain. McCain is held without bail at the Baltimore Detention Center.

The family of Josie P. Brown had to listen to a tape of UMBC student John C. Gaumer recounting how he sexually assaulted her, beat her to death and then dismembered her to cover his tracks, like he learned on CSI. Her beating death was also recorded on her cell phone. But, Gaumer says, he beat her with his head turned because "I don't have a good stomach for blood."

Ameer Taylor's first-degree murder trial was scheduled to start this morning... no word yet on if it actually did.
Update: Postponed until March 1 of next year.

A 17-year-old was shot in the back and died in Landover.

The drunk Mexican who killed Marine Cpl. Brian Mathews on Thanksgiving is an illegal immigrant.

A dice game may have been behind the stabbing of Paul Jones at Southwestern High. Three teenagers have been arrested and charged as adults.

In Upper Marlboro, the 13-year-old who killed his mother Katrina Powe and brother Mystery Hillian with a knife and ax handle pled "involved."

HoCoPoPo are looking for two pervs: a flasher in a grey car and a man who tried to grope a 13-year-old girl.

Also in HoCo:
A former firefighter, Joseph Schroen, pled guilty to arson.

There may be liquor in the front, but no poker in the rear.

November 29

Andre Alexander, 21, was shot to death on the front steps of his home on the 4300 block of Fairfax Road in the Northwest (247).

The Ink: Five murders last week, 246.

• Tereem Tayor, 21, 1700 block of W. Saratoga Street
• John Dowery, 38, 700 block of Bartlett Avenue (more on that story in the Sun today)
• Shawn Reed, 32, 400 block of East 22nd Street
• Undentified man; age unknown, 5100 block of Reisterstown Road
• Bernard Simon, 14, 1200 block of Shellbanks Road.

Paul Jones (!), a 20-year-old student at Southwestern High (?) was stabbed behind the school in the chest by an 18-year-old, who's still on the lam.

Demetrious Williams, 18, was charged in the beating death of Cecil Saunders, 28, an employee of Executive Inn Motel in the 3600 block of Pulaski Highway.

More details about the murder of one-month-old Joshua Watson. Warning: deeply depressing.

A man was shot in the wrist in the parking lot of Waverly Shopping Center; a man was shot in the back and arm in the 600 block of Mosher Street.

A Reisterstown Road jewelry store is allegedly a front for a drug-money laundromat. Owner Eugene Petasky was arrested Monday night. Petasky, 56, lives in Pikesville and also serves on the Board of Directors for the Children's Cancer Foundation.

What a great idea: Frederick police are posting open arrest warrants on their Web site.

W. David Stoffregen, former president of mechanical contracting firm Poole and Kent Co, pled guilty yesterday to racketeering conspiracy, mail fraud and filing a false tax return, and has agreed to testify against his codefendant, former state senator Thomas L. Bromwell.

More on the death of HoCo Marine Cpl. Brian Mathews, killed by a drunk driver a day after he returned from Iraq.

Ew, ew, ewie ew. A Westminister housewife, Melissa Lynn Kozimor, 27, got five years of probation (14 years suspended) for sexually abusing two teenage girls and having intercourse with a teenage boy while her husband and daughters were sleeping upstairs. She blames alcohol and PPD. Speaking of sexually offensive females, what the hell's going on with Britney and all the clam shots? Three in one week! (Warning: don't open that link at work .. or if you're easily offended!) But seriously, if she was an old man, she'd be in jail!

Speaking of grody flashers: County police arrested peeping tom/flasher Clinton Gardner, 38 (left). How much would you freak out if you saw that guy out your window?!

Headline of the day: "Md. Residents Say Dead Cat Smell Remains"

Greg Kane uses the word "Brobdingnagian" in a timely essay about the selective application of racial sensitivity.
Here's my question: as my 5-year-old pointed out, nobody actually has black skin, so why do we use that term?
And what's up with "African-American"? Doesn't that imply someone is only half an American, a recent immigrant?

ps. I'll be on the Ed Norris show on 105.7 this Friday from 10:30-11:30 a.m. Tune in!

November 28

Tannea Bullock and Lawrence Watson plead guilty today in connection with the January 2005 death of their one-month old infant son, Joshua. Bullock plead to manslaughter, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years and child abuse resulting in death, which carries a maximum sentence of 30 years. Lawrence plead guilty to reckless endangerment and was sentenced to time served. In accordance with the terms of the plea agreement announced in open Court, Bullock is scheduled to be sentenced January 30, 2007. She faces a maximum sentence of 20 tears with a referral to Patuxent Institution. Statement of Facts:

On January 5, 2005 at their residence in the 4800 block of Liberty Heights Avenue, Bullock and Watson said that they awakened at 5 a.m. and found Joshua cold and unresponsive. Watson called 911. Emergency operators performed CPR and rushed Joshua to Sinai Hospital where he was pronounced dead. The medical examiner found loop-shaped scars and signs of blunt force trauma to the right side of Joshua's body, skull fractures, hemorrhaging and contusions of the brain and 27 healing fractures to his torso. Bullock later admitted "the baby was crying and I just snapped."

Philip Carter, 18, pled guilty to robbing and beating Sun reporter Carl Schoettler, and another, less-famous old man.

More on the triple-shooting of teenagers in Cherry Hill. Says the Sun, Bernard Simon, 14, was the city's 246th murder.

A woman stabbed her babydaddy to death in Woodlawn.

The Court of Appeals is going to start Webcasting arguments, so we'll all get to watch the gay marraige thing go down.

In AAC, Albert Givens is going on trial for murder for the fifth time.

The big fat convenience-store robber turned himself in. Joseph Gregory, 33, claims to be a crackhead (I thought that made you skinny?)

Here's part two of the Benjamin Garris story.

The Tribune Co. has turned down he offer by a group of local investors to buy the Calvert Street birdcage-liner factory.

How much does Mrs. J hate the gov-to-be? She wished jury duty upon him!

November 27 evening

Correction: the person who told us about the 6th season was full of it! Sorry! Number five is the end!

The Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted Stephens Zukael, 19, for first-degree murder, deadly weapon, reckless endangerment and first-degree arson in connection with the beating death of Marcus Rogers. Court documents allege Zukael was last seen with the victim on surveillance camera prior to his death. An arraignment is scheduled December 20, before Judge John P. Miller, 428 Mitchell Courthouse. Assistant State's Attorney Dianna Smith will prosecute this case.

We love a conspiracy!

So, about 19 of BCrime readers polled think that the unclassified 341 deaths from 2004 are the result of some kind of incompetence, while 18 believe it's a political conspiracy. That seems to be giving everyone downtown a whole lot of credit. But if it was one, guess it worked!

November 27

Three teenage boys were shot last night in Cherry Hill; one has died. (244)

In Harford County outside the VFW, Rondale Guy of Havre de Grace was shot twice and a woman was assaulted.

Fake $100 bills from South Ossetia, Georgia have been found in Baltimore (as well as NY, Newark and Buffalo).

A fat white guy with a ponytail and a dark red pickup truck robbed four convenience stores in one day.

Theft, robbery, burglary. Yawn.

The governor-to-be is due at the courthouse this morning ... for jury duty! Hizzoner has also served once before, serving as foreman in the case of "an unemployed flutist who complained of being squeezed in the door of a bus while trying to catch a ride to a pet store to buy fish food."

November 26

Indeed, James Dowery was a witness in the murder trial of two men, Tamall Parker and Tracy Love. Dowery had been threatened and had been shot before, but testified anyway.

An off-duty officer shot two men who tried to rob him in South Baltimore.

A 20-year-old man was found dead in the parking lot of the Panera Bread Co. on York Road in Lutherville. Also, someone apparently had plans to burn down apartment buildings near TU.

Kids these days...

Rodricks: "The 16-year-old and the 15-year-old accused in the killing of the 17-year-old did not appear out of thin air." Meanwhile, Jessamy plans to study our young "street urchins."

For the second time in a week, a teenager was shot in Anne Arundel County.

The Feds are trying to revoke $2.5 million of school money because officials can't prove funds were spent appropriately. Speaking of school, today the NYT has a story about the achievement gap between poor and middle-class students. Interesting tidbit: a study found that professional parents talk to their kids almost three times more than parents on welfare.

The Frederick News-Post tells the tale of Benjamin Garris, who at the age of 16 murdered psychiatric nurse Sharon Edwards.

The Cordish Co. is being sued in New York for various torts related to their Tiki Bob's bar allowing underage drinking.

That's some killer office furniture ... Maryland Correctional Enterprises sold $42.8 million worth of goods last year without an internet presence ($3.8 million in sales were from license plates).

November 24

John Dowrey, 38, was shot to death on Thanksgiving at the Kozy Korner bar (243).

November 22

Ink: Three murders last week, 241 this year.
Alfred Williams, 26; Lamont Jackson, 21; Dennis O'Neil Bryant, 38.

A 19-year-old man was shot to death last night. (242?)

Murders committed by juveniles are up. or, as JZ puts it,
'This allegation We cannot continue to loose so many of our future leaders to such senseless violence. Our community cannot accept these numbers. added Marty Burns'

"Sometimes you make some crazy mistakes."
That's as close as Carl Preston Evans Jr. (left, from mugshots.com) has come to explaining why he stabbed, beat and strangled his 13-year-old stepdaughter to death, then set the family's Essex rowhouse on fire. Evans got life plus two 15-year-sentences.

Police cameras led to an arrest for the October 22 murder of Joel Bradley.

Ciara Jobes' grandmother won a $15 million lawsuit against Jobes' murderer, Satrina Roberts. Roberts is serving 40 years for second-degree murder and child abuse.

Since the two rape allegations against officers this year,
male officers aren't supposed to be left alone with female suspects, and the City Council wants cameras in interrogation rooms.

Gregory Kane reminds us (like anyone living this town could forget) there's no such thing as the right not to be offended. But how great it would be if there were ...

November 21

Mums went tits-to-the-wind at BWI to defend the right to breastfeed.

"It's always like this, the columnist coming in after the funeral."
(... unless, of course, you're one of 2006's 236+ murdered citizens ignored by columnists).

"New, chilling details" in the shooting of brother and sister Marcus and Nicole Edmonds, 16 and 17. The siblings were shot by two teenagers for their cell phones; Nicole died from her injuries.

The Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted Tavon Berson Tyner, 22, of the 2500 block of W. Lanvale Street, and Donte Lamont Tyner, 22, of the 3700 block of Brownbrook Court, for first-degree murder of Darrell Artis. LaTosca Octavia McCullough, 26, of the 3400 block of Gaither Road, was indicted for accessory after the fact in connection with the homicide. Court documents allege that on September 7, 2006, a Nissan Quest Van driven by LaTosca McCullough was parked on a parking lot in the 7100 block of McClean Boulevard along with Darrell Artis, Tavon and Donte Tyner. An argument started between Artis and Donte Tyner, which escalated to a fistfight. Donte Tyner produced a handgun and shot Darrell Artis several times, then fled the scene along with Tavon Tyner and LaTosca McCullough. Artis died from his injuries the same day. An arraignment is scheduled for December 15, 2006 before Judge John P. Miller.

Question: what happens if you need an ambulance, fire truck or cop in Israel on a Friday night or Saturday? Do a bunch of Shabbos goys work one day a week, or what? I guess the question is, do the Orthodox make allowances for first responders a la , David Brown?

November 20th

Simon Fitzgerald was kind enough to pick up my slack today. For all the stuff he wrote, please check the comments section for the November 18th entry. Actually updating this blog every day is turning out to be a lot tougher than I expected. When does Mrs. Cybrarian come home again?

A couple of things I wanted to add to Simon's stuff:

Two guys have been arrested for an October murder in Annapolis. One thing I noticed is that Hometown Annapolis asserts that "Johnson's death was the seventh homicide in the city this year and the 19th in the county. Since his death, one more person, Jay Steven Fayne, 52, from Severna Park, was killed," even though there has been at least one more homicide, possibly two, in AAC since Fayne (Joel Young, whose killing may or may not considered justified, I haven't read anything about a decision being made on this; and an as-yet unidentified guy killed in Brooklyn Park). PLUS, multiple news sources keep repeated this "seven murders in Annapolis this year" figure. I've only ever read about six, plus one guy killed by Annapolis Police, which we should all know by now is not supposed to count towards the official murder tally.

And, in keeping with my favorite theme ("all the local news outlets around here totally suck"), WUSA's article about the Annapolis mall shooting doesn't add anything to the Sun article that Simon posted, but is entitled "Mall Shooting Started At Nearby High School," which implies that there was actually shooting occurring at Annapolis High, when in fact what started there was the argument which eventually culminated in the shooting, which was wholly confined to the mall. Sigh.

November 18th

In Metro Digest (after the food bank story), a guy was shot to death in Upton and another guy was shot a bunch of times and may or may not be dead or dying in Ellwood Park.

One of the four people believed to be responsible for the stabbing death of a 17-year-old girl at a light rail stop has been apprehended.

Here are a few more details in the other day's murder-suicide in Sparks.

A woman in Glen Burnie was convicted of shaking her 15 day old baby to death last year.

Kids in Annapolis just can't get enough of fighting in school.

Brian Doyle, the Homeland Security internet pervert, has been sentenced to 5 years in Florida.

Another Maryland pervert has been arrested down south, this one for murder.

Good old ABC7 doesn't realize that there are Caroline Counties in both Maryland and Virginia. This incident obviously took place in Virginia, and even has "Va." in the headline, but when you click on the "Maryland" tab on their front news page, this article is listed in there.

More November 16th

A fatal shooting in Brooklyn Park last night brings Anne Arundel County's murder total for the year up to 16 (I think). Please note this does not include Annapolis, since they have their own police force that handles its own murder investigations, or any of the prisoners/prison guards that have been killed in Jessup this year, since that's state property.

Also, a double shooting at a business park in Sparks, north of Hunt Valley. WJZ is calling it a "double homicide," but WBAL and The Sun only say "double shooting" and don't know the conditions of the victims. So far, the Baltimore County Police Dept.'s press releases page has nothing about it.

UPDATE: Less than ten minutes after I posted that, WJZ changed their article from "double homicide" to "murder/suicide." Still the same link, though.

Last night during a robbery in West Baltimore, a cab driver was shot in the balls.

I always forget to check the Examiner. Galt brought this article about the undetermined deaths thing to my attention. It's not very in-depth or anything, but it's at least interesting for the breakdown of the causes of death in these cases.

November 16th

Donta Allen surprised everybody yesterday by pleading guilty to the murder of Linda Trinh.

The owner of Club Malibu is sick of the cops and the liquor board constantly harassing him over trivial matters like having too much dried blood on the dancefloor and his patrons engaging in 200-person brawls, and he hilariously suggests that some rival bar is behind it. Matt Jablow: "I don't even want to dignify that remark."

Crime is up in the County.

OK, everybody, now you can start running stories about the fourth body found in Harford County being ID'd.

Our oldest murder suspect this year has died in jail before ever coming close to making it to trial.

Today's rather bare-boned police blotter details the closing of two of this year's other murder cases.

Resident reaction to Tuesday's murder in Salisbury. I'm pretty much only including this because it very briefly mentions Baltimore, and I found it interesting that this year Salisbury has tied its previous record for most murders in a year ever.

In Calvert County, crime consists of drunk driving, smoking weed, stealing beer, and throwing pumpkins at mailboxes.

Good news, homeless sex offenders! You don't have to register!

Why wasn't it like this when I was a kid?

Once again, this is DC news, not Maryland news, but when I read it, I thought I was losing my mind.

November 15th

So, The Sun's murder count was (sort of) right, there was another murder that was never reported until today, even though it happened a week and a half ago. The catch is that it wasn't until more recently that anybody realized that the victim was wanted for a shooting in Columbia. Nobody cares if another person dies in Baltimore, but everyone cares about Howard County!

Other than that one, according to Murder Ink the Sun got all the other ones. Anna Ditkoff points out that her records indicate that there have been 240 official murders this year, but the police (and The Sun) say 238. For a minute I thought she was counting the two people killed by police that are listed this week, but I just checked my own spreadsheet and she's right. Hmm.

UPDATE: Wait, I take it back, she's wrong. Two of the murders in my spreadsheet that I was counting were people getting shivved at the City Detention Center, meaning they were wards of the state at the time of death, so it's not within the city police's jurisdiction. And, I just noticed that she had the right number last week, so she DID count the two people shot by cops (one incident it wasn't even a city cop, it was an MTA cop). Doesn't she know, after 2+ years of doing Murder Ink, that isn't how it works? Why isn't she including the other four people that have been killed by police in the city this year?

In today's blotter, a weird burglary in Roland Park and a shooting in CHM, among other things. Yesterday's blotter has the identity of Saturday's murder in Mount Holly (you say Walbrook, the Baltimore Dept. of Planning says "to-mah-to"), shootings in Poppleton and Milton-Montford and a lot of robberies and stuff.

Salisbury had its sixth murder of the year last night. They had one last year.

That's all for now. I'm definitely going to do at least one more update today, I just thought I should throw something up here real quick since I didn't post anything yesterday.

WTF was that?

So I was on Coldspring Lane going east a few minutes ago, coming off of 83, waiting at the light on Falls Road with Grandma Cybrarian on the passenger side, and the lady in the car next to me, which was a gold Chevy of some kind started leaning on the horn. I was like, "Mom! No! Don't roll down the window!" but she's from Georgia so she did, and the lady driving held out (what looked like but who knows, from 15 feet away in the dark) a police badge and motioned for us to pull over. I was like, "sorry, no, I'll follow you to the Northern back there, but I'm not going to pull over." And she said, "okay, well, you need to slow it down on the driving," and I said okay, and she sped off.

So was it really an undercover cop in an unmarked car, or did we almost get jacked?!
I don't know, but either way ... know where your local police stations are and don't pull over for anyone in the city if you're not sure who they are!

November 13th, evening edition

Mrs. Cybrarian forwarded me some press releases today from the State's Attorney's Office:

Baltimore, MD - November 13, 2006 - The murder trial of Donta Maurice Allen, 28, of the 3000 block of Matthews Street, is scheduled for 9:30 AM tomorrow before Judge Roger W. Brown, 406 Mitchell Courthouse East, 110 North Calvert Street. Jury selection is expected to begin at that time followed by pre trial motions. Opening statements are expected to begin 2:00PM Wednesday.

The Baltimore Grand Jury indicted Allen on April 15, 2005 for first-degree murder and first-degree burglary.

The indictment charges Allen with the murder of Linda Trinh, 21. Trinh, a Johns Hopkins University student, was found dead in her off campus apartment, 3333 North Charles Street, January 23, 2005.

Allen remains held at the Baltimore City Detention Center without bail. Assistant State's Attorney Matthew B. Fraling, III will prosecute this case.

[There have been several articles in the past few days about how this is almost definitely going to be postponed for a third time.]

Baltimore, MD - November 13, 2006 - Patricia C. Jessamy announced that the Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted Renato Cawthorne, 38, unknown address, for first-degree murder and other counts.

Court documents allege on December 16, 2005 a witness identified Cawthorne as the person responsible for the death of Jonathan Dwight Coles, 24. Mr. Coles was robbed at gunpoint and fatally shot in the 1700 block of E. Preston Street. He succumbed to his injuries the following day at Johns Hopkins Hospital.

An arraignment is scheduled for December 5, 2006, Judge John P. Miller, Room 428 Mitchell Courthouse. Assistant State's Attorney Don Giblin will prosecute this case.

Baltimore, MD - November 13, 2006 - At a hearing today, Judge Althea Handy sentenced Malik Vandiver, 18, of the 2900 block of Parkwood Avenue, to 30 years in prison for second-degree murder and 20 years in prison, consecutive, for a handgun count.

A Baltimore City jury convicted Vandiver August 29, 2006 of second-degree murder and use of a handgun in the commission of a felony or crime of violence.

On January 8, 2005 Vandiver shot to death of Bayonna Cox, 29, of the 2500 block of Francis Street. Testimony at trial proved that witnesses heard gunfire early that morning and saw Vandiver leaving the Francis Street residence 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.

Assistant State's Attorney Mary-Ann Burkhart prosecuted this case.

And lastly, I just want to call attention to the story about that body being identified in Harford County. Now WBAL suddenly has it as their top story, as if it's breaking news or something. And when I was watching the local news at 4 on WJZ they said something like "coming up: a body found in a Harford County field in September has been identified. Could the person responsible already be in custody?" YES! They're already in custody! We've known that since September! I was pissed off a few days ago when a cat stuck in a tree and a deer with a plastic jack-o-lantern stuck on its face were big stories, but this might be worse. Don't shove some old-ass news in my face and act like you've got a big scoop! Argh!

(Sorry, you said "no partisan rants," not "no rants of any kind.")

2008- You Heard it Here First!

Got an info tidbit y'all might be interested to know:
The 2008 democratic ticket will be Al Gore with Barack Obama as VP.
Thought Al was happy sporting the Paul Bunyan beard and harshing everyone's mellow with the global warming thing, but no-- he's going to make another go of it. It's supposed to be kind of a secret, but looks like someone forgot to tell his web desiger ... if you want to keep it quiet, dude, you might want to change the page title and icon!

Anyway off to catch a plane ... and I'm NOT taking the computer!
Toodles!

November 13th

People murdered this weekend:

-Donald Samuels (links to police blotter which also details three non-fatal shootings), shot to death Friday in Curtis Bay (Baltimore City #235, or #236 if you believe the Sun's last published count which would indicate that they failed to ever print anything about #234, which is totally believable)

-Shaun Tiller and an unidentified male, shot to death Saturday in Berea and Mount Holly, respectively (#'s 236 and 237 or 237 and 238)

-Muhammad Rafique Chaudhary, shot to death Sunday in a convenience store robbery in Parkville

-Reina Natosha Lynch, shot to death Saturday while on guard duty in Beltsville

-Devon Harold Jackson, shot to death Sunday in a robbery in Cheverly

-Donald Harrison, beaten to death Sunday by his son during an argument in Seat Pleasant

If anyone is counting, that makes it six murders in four days in Prince George's County. This includes last Thursday's double murder in Hillcrest Heights, the victims of which have finally been identified, and the shooting in Clinton that I never actually posted an article about (until now!).

Also, Abby Karoma was killed Saturday in Lanham in a hit-and-run involving a "silver, 1990's four-door sedan, possibly a Honda Accord or similar foreign make." Was there a woman in the trunk?

Lastly for PGC, cops shot two suspects after the car they were in pinned an officer against another car. Neither of them died, but if you're keeping track, PGCPD has killed 5 people this year. In this respect they are tied for #1 in the state with Baltimore PD.

A guy was arrested for stealing 40 (!) vans in MD, PA, and DE.

An unidentified male robbery suspect was shot to death Saturday by an MTA officer at the Reisterstown Plaza metro station.

Misleading Headlines Department:

-Yesterday's Sun article about the above-mentioned incident is titled "MTA officer kills robbery suspect in Reisterstown." Just because the metro station is called "Reisterstown Plaza" does not mean it's in Reisterstown. Ever heard of "Belair Road," "Harford Road," "York Road," or "Frederick Avenue?"

-"Fourth Woman Found Dead, Identified In Harford Co." (No, there haven't been any more IDs made since Friday, and there haven't been any more bodies discovered since September. One body is still unidentified.)

-Yes, this happened in DC and not MD, but the headline is so misleading I couldn't help but post it: "Youth Drives Metrobus after Driver Flees" makes it sound like this kid did something heroic, whereas "Youth Detained After Commandeering Metrobus Saturday Night" is way more accurate

November 10th

I kind of wish I didn't post so much stuff yesterday, because a lot of those stories have been recycled by the news outlets today with nearly no added content. There are several unique stories today though...

A scizophrenic guy that was shot in his Southwest Baltimore home (not far from where 14-year-old Kevin Cooper was killed earlier this year) back in February by a police officer has died as a result of his injuries.

Today's police blotter has some robberies, some guns and drug arrests, two shootings, and a female MICA student being attacked in the vestibule of her Bolton Hill home.

All charges in Baltimore County are being dropped against one of the men accused of dumping a flaming corpse on I-83 last Christmas because authorities believe the actual murder took place in Harrisburg, PA.

One of the bodies found in September as part of the Harford County serial killings has been positively identified as that of a woman that had been missing since June.

A 12-year-old boy is under arrest for setting fire to a vacant house in Mt. Airy.

Another kid is under arrest for setting a bunch of cars on fire in the parking lot of Gaithersburg High School this morning.

A series of bank robberies in PG County have been pulled off with military-style precision. Also in PGC, two chess buddies were found shot to death in a home in Temple Hills, four murder cases this year have been dismissed due to problems with witnesses or evidence, and a mugging-gone-awry turned deadly in Clinton last night, but the Washington Post seems to have temporarily lost its article about that one.

A judge has decided that there is enough evidence to proceed with the prosecution of a guy in Carroll County for sexual abuse dating back to the '70's. You'll need a login and password to read this article.

November 9th, evening edition

Wow, this has turned out to be a pretty busy news day...

New DNA evidence has led to the indictment of a Baltimore man in a 1992 rape.

The "I-team" has gotten a hold of the police report from O'Malley's old DUI and it says he refused to take a breathalyzer, whereas he says he didn't.

The Sun now has more details about the nabbed fugitive in Harford County. This guy is a drug dealer, and the "attempted murder" part comes from when he tried to run over some cops the last time he was getting arrested. He even got shot in the meantime, and he still didn't bother showing up for his court date! It's always nice to see someone challenging our stereotypes, keep it up, Aaron Khamraj Singh!

There is now a set date (June 4th) and place (Ellicott City) for the trial of the prison inmate (from Baltimore, of course) who shot a corrections officer to death with his own gun out in Hagerstown.

If you live in Annapolis you'd better spend all your fake money quick because the cops are on to you.

A guy in Silver Spring has been arrested for buying a Lex on his employer's dime.

A volunteer firefighter in Accokeek is under arrest after threatening to set a building on fire.


From the Department of "We don't actually know shit about this incident but we're gonna slap a really sensational headline on it:"

A person in Carroll County was "injured" when some sort of "projectile" was fired through their window. That's it. That's all we got. For all we know it could have been a potato, but apparently now this is enough to constitute a "shooting."

November 9th, creepdawg edition

Because I'm a bored weirdo, here is the Myspace page for Alexander Longfellow, one of the two guys found dead in a car from probable drug overdoses near Salisbury on Monday.

November 9th, afternoon edition

An East Baltimore drug kingpin got 27 years and threw a temper tantrum.

A fugitive wanted for attempted murder was apprehended during a traffic stop in Bel Air. Way to not say who the guy attempted to murder, where, when or how, WBAL.

An MS-13 member pled guilty to accidentally shooting someone, and got life for intentionally shooting someone else in Rockville.

MoCoPD arrested a stalker on Oct. 25th (don't ask me why the press release just came out today) in Wheaton, and are looking for a guy who beat the crap out of a woman at a bus stop in Rockville.

PGCPD have a lot of acronyms and make a bunch of arrests on weapons, other charges. They also got a truck from U-Haul to haul around graffiti removal equipment.

I really wish the Baltimore Police Dept. had a nice press release page on their website. I just noticed that the Anne Arundel County Police Dept. has one now. I'm going to assume that you have me to thank for that because I sent them an email a while back telling them they should get one, and sent them links to the ones for Baltimore, Montgomery and Prince George's Counties and Washington DC as examples to follow.

November 9th

In the city, Angela Davis got 13 years for stabbing her boyfriend to death back in June, and there's a couple shootings and robberies in the police blotter today.

The Hampden Community Council has rejected the proposed site for the city's needle exchange program. Also in the Messenger, the North Balto. Crime Log is a huge collection of burglaries and robberies, plus a shooting on Greenmount.

Some car vandals are terrorizing Dundalk.

A guy was stabbed to death yesterday in Elkridge. This is the fifth murder this year in Howard County, if you want to count Anber Gumercindo Juarez-Sanchez, who was actually killed last year and only found this year, and may have even been killed somewhere else, and Antonio Orozco Martinez, who also may have been killed somewhere else.

There is way more crime news for Anne Arundel County than for Baltimore:
-An insurance claims adjuster admitted to stealing over $100,000 from Nationwide Insurance

-Here's a more in-depth article on yesterday's attempted bath-tub murder in Laurel.

-Burglary, burglary, robbery, drug arrest, assault, assault, etc in Annapolis.

-A Pasadena man is being honored for thwarting a jewelry store robbery back in October.

-And for some weird reason, pretty much every local news outlet decided to talk about Anne Arundel County Police shooting and killing a suspect with a rifle in Lothian, even though it happend, and was extensively reported on, a whole week ago. As far as I can tell there aren't really any new developments in the case, but here's a random article about it.

The Harford County Sheriff's Dept. really likes their stun guns. Baltimore County cops still want to "gain a full understanding of the practical positives and negatives" before using them.

Here's a much more in-depth article on Lee Boyd Malvo's sentencing.

There might be a serial kidnapper/sexual assaulter on the loose in PG County and DC. Also, if you see a silver Honda with a woman in the trunk, please call PGCPD.

From the "there's crime in the boonies too" dept:
-A couple of assaults in Cumberland.

-DUIs, sexual assault, drugs, etc in Garrett County (I find it mildly amusing that the newspaper out there is called "The Republican").

November 8th

Hi, my name's burgersub and I'm temporarily taking over for the Cybrarian. Sorry for the late update but I just woke up...

Today's Murder Ink recounts murder #'s 230-233 (all of which The Sun got), as well as a homicide ruling in a Sept. 12th death of a toddler in Curtis Bay (#192 I think?) that The Sun failed to report.

The City Paper also now has their own article about the Park Heights Serial Killer Rumor, in which they make fun of The Examiner.

A 17-year-old girl was stabbed to death (#235? who was #234?) while getting off the light rail at the North Avenue stop early yesterday.

The body they hauled out of the harbor in Canton on Sunday has been identified and they are now saying that they don't think foul play was involved. No cause of death yet, though.

Typical stuff in the police blotter today, including the arrests of the police impersonators, and an arrest made in an April 29th murder in Northwest.

In Anne Arundel, police have identified the guy killed in Crofton on Sunday. Turns out he was himself a murder suspect in Prince George's (the article doesn't say which murder he committed), and from the events recounted it sounds like he may have been killed in self-defense, but the article doesn't really address that aspect.

In Annapolis, some helpful bystanders helped to catch a couple of car thieves.

In Laurel, somebody was found stabbed multiple times in a hotel bathtub with his hands and feet bound.

In PGC there was a fatal shooting and a quick arrest on Monday in Forestville, and another fatal shooting Tuesday in Landover.

Maryland State Troopers shot some drunk guy out in Allegany County somewhere after he threatened them with a gun.

Lee Boyd Malvo has been sentenced to life in prison for his role in the Maryland portion of the 2002 sniper shootings.

Hopefully the Cybrarian won't mind if I plug my website real quick. This will be the only time I do so. Burgersub.org has all of this year's (and most of last year's) murders in the whole state of Maryland and Washington, DC mapped out. It's cool, you should check it out.

Imagine that

Twelve percenct in and they already say O'Malley's the winner.
But Diebold could have told us that yesterday.
Do you believe the results are legitimate?
And if it matters, which it doesn't ... what are we going to do about our city?

November 7

The man stabbed in the middle of the day downtown, Gap Suk Suh, 59, was apparently killed after being involved in a fender-bender.

Fake officer to victim: It's against the law to carry that much money ... but I'll help you!

Frank M. Conaway, Senior: "The mayor can ask people to 'believe' that violent crime is down, but in the end the body count tells the truth." (Except for those 341 bodies from 2004).

AAC Circuit Court: TS if you didn't get your absentee ballot.

David Shimony Guilty Plea

Reports the DOJ:

November 6, 2006, David Shimony, age 53, of Baltimore, pleaded guilty yesterday to making false statements on income tax returns, in addition to pleading guilty to a one-count Criminal Information filed in the District of New Jersey, in which he is charged with possessing counterfeit currency, announced United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein.

In a statement of facts provided to the court as part of the plea agreement, Shimony admitted that he failed to claim $2,036,205 in taxable income for 1999 and 2000 on his personal tax returns, resulting in unpaid taxes, or tax losses, of $796,337.

Also according to the statement of facts, on April 30, 2004, Shimony arrived in Newark International Airport from Israel and provided a customs form claiming that he was carrying no more than $1,000 in cash. An inspection of numerous individually wrapped packages lining the inner wall of Shimony’s carry-on bag revealed $200,000 in counterfeit $100 bills and an additional $1,400 in counterfeit $100 bills in his wallet. On two previous occasions beginning in March 2003, Shimony had traveled to Israel and obtained packages of counterfeit $100 notes. On each occasion, he purchased counterfeit notes with a face value of approximately $100,000, then brought the counterfeit notes into the United States to pass some of the notes himself, and sell the remainder to various individuals in the Baltimore area. The total amount of counterfeit currency possessed by Shimony was between $350,000 and $400,000.

Court documents here, here, here and here, via InsideTheGate.com

November 6

Today, Judge Glynn sentenced Payton Brown, 22, to 20 years in prison. Brown pled guilty to second-degree murder before Glynn in July. The facts...

On October 12, 2005, Brown and an unidentified suspect known only as Gary or "G" attempted to rob Brandon Cherry, 21. During the robbery, Cherry resisted and was shot and killed. This murder occurred in the Northwood Shopping Center near the Morgan State University campus.

A man was found shot and floating under a pier in Canton.

Cash, some cell phones, a snow blower, a coin collection and three microwaves stolen in the blotter... and one Bruce Weidner really needs to get on with his life (after he gets out of jail).

"This is a White Man's City": Antero Pietila recounts the tumultuous election of 1895.
(ps. the ad at the top of the page makes really annoying noise, so turn down your volume!)

In College Park PGC, police shot and killed an armed-robbery suspect.
Also, there's a perv on Marcy Avenue in Oxon Hill.

A fatal shooting at 1709 Leisure Way in Crofton, AAC.

MoCo: Three suspects were arrested for armed robbery.

Don't mess with Bill!

President Clinton will be appearing on behalf of the Dems tonight at Camelot of Upper Marlboro (whatever that is), 13901 Central Avenue, 20774. Admission and parking are free, but you must RSVP to Ashley Peddicord at 410-366-1900 or clinton@mddems.org to get in the door.

November 5

Ata Caillet, 31, was shot outside of a KFC in Columbia.
Also in the County, Lee McDuffy, an employee of the state-run Spring Grove mental hospital was killed trying to break up a fight between patients.

Terrifying: more on Baltimorean Majid Khan, held for more than three years in a secret CIA prison.

Mother of Randallstown murder victim Karim Cross is begging for leads. Cross was stabbed to death in the parking lot of the Rush Hour bar and grill ... by a bearded woman?! ("There is a sketch of the suspect..and a $2,000 reward for information leading to her arrest." Another amazing JZ story with a giant boner in almost every sentence! Wow!)

Operation "Rolling Thunder" uncovered drugs, cockroaches.

CSA: The Baltimore Development Corp. must open its books and meetings to the public.

Kids these days really know how to party: the groin-shooting on East Coldspring Lane may have been the result of "Halloween celebratory gunfire."

More details on the kidnapping and recovery of six-year-old Shekinah Scott.
And now we can never again say what a waste of money those cameras were ...

In PCG, fuckwad Eric Lamont Partlow is charged with attacking, beating and raping his ex-girlfriend, then setting her apartment building on fire.

Gotta ♥ it: In Delaware, a judge sentenced flasher Russell Teeter to wear a t-shirt announcing he's a sex offender.
What's the deal with flashers, anyway? Why are they always old fugly white guys?

Three more employees were indicted for bilking UMMC out of referral bonuses.

I'm getting married this week and then a-honeymooning, so the blog will be on hiatus for a while!
If you want to know what's going on, the first five to seven minutes of WBAL's 11 p.m. newscast is good ...

November 3

Three of 17 members of an east Baltimore drug gang were sentenced today-- Terrence Moody got more than 21 years, and Larry Yarrall and Lashavio Gilliam got 12 years, 7 months federal for various cocaine-related charges.

Patricia Campbell, 37, abudcted a 6-year-old girl and gave her a hairdo. Officer Theo Fleet used crime camera info to help track down the girl within two hours.

Criminy-- a man was stabbed at Paca and Mulberry streets, in the middle of the day. (Thanks burgersub)

Jermaine Isaac, 17, of the 330 block of S. Furrow Street, pled guilty today to second-degree murder and use of a handgun in the commission of a crime of violence. Judge Martin P. Welch sentenced Isaac to 30 years in prison, suspending all but 14 years for the murder and five years, concurrent, for the handgun count. On November 15, 2005, Darren Parker, 19, was involved in an argument with Isaac, who was 16 at the time, in the 2100 block of Wilhelm St. Isaac then shot Parker, killing him.

A Baltimore City jury late yesterday afternoon convicted Reginald McKever, 20, of Greencrest Road, of attempted first-degree murder, first-degree assault and two handgun counts. Judge Allen L. Schwait scheduled sentencing for January 2, 2007. Say court docs,

On July 18th, 2005, Officer Kevin Simmons of the Baltimore City Police Department, was sitting on a split rail fence in front of 5304 Goodnow road talking on his cell phone. Officer Simmons was off duty but had his police identification and departmental handgun on his person. While Officer Simmons was on the phone, he was approached by two males. One of the men asked Officer Simmons if he had a cigarette to which he responded that he didn't smoke. The two men walked away but returned a couple of minutes later. At that time one of the two men produced a handgun, pointed it at Officer Simmons and stated "kick it out." The gunman, identified as McKever, then told the other male to go through the victim's pockets. It was at that time that Officer Simmons was concerned that if they went through his pockets they would find his departmental handgun and his police identification. Officer Simmons then ran for cover. McKever then fired at the officer, striking him once in the foot. Officer Simmons was able to return fire but did not strike the gunman. The two defendants then ran from the area. While running away, McKever fell down, dropping a Berretta 92 FS handgun. The other assailant remains unknown. Officer Kevin Simmons was taken to the hospital and treated for his injuries.

A murder, two attempted murder and a drug arrest in the blotter, Molly's bar in Remington and a lot of other places robbed.

A familiar pattern when it comes to the city's gang-fighting strategy. Sounds like the "state troopers in the city" thing.
1. city gets money or resources to do something
2. officials bicker over who's going to be in charge of the effort, refuse to be involved if they can't be in charge
3. money gets pissed away in one-sided or short-term effort
4. repeat a year or two later, when the same issue comes up again

Closing arguements yesterday in the MS-13 trial. The case may hinge on the testimony of a key informant, "Shorty."

In the County, police are looking for a blonde man who shot a bouncer at Coco's Bar and Grill in the 400 block of Eastern Boulevard.

In Rockville, former Army sergeant Gary James Smith, 24 was arrested and charged with first-degree murder in the shooting death of his roommate, Michael Anthony McQueen II, 22.

In MoCo, Josue Ray Dupree, 20, was arrested for stabbing of Ana Elisa Mejia Avila to death at a J.C. Penney loading dock.

Good to know: if you plan to vote, there's going to be four questions on the ballot. Study up!

November 2 - go to bed!

It does seem like more residential break-ins than the usual in the Northern.

Somebody's stealing catalytic converters in the County.

Anybody watch HBO's "Hacking Democracy"? Makes reference to the $55 million MD's given Diebold ... for machines that can be hacked in about 17 ways (at least that have been documented so far).

November 2

A bullet-riddled man is at Shock Trauma after a gun battle in the parking lot of the H&S Grocery in Northeast Baltimore.

Examiner: The city's Medical Examiner's office still has 341 "undetermined" deaths from 2004.

MD prisons' overtime costs have doubled this year because of understaffing.

Lamont Sanders, 30, got more than 26 years in jail for guns-n-coke.

Poor Ray Charles is now a Mosher Street gelcap.

Darry Harrod got 12 1/2 years in the fed pen for crack dealing.

Two of the six suspected weapons-smuggling Tamil Tigers pled not guilty in federal court yesterday.

A "gifted" carjacker is going to juvie.

One of the Bowie ATM thieves, Eric "Dukie" Thomas, got 27 months in jail and must pay restitution.

The Bowie High pimp coach will stay in jail.

More on the MoCo "consentual sex can't turn into rape" case.

HoCo police arrested Ji Hwan Shin for fondling a woman on a bike path.

In Carroll County, Stephani (sic) Jones was charged with stabbing a guy in the shoulder.

A hairdresser in PCG was royally screwed when police mistook him for a fugitive.

Media:
The Sun's circulation is down. Way down.
Media analysts blame not the Examiner, but rather the Sun's general suckage for the decline.
Maybe now the Tribune will sell it to somebody who cares!

November 1 evening

Three homicides, of Antonio Williams, 32, Johnathan Savage, 35, and Gregory Welsh, 32.

Dasheem Washington, a 19-year-old freshman at Morgan State, was shot in the pelvic area while taking out the trash in the 1500 block of Coldspring Lane.

A 14-year-old was shot in the foot near a PAL center in the SW.

Eight girls and a boy were charged with disorderly conduct, and one with assault, after a brawl at Edgewood High.

Baltimorean Ryan Crosby is accused of hitting a man on the head with a baseball bat in a Vermont trailer park.

A shooting near Charles Herbert Flowers High School in PCG put the school on lockdown.

Somebody tried to ef with election judges.
Meantime, Fortune on Diebold: "First get into a business you don't understand, selling to customers who barely understand it either. Then roll out your product without adequate testing. Don't hire enough skilled people. When people notice problems, deny, obfuscate and ignore. Finally, blame your critics when it all blows up in your face."

November 1

Murders 229 and 230 were in the 800 block of E. 41st Street and the 4400 block of Powell Avenue, respectively.

Anna Ditkoff: 228 murders
Glenard Byrd, 19, in the 1000 block of North Bond Street
Travis Wake, 23, 300 block of West 27th Street
Donte Johnson, 20, 1500 block of Shields Place
Leonard Brown, 25, 1400 block of North Milton Avenue
Kevin Washington, 28, 1700 block of Ashburton Street
Arnilo Handy, 30, 2700 block of Tivoly Avenue (at right)

Jermaine Bell, 31, and Roosevelt Spann Jr., 38, who had previously been charged with federal drug conspiracy, were accused yesterday of involvement in the murders of of Torrence Johnson, Kenyatta Harris and Angelo Stringfellow five years ago.

The Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted Eddie Levar Hawkins, 28, of the 3400 block of Tulsa Road, for first-degree murder. Court documents allege that on September 2, in the 3500 block of Lucille Avenue, Darren Terrell Wilson was called by the defendant, and when Wilson approached, Hawkins revealed a weapon then shot him numerous times. Wilson died later at Sinai Hospital. An arraignment is scheduled for November 22 before Judge Gale E. Rasin

Two shootings, a stabbing and burglary and robbery in the Blotter.

Todd Sheridan, a pathologist at Johns Hopkins now charged with automobile manslaughter, appeared before Judge Althea Handy for a bail review hearing today. Judge Handy ruled Sheridan to be released on his own recognizance. He will be arraigned December 8, 2006.

In the County, an officer fired at a car that nearly ran him down in a crosswalk.

Two men were shot in Laurel.

In Harford County, possible serial killer Charles Eugene Burns was indicted for the murder of Lillian Abramowicz Phelps.

In Carroll County, Cory Lee Slemaker, 23, got five weekends in jail for buying Bud Lite for teenagers.

In Frederick County, Michael Smith, 17, is charged with two attempted rapes at Tuscarora High School.

In Rockville, MoCo, a 15-year-old boy was arrested after a homemade bottle bomb exploded.

Erlich on Park Heights murder rumors: "I don't know if it's true or not true ... Either way, people of the community deserve an answer."
Park Heights bicyclist to Ehrlich: "shut up, you turkey!"

State's Attorney Patricia C. Jessamy will join Governor Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. for brief comments and greetings to the Baltimore meeting of MARGIN (Mid-Atlantic Regional Gang Investigators Network) at 9:45 a.m. tomorrow at the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge, 3920 Buena Vista Blvd, Baltimore, MD 21211. The State's Attorney and Governor will comment on the need for a continued crime-fighting partnership and strategy that addresses gang prevention, education and proposed legislation.
Not an endorsement by the SA, but pretty close ...

October 31 afternoon

On October 27 the Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted Davon Gardner, 20, of the 2500 block of Loyola Northway and Gerryl Boatwright, 17, of the 4100 block of Park Heights Avenue. on first-degree murder and other counts. Court documents allege on October 2, Antonio Manley, 17, and Master Davis, 16, were walking in the 1700 block of Castle Street when two men identified as Gardner and Boatwright began firing at the two men. Mr. Manley suffered gunshot wounds to the lower back and survived his injuries, however, Mr. Davis did not survive his injuries. Gardner and Boatwright were observed getting into a gray or silver Subaru, and fleeing from the scene. They were later stopped by Baltimore Police Officers who recovered a handgun and handgun shells wrapped in a red bandana.

Also on October 27, 2006 the Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted Braynell Gilchrist, 21, of the 2400 block of Wilgrey Court for first-degree murder. Court documents allege that on September 15, a witness reports, while in the company of Braynell Gilchrist in the 2300 block of Norfolk Street threatened to kill David Galloway. The witness reports Gilchrist approached the victim and the two men engaged in conversation, moments later Gilchrist shot the victim several times, killing him.

The Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted Earl Bazemore, 20, of the 2500 block of E. Fayette Street, and Victor Miller, 21, of the 2000 block of W. Eutaw Street, of first-degree murder and other counts. Court documents allege on September 27, 2006, Earl Bazemore and Victor Miller were in a gold colored Honda Accord that was stopped by the Baltimore City Police Officers in the 6300 block of Hudson Street. A handgun was recovered from the vehicle. The ballistics examination performed revealed the gun recovered from the vehicle was the same gun used to shoot and kill Andrew Levi Jackson, 26, on September 25, 2006.

More on the story of Sierra Swann, Nathaniel Broadway, the two infants they starved and beat to death and how not a thing has changed to prevent a similar incident from happening in the future. Pass the Prozac, this is easily, by far, the most depressing thing I've ever read about in this town, and that is saying a lot.

Zukael Stephens, charged with arson and murder in the death of Marcus Rogers in Mt. Vernon, was let out of jail by accident -- but he's back in now.
Update: The court ordered Tony Stephens Zukael, AKA Zukael Stephens, charged with murder, held without bail today. The court scheduled a preliminary hearing date of November 28, 2006.

CSA: A woman's consent to sex can't be withdrawn.

More methadone for everyone! (I thought "bupe" was the new thing?)

Rod Rosenstein is hot on the trail of child pornographers.

In White Marsh, Vernon Harris was charged with first-degree murder in the stabbing death of 46-year-old Floyd Harp.

October 31

Is it not bad enough Hopkins pays no taxes? Must we also tolerate unwitting flip-flopped hatboys with nothing to give back to this town but date rape and lawn urine? Does the school have any kind of standard of conduct beyond making profs ho a grant quota?

October 30 afternoon

Before the jury selection process began today, and as the jury pool waited in the courtroom, Nathaniel Broadway exercised his right to a plea agreement in the case of State vs. Nathaniel Broadway and pled guilty to two counts of 2nd degree murder in the deaths of one-month old twins Emunnea and Emonney, who were found starved, beaten and dead in a basement apartment with no electricity and no running water. Johns Hopkins Hospital released the children to their 17-year-old mother, Sierra Swann, in spite of being aware that she ws a drug abuser and had lost custody of her two-year-old child, and that Broadway was "beating on" Swann in the hospital room the day after she gave birth. The case outraged people nationally, but it doesn't sound like Hopkins or the DSS has changed any procedures since, in fact, funding for the DSS has been cut this year. The state will seek 50 years suspend all but 30 years. Sentencing is scheduled for January 10, 2007 before Judge Allen Schwait.

The SA's office announced that Todd Brinsley Sheridan, 30, of Fallstaff Road, was indicted for automobile manslaughter and driving under the influence of alcohol in connection with the death of 22-year-old woman Latrice Nicole Smith. On July 8 on Interstate 83 South, Sheridan's car struck a vehicle operated by Smith. She was flown to Shock Trauma but later died as a result of her injuries.