July 27 - the 1,000th post

Samuel Epps, 30, was chased and then shot to death at about 2:15 a.m. in the 1700 block of W. Baltimore Street.
And the victim found in the trunk of the car was indeed a homicide, killed by blunt-force trauma.

J'heart Judge Brooke Murdock! Not only did she shoot down the state's same-sex marraige ban, but she Reservoir Hill drug dealer Omar Parker the full 20 years for witness intimidation.

This week's Ink provides names and more details for last week's victims.

Maryland's Court of Appeals ruled that says that police officers can be sued for libel if they make false statements to obtain a search warrant.

Eleven boys have come forward to accuse Dundalk perv Robert Paul Layton of various sex offenses. He also faces federal indictment on child pornography charges. Gross. You may remember Layton as the guy with a pool table in his basement who plied young boys with booze and weed (<- WBAL audio link from last February).

In HoCo, Pastor Gerald Griffith, 41, got 15 years yesterday on two counts of sexual abuse of a minor.

Following the Michael Vick business, Baltimore is stepping up its investigaton of dogfights.

Some half-baked and twisted Chubby Hubbies broke three glass windows at the Inner Harbor Ben & Jerry's.

July 26

Baltimore City has identified five of its schools as "perpetually dangerous": 'to get on the list, 2 1/2 percent of its student body must have been suspended for arson, possessing a weapon or drugs, assaulting a teacher or other student, or sexual assault.' The list includes 'Calverton Middle School, Thurgood Marshall Middle School, Dr. Roland Patterson Academy, Dr. W.E.B DuBois Senior High School and the Liberal Arts Academy at Walbrook Campus'. The really amazing thing? Fewer than 200 students have transfered out of those schools, despite the fact that the designation allows any student who wishes to transfer.

A Lot of Jays: Jarrett Johnson, 22; Jerard Kane, 20; and Jonathan Kane, 21, identified as the three men who shot and wounded a man early yesterday morning.

So much for that murder-free streak: Body Found in Trunk. I guess the question is when, and how, he died. (I mean, if he was playing hide-and-seek and couldn't get back out of the trunk...)

Those thugs who acid-burned a toddler are to be tried as juveniles. Big surprise, the victim's mother wasn't happy and

broke into tears and walked out of the courtroom.

"I hope you guys are happy," the mother, Carol Duschl, later yelled at the defendants as they walked down a hallway. "A slap on the wrist. It's OK."

Drowning victim? Maybe the water in the Patapsco River is so polluted the river itself wants to get in on the homicide action!

AACo: South River High teacher gets charged for enjoying too much touching his underage students.

The Baltimore County Police Department's version of the Vietnam Memorial is "inaccessible". Wait, does Baltimore City PD have their own memorial to fallen officers? Because if Baltimore County = Vietnam, then Baltimore City = ______?

Rear Windowesque: the video of a street drug deal/robbery/shooting is on YouTube (and you can read the article, too).

An armed robbery of a Korean grocery is reported in the blogosphere after being ignored by the mass media: "Yesterday. July 25, at about 1:30 PM, three men came in to the store with handguns, and pointed them at customer's heads demanding money, cell phones, credit cards, etc.. but a BPD unit happened to be out front a few moments later (they were not alerted - just on rounds), and they captured the assailants. Today, [the owner] looked quiet, scared, sad, and uncertain. Mostly traumatized. This needs to stop - now." Amen.

July 25

The Baltimore branch of the NAACP wants citizens to get windowastic to display their outrage over the city's homicide rate.

Yesterday, I posted about a potential plan to create a gun registry, similar to the sex registry which already exists. Orlando Yarborough can be on both registries! What a lucky guy, huh?

CNN: Processed cheese stands in for a bomb during a possible terrorist dry-run in Baltimore, and other fun news from an unclassified TSA advisory.

Either I'm confused or WJZ is confused (or maybe we're both confused): isn't a "home invasion" generally a rather violent event which happens when the family is home? Because that's sort of always how I've taken to understand the phrase. I guess it's just another way of saying "burglary", and hopefully a.) no one gets hurt and b.) they get the dog back.

Baltimore City might take lessons from Baltimore County's squadPolice CAT Squad:

"A soft-spoken guy, Martin explains how the CAT Squad operates. "You throw a rock in some water, the rock is concentrated action there,” he says. “It disperses the water. We try to do the same thing with crime, by dispersing the crime, reducing the crime and get it out of different areas."

Hey, the headline writes the blurb: Pressures dictate plea deals, But sentences in city homicide cases aren't necessarily a bargain for the convicted.

A friend of mine once said Baltimore City was a lot like Mexico City: if you stick to the touristy areas, you'll be fine. Not quite so much -- three arrested in a shooting that left a man wounded in downtown last night.

There's a tidbit in that above article: "the city's last homicide occurred Thursday afternoon." Is this deserving of a celebration or just the result of dumb luck?

July 24

The City Police Union likes Mitchell for mayor, a decision that

the city's rank and file is dissatisfied with her policing decisions.

"We believe we will see change and progress under him," Blair [president of the city's police union] said. "And he'll be a mayor that realizes that law enforcement is very critical in the city and would make it his top priority that we're properly staffed and given the proper equipment and leadership."

Ouch.

Speaking of "new leadership", ex-commish Kevin Clark wants his old job back.

“As I see it, the city is in crisis, but I could turn this around in no time ... It’s my job.”

Continuing the theme of "new leadership" ... some of the "old leadership" is getting canned (er, sorry, "retiring.")

A busy weekend for police in AACo, and a bad weekend for dangerous fugitives!

There's only one thing you should be doing behind the wheel of a car: not text messaging, not reading the paper, not playing with yourself or receiving favors from your loved one leaning over from the passenger seat (remember that scene in Parenthood?). Not even daydreaming! Nope, the only thing you should be doing behind the wheel of a car is paying attention. This is a lesson Christopher Austin Carey, 17, will hopefully be more aware of in the future.

In a case of car v bike, the car wins --

An 8-year-old boy riding a bicycle was struck by a car in Southwest Baltimore shortly before 2:30 p.m. Monday and was taken to the Johns Hopkins Hospital's pediatric intensive care unit for treatment of a minor head injury, police said.

I don't think it's going too far out on a limb to say the driver "wasn't paying attention." Also: don't play in the streets, kids.

Mayor Dixon Proposes Public Registry of Gun Offenders: Too far? Or not far enough? I guess we'll know if the NRA gets itself involved.

A Baltimore resident, and member of MS-13, is off to jail. I wonder how the accommodations are?

Timothy Hartlove's sentence revisited: four years for "conspiring to distribute methamphetamine worth about $50,000." His original sentence was six years.

Former state Senator Bromwell pleads guilty for racketeering and tax evasion. A guilty politician? Perish the thought.

July 23

Maybe they've been throwing out seafood in the department's dumpster? Have you ever smelled a dumpster full of rotting fish? Gag on a stick! Seriously:

Something at the Baltimore City Police Department smells fishy to mayoral candidate Keiffer Mitchell, who on Sunday called for a federal audit of the city’s crime statistics.

The Baltimore City councilman will deliver a letter today asking for a Federal Bureau of Investigation audit, he said.

Mayoral candidate Del. Jill Carter has called for an independent audit of the city’s crime statistics, which show a 16 percent increase in homicides and a 32 percent increase in shootings, but a 17 percent decrease in violent crime.

In response, Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon’s spokesman Anthony McCarthy said, “If we can find a third party to audit crime statistics, we’re all for it.”

A long time ago I worked at a place where we made "soda missiles." We'd take bottles of soda, shake them up, stand at the top of the parking lot, and hurtle them towards the dumpster down the hill. When they hit, they'd explode. We did this when no one was around, of course (because they would've told on us). However, "soda bombs" are a bit more serious, even if hearing the term makes me chuckle:

“It’s nothing like a pipe bomb or dynamite, ... but it’s still in that category,” said Jason Mowbray, deputy chief state fire marshal.

What do the members of MADD do at a police checkpoint? Smack the drunks with rolled up pamphlets? They should!

In the blotter, lots of break-ins. Be on the lookout for the landscaper thief:

A lawnmower, three ladders, a gas-operated leaf blower and two hedge trimmers were stolen over the weekend...

Brief Update: Dan Roderick has reprinted an anonymous e-mail from a Baltimore City Police Detective regarding the state -- or lack thereof -- of police leadership in the department:

First of all, "Zero Tolerance" is not currently the "Mission Statement" of the Baltimore City Police Department. I can't tell you what the Mission Statement is, because I don't know. Many of us in the rank and file do not. I don't really even think there is one. Oh, sure, we have had "pep talks" given by then Deputy Commissioner Bealefeld (now Acting Commissioner) and by Mayor Dixon, but those speeches focused on a general idea of what needs to happen in the City. There was no clear plan laid out... just ideas such as "omnipresence" and "getting back into the community."

Before I go, I must say I hope that Mangalore Chetan (or wait, is Mangalore a place?) will write more essays about our city that go into greater depth than "A City Called Baltimore - Pride Owner of Great Ethnic Variety"

Some of the streets of Baltimore give you a feeling of being in the outskirts of Mumbai, with tiny houses, lack of hygiene, people loitering about doing nothing. ... But how did it all happen? Just in the neighborhood of the Capital of United States, such a misery?

July 22, Evening

Hey'all! While Cybrarian's away on vay-kay-shun, I'm holding down the fort here at Bawlmerkram until her return (don't worry, she'll be back Thursday, so I won't have many opportunities to screw up, hopefully).

In AACo, guns and alcohol don't mix. Or, to be specific, badges and alcohol don't mix.

Very To Be Mildly Confusing Word Order, JayZee!, in Very Censorship Disturbing? In future, for great controversy avoidance, perhaps for to be arresting for when not anti-Bush buttons selling. (Am I overdoing it? For surely!)

July 22

A gunfight at round 2 .am. last night near Power Point Live, and 25-year-old 25-year-old army Corporal Alexander Larkin lost to a city cop.

Friday, brand-new commissioner Bealefeld took the genius step of firing notoriously unhelpful police spokesman Matt Jablow, replacing him with one Sterling Clifford. Said the CP of Jablow last September,

"he's declared himself an obstructionist to some of [the CP staff], saying we can only get information from him at the end of the statutory limits of the Maryland Public Information Act. He chalked this line for us in a threat, issued to try to keep us from printing on-the-record comments of his that he regretted. Then he took to ignoring some of our calls altogether."

Rodericks: give zero-tolerance a chance

Stat of the Day: "Blacks in the United States are imprisoned at more than five times the rate of whites, and Hispanics are locked up at nearly double the white rate," according to a study released Wednesday by the Sentencing Project, a "think tank" that opposes mandatory minimum prison terms.

July 21

Was the killing of Rosedale resident Carl Lackl really because he was planning to testify in a murder case? "Or was his death a drive-by shooting for no other reason than the shooter’s desire to do something 'crazy?'"

The city police pension board may have let Marcus Brown's million-something retirement payoff stand, but Chairman of the Police Pension Board, Steven Fugate, is still fuming, calling Marcus Brown a "crooked cop."

Former Senator Thomas "I don't use the N-word, but he was an N" Bromwell pled guilty to federal racketeering and tax crimes, "ending one of the state's largest corruption investigations in many years."
Will he soon resign from the board of First Mariner Bank?

In MoCo, a Liberian immigrant raped and molested a 7-year-old relative, but because of the difficulties finding an interpreter, after three years the case was dismissed.

July 20 evening edition

Monday the Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted Tracy* Asbury, 37, of the 4800 block of Pennington Avenue for first-degree murder and other charges. Police arrested Asbury in Talbot County today. Court documents allege Tracy Asbury and two other co-defendants were responsible for an incident on June 20, 2007 in which the body of Phillip Calvin Airey Jr. was found in a burning car on Route 295 in Linthicum. Airey had been beaten and stabbed before the car was set on fire. Robert Speake and Michael Martin were indicted on the same charges. An arraignment is scheduled for August 17, 2007 before Judge John M. Glynn, Room 236, Mitchell Courthouse. Homicide Division Chief and Assistant State’s Attorney Mark Cohen will prosecute this case.
* A male name in the South and a girl's name to Yankees, so could be male or female.

Two dead baby stories in one day! Sarah Wolf, 20, of Baltimore, was charged in VA with with improper disposal of a dead body after putting her newborn in a Dumpster after giving birth in a public restroom.

Sherman Kemp, featured in "Stop Fucking Snitching," was indicted on cocaine-related charges.

Two non-fatal shootings this afternoon in Northeast Baltimore: a man was shot in the back in the 1600 block of Ramblewood St., and a man was shot in the side in the 3500 block of East Northern Parkway.

July 20

A man was shot to the death in the 3100 block of Belair Road, and a man was shot in the Northwest.

An acquaintence of the comatose Zach Sowers recounts how the teenaged suspects smirked and laughed during the arraignment.

Another prolicide case goes to court: Megan Patria, 17, who presumably sucessfully hid her pregnancy from the world, gave birth on a toilet and threw the baby away in a plastic bag. The next day, says the SA, "she showed off her slimmed figure, watched a movie at home with a friend and went out to dinner with family and friends."

"Mr. Hamm could be excused for feeling a bit of whiplash; an absurd moment came this summer when 85 homicide detectives in this homicide-burdened city were taken off the job and dispatched, temporarily, to augment street patrols."
Whose decision were the foot patrols? Boo, passive voice!

How many times do we have to tell you people, if you're driving with 30 pounds of drugs in the car, watch the road!!

AAC caught itself an airport hooker.
(A most popular & lucrative profession)

A woman died after falling off the 65-foot roof of the Museum of Industry as she tried to climb onto a neon sign.

Evening

Meet the new commissioner (for now), Frederick H. Bealefeld III, who will likely keep the job until at least after the election. Will he have a plan of his own, or be expected to work his way through Dixon's PowerPoint? (Or was it his PowerPoint all along?)
Her Honor said nothing about the Brown pension scandal, the missing documents or the murder rate, but instead attributes the resignation she says that she asked for was because she "wasn't feeling the results" and "wasn't feeling that drive like I wanted to" and that the decision was difficult, but not because of Keiffer telling me to do this."
Yeah, well, I for one don't buy it... I don't think she had a clue!
She was just talking a month ago about what a bad idea a change of leadership would be!

Madison Smartt Bell has a piece about his Baltimore jury duty experience (MD vs. Crudup) in the Oxford American (a regional-interest magazine that slants itself as "the Southern New Yorker")

Jessamy: Dixon Wants my Opinion!

Jessamy's office released a statement on the Hamm resignation:

“It appears that the failed policing strategies of the O’Malley years have finally come to an end. For the first time, after a succession of eight police commissioners serving the Mayor O’Malley administration, Mayor Dixon has sought my opinion and counsel on how we can work together in the best interest of our citizens. I believe that this type of partnership will make a difference and end this deadly grip of violence on our city.

In a period of almost eight years, the former mayor never sought my input on any crime strategy or plan, technology or legislation that would help reduce crime in Baltimore. It is a refreshing and welcome change that Mayor Dixon sees the importance of such a collaboration. I am energized by the Mayor’s vision and optimistic that this commitment will yield results for our citizens and I pledge my support to her efforts. I believe in Baltimore. I want what is best for our citizens.

I am delighted that Mayor Dixon has asked for my participation in the Mayor’s national search efforts. I am happy to serve in this capacity.

Finally, I applaud the many hard working police officers who put their lives on the line every day and I stand by their efforts to make our citizens safe. They deserve our full appreciation and support.”

Patricia C. Jessamy, Baltimore City State’s Attorney
July 19, 2007

July 19

On Tuesday, a 29-year-old man was shot in the neck died in the 6100 block of Fortview Way.
Wednesday, Steven Brandon Sr., 41, was shot in the head about 5 p.m. in the 2800 block of Round Road in Cherry Hill and died a short time later at Harbor Hospital.

More on the Hamm story. The Sun reports that Dixon asked him to resign Tuesday night.

"Bupe" works okay, but not as well as methodone.

Why didst God smite the Baptist Church? Probably for buying a $150k Bentley Arnage with church funds rather than by paying their hefty debts!
(Then again, maybe the insurance check is God's way of repaying them for their abundant faith!)

Speaking of abundant faith, nervy candidate Jill Carter will be spending the night tonight at the crime-ridden intersection of Milton and East Biddle Streets, and tomorrow she'll be at Fayette and Monroe. Says Carter, "It is sending a message that we will not accept that our corners will be taken over."

This just in...

Hamm = out!
...but is it at Dixon's request? Sounds like she didn't even know he was planning to resign until JZ leaked the news!

At a hearing today James Summerville, 18, of the 800 block of N. Arlington Ave. pled guilty to second-degree murder and use of a deadly weapon (knife). Judge Lynn K. Stewart sentenced Summerville to 30 years in prison suspending all but 20 and four years probation. On March 3, 2007 in a house on the 700 block of N. Carey Street, Summerville assaulted Artesha Moses, 19, his girlfriend and the mother of his two-year old son. On March 27, 2007 Summerville fatally stabbed Moses at the same location, seven days after she sought a restraining order. Assistant State’s Attorney Lisa Phelps prosecuted this case.

As expected, the four alleged assailants of Zach Sowers pled not guilty today.

July 18

An unidentified 29-year-old man was killed shortly after 11 p.m. in the 6100 block of Fortview Way in O'Donnell Heights.

The City Paper covers this week's murders and has updates:

• Christine Richardson, 15


• Clayborn Johnson, 59


• Ashley Bellosi, 23


• an unidentified man in an alley in the 200 block of Herring Court near Fells Point


• Jerry Crosby, 24


• Yemel McMillian, 20


• an unidentified man shot several times in the 1800 block of North Gay Street


• Wayne White, 24


• Maurice White, 22


• Earl Williams, 26

Blotter: Two teenage boys and a girl were shot in the chest, a man was slashed in the chest, plenty of break-ins.
(The Sun has a new look, but the Blotter is still in progress!)

A convicted cat stomper has been freed after being sexually abused in jail.

“It reminded me to buy Mace again,” said Katherine Kunkel of Burtonsville of the Columbia mall stalking/fondling incident.

More on the Cummings/PJ request for $90 million for U.S. Marshals to protect witnesses (the current Baltimore City witness assistence program consists of two people, I believe).
Like the new "comments"!

O'Malley is endorsing Stephanie for City Council President.

O'Malley's endorsement of Stephanie Rawlings-Blake...	... makes me more likely to vote for her ... makes me less likely to vote for her ... doesn't matter because I would never vote for that bitch reminds me of why I fell in love with her in the first place
	Current Results

Today a city jury convicted Myron Merrill Gladney, 20, of the 1600 block of Shady Side Road, of attempted first-degree murder, use of a handgun in the commission of a crime of violence and witness intimidation. The jury deliberated approximately 1:40 following one day of testimony. Judge John C. Themelis scheduled sentencing for September 5, 2007 and Gladney faces a possible maximum prison term of life plus 25 years. Details...

Evidence introduced at trial proved that Gladney approached Stephen Arrington as he waited for a bus in the 3400 block of The Alameda on April 6, 2005 and told him not to come to court. Arrington was scheduled to testify against Gladney’s brother in a homicide trial the next day. Myron Gladney left the area then returned a few minutes later with a handgun and chased Arrington across The Alameda where he eventually shot him in the back.

Arrington eventually did testify in Anthony Gladney’s murder trial and Anthony Gladney was acquitted of murder by a city jury July 20, 2005. Arrington also testified this week and positively identified Myron Gladney as the man who shot him.

Assistant State’s Attorney Lisa Phelps said calling this case “witness intimidation does not adequately describe the horrific and brazen nature of what Gladney did to the victim in this case.”

Congressman Elijah Cummings plans to ask Congress for $90 million to help the city fight witness intimidation, he recently met with Alberto Gonzales to talk about the issue.

July 17

A man was shot to death last night in the 3400 block of St. Ambrose Ave. in the NW (#181).

More witness intimidation: Myron Gladney, brother of murder suspect Anthony Gladney, is accused of shooting a witness while he waited for a bus on The Alameda.

With four suspects expected to plead not guilty to attempted murder tomorrow, Zach Sowers remains in a coma. Family and friends have organized a "Neighbors Night Out Against Crime" in various bars for August 5 to help raise money for Sowers' medical bills.

Kevin "Chopper" Barnes, former star of the MTV reality show "Making the Band 2" pleaded guilty to robbing a couple with a BB gun six years ago when he was 16. Now a judge has issued a bench warrant for his arrest for failing to meet with his probation officer.

Clothing confiscated from a police officer accused of sexually assaulting a teenager at a precinct house has gone missing from the police department's evidence control unit.

History corner: Baltimore's most murderous year was 1993during the Schmoke Years, when, with a population of about 724,000, 353 people were killed. As the body count piles up for 2007, Dixon blames the judiciary, and Judge Glynn blames The People: "If the citizens want to know what the problem is, I suggest they look at themselves. And, of course, the politicians are no better than citizens. But the heart of this problem lies with the citizens of Baltimore. They commit the crimes. They don't testify against the criminals. And they don't vote to convict the guilty."

The City Council race is "neck-and-neck" between the two 'legacy' candidates.

Tune in...

.... I'll be on the Marc Steiner show on 88.1 FM at noon tomorrow.

July 16

It was, they say, one of the deadliest weekends of the year, with five murders:

• Earl Thomas Williams, 26, lying in the middle of the street in the 2100 block of Koko Lane, in West Baltimore's Panway/Braddish Avenue neighborhood;


• Maurice G. White, 22, and Wayne G. White, 24, who were not related, killed in the 5700 block of Radecke Ave. in the NE;


• An UnID'd 24-year-old man, shot in the 1800 block of N. Gay St.;


• and Yemel McMillian, 20, was shot several times in the 2800 block of Boarman Ave. in Northwest Baltimore

The Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted Michael Martin, 28, of the 200 block of Allwood Road and Robert Speake, 19, of the 4900 block of Brookwood Road for first-degree murder and other charges. Court documents allege Michael Martin and Robert Speake are the suspects responsible for an incident on June 20, 2007. The body of Phillip Calvin Airey Jr. was found in a burning car on Route 295 in Linthicum. Airey had been beaten and stabbed before the car was set on fire. An arraignment is scheduled for August 17, 2007 before Judge John M. Glynn.

The Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted Maurice Crosby, 19, of the 5200 block of Ready Avenue and Erica Ammenhauser, 21, of the 200 block of Durham Street for first-degree murder and other charges. Court document allege that Maurice Crosby and Erica Ammenhauser was responsible for a stabbing incident on June 10, 2007 in the unit block of S. Chapel Street. Michael Simms, 19, was involved in an altercation with the two individuals when he was stabbed. He died later at Johns Hopkins Hospital.

A relative of a female witness to the Christine Richardson murder tells the Examiner that neighbors have driven her out of the city with violent threats.

PG County had their second-deadliest weekend this year, with three murders in six hours.

Montgomery County also had a violent weekend, with a man shot in Rockville and another guy stabbed in his Silver Spring condo.

City Solicitor George A. Nilson said Marcus Brown's sweetheart pension deal was "within both the letter and the spirit" of the law.

What the?!! "Baltimore Mayor Sheila Dixon holds a formidable lead over her rivals in this year's Democratic primary campaign, even though nearly half the voters surveyed believe the city is on the wrong track."

Near Elkton, Maryland's second patricide in a week: Eugene Pritchard Junior, 30, was arrested after his van crashed into a tree, with Eugene senior, 69, murdered inside (?).

In the county, a man was stabbed in the stomach at Delli's Bar in the Golden Ring area.

WBAL and Fox alarmed early-morning viewers with a "loud beep" and fake Amber alert.

July 15

Pollsters: Baltimoreans are "obsessed" with crime.

Bastille Day

Baltimore police said yesterday they had obtained an arrest warrant for a man accused of fatally beating Ashley Marie Bellosi, 23, in her apartment in the 800 block of St. Paul St. in Mt. Vernon on July 7. Bellosi died Wednesday the 11th.

DNA testing and the Cold Case Squad solved the 18-year-old murder of Lisa Barselou, found dead in her Bolton Hill bathtub.

Suburbs
In the county, creepy Timothy Gounaris, left, got 18 months for sexually abusing a student.

WashCo.: former Klavern head Gordon C. Young was acquitted of charges that he sexually assaulted his 15-year-old adopted sister.

Anne Arundel County police have charged 42-year-old John Bealefeld in the death of his father, 78-year-old Maurice Bealefeld.

In honor of the Wig ladies, the Post compiles a list of other nicknamed bandits.

In Cecil Co., Bonnie dumped douche Charles Azain, who then sought revenge by writing the 54-page "Bonnie Chronicles" and sending it to everyone she knew.

July 13

Two murders on the East side last night: a man was stabbed to death near the Perkins Homes, a man was shot in the 400 block of North Bouldin Street at about 7:30 p.m. Also on the East side, Clayborn Johnson, 59, died Tuesday after being beaten on Sunday in the 2000 block of North Bentalou Street. And in the Western, a man on his stoop was shot in the arm.

Wanted:
City police are seeking Black "Gorilla"* Kevin Armstead, 24, of the 700 block of E. 43rd St., in the fatal shooting of Ricardo Paige, 54, whose body was found in a vacant house in Pen Lucy. (Thanks for the picture Durham)
*Er, shouldn't that be "black guerrilla family" ?

A robber is following elderly people home from the bank.

Like a beached fish with ADD, "Just a week after she indicated that police retention is a more pressing problem than recruitment, Mayor Sheila Dixon yesterday announced a series of steps to enhance police recruitment while mentioning no concrete plans for improving retention rates," which the spokescop of the police union says depend on "working conditions, leadership, equipment and, at the very end, wages."
Meanwhile, Mitchell's campaigning on a 15% across-the-board pay raise for the police.

A boy was shot in the leg near Milford Mill Academy, an 18-year-old woman hit a 25-year-old with a plank in the SE, and plenty of robbing and burgling in the Blotter.

Yesterday Judge John C. Themelis sentenced Leshawn Calvin Greene, 24, of the 2500 block of North Edgecomb Court to Life plus 95 consecutive years in prison for the murder and attempted murders of four juveniles in a shoot-out in a pizza shop on July, 16, 2005 in the 1300 block of Poplar Grove. Details:

A city jury convicted Greene on May 10, 2007 of entering the pizza shop and shooting at the victims as they were waiting for their food order. Mr. Javon Lee, 16, died from his injuries; the other three victims suffered non-life threatening injuries: Renard Hunt, 16, of 3100 Westmont Court, James King, 17, of 1400 Poplar Grove and Marvin Williams, 17, of 1200 Ashburton Street.

During the course of the trial, an identifying witness, Pharoah Carr, and a close friend of Greene, left Maryland to avoid testifying at trial. Prosecutor Diana Smith successfully used a provision in the new witness intimidation passed by the legislature in 2005 that allowed her to offer Carr’s photo identification and taped statement despite Carr’s absence. After the Court granted the State’s motion to allow the photo array and taped statements into evidence, Carr appeared for trial.

In a most unusual move (for a non-election year), the SA's office and the Mayor's office issued a joint press release on the Greene conviction.

First "Little" Al Gore, now the son of the civil rights director for the Maryland attorney general's office, Kojo Snowden, is having drug problems: he and 11 others were charged with selling the doobage. Little S and friends face a broad gamut of potential penalties: something between a year in jail and $1,000, to five years and a $15,000 fine.

You Might be a Redneck If ... you're a 41-year-old former KKK leader on trial for sexually assaulting your 15-year-old sister.

We'll soon be bidding a sad adieu to the Magnet Bar, best known as the quintessential dive near North Avenue where local service workers can grab an after-work quaff at 4 a.m. But the shell of the Chesapeake on Charles and E. Lanvale, an eyesore for 30+ years, gets to stay an eyesore.

July 12

The tragic tale of stabbed teen Christine Richardson is becoming clearer: the suspect, Calvin Puryear, 19, was not her current 22-year-old boyfriend, but rather her ex-boyfriend who was upset about the breakup. Puryear had perviously threatened Richardson with violence, telling her mom "If I can't have her, I'm gonna hurt her." However, police say, Puryear claims it was family friend Lloyd Chase (as seen interviewed on television and himself Richardson's "brother" to a Sun reporter) who fatally stabbed her (but mom believes Chase is innocent.)
And why isn't Puryear being charged with rape?

WYPR: "Optimist" Jessamy "Unfazed by Baltimore's Ranking as Nation's Most-Violent City"
Remarks the top prosecutor, "crime is really kind of cyclical. It goes up. And some years, it goes down," but goes on to say,

About 10 years ago, if you had asked a group of children, if you had 30 young people, and you had asked them if anyone had witnessed a violent act, if anyone ever had a loved one become the victim of a violent act, or who had been killed as the result of a homicide, you might have had five or 10 of those kids to raise their hands. Now, you have 20.

Jessamy goes on to blame the City's parents, saying Baltimore's grownups "need to shoulder their responsibilities as adults to help prevent crime before it starts."

A 16-year-old and a 23-year-old survived after they were shot while stooping in the SW.

The Ink provides some names for the unknown and notes that one Mario Mauro, a 53-year-old white man, has been added to the homicide tally.

A "Wig Lady" grifter, 47-year-old Jacqueline Elaine Belim (the younger friend of Carol Silva), got 61 months in federal prison.

July 11

UPDATE: Calvin Puryear, 19, and 17-year-old Lloyd Chase have been arrested for 15-year-old Christine Richardson's murder. Puryear claims Lloyd Chase actually stabbed Richardson after they both had consentual sex with her, and Puryear held her down.
More details.
Her mother's theory as of yesterday: it was not the boyfriend whom the victim met "four years ago" (she was 11?), but rather local junkies who were demanding to do drugs in the house.
(What the Sun story above hints at but doesn't say: Richardson was multiracial with a white mom and a "#1" dad... wonder how the city will classify her?)

A 16-year-old was shot on Dulaney Street last night.

The first-degree murder trial of Patrick Byers was postponed yesterday as police investigate a possible link between that city case and the shooting death of its main witness, Carl Stanley Lackl.

Blotterata: A woman was stabbed in the neck on the 6100 block of Eastern Avenue; a 14-year-old-boy selling water on the side of the road was robbed by an older man with a knife.
A 24-year-old woman is wanted for stabbing a 20-year-old in the stomach; murder and rape arrests; Shantel, Sharon and Tnesha were arrested on Lexington and Greene for illegal gun possession.

Yesterday the Baltimore Grand Jury indicted Charles Brockington for second-degree murder. Brockington shot a man who he believed had stolen rims from his Mercedes.

Dixon: we need a weekend court session.
Jessamy's office: don't hold your breath.

Thieves: Harford County pawn shops are your best bet!

Camp counselor Dion Harvey Montgomery, 18, was arrested over the weekend in Gaithersburg in a string of robberies and sex assaults that targeted Latino women.

Rodricks = being his usual fucking annoying self.

God Smites Baptist Church

July 10

A 14- or possibly 15-year-old girl named Christine was found dead in a house in the 300 block of S. Fulton Ave. in "hardscrabble" Southwest Baltimore, shortly after 2 a.m. this morning.

A Randallstown male counselor at a home for troubled boys was shot in the stomach and isn't doing too well. More details

Death penalty supporters are annoyed by the governor's "de facto moratorium" ass-draggage.

How flaccid is Team Dixon? She tried to have a felon released for his son's funeral, but wasn't able to use her Mayorial pull to get him out of the state-run Central Booking. Now she says she never should have tried in the first place, because the guy's got a scary criminal record (well he is in jail!). Someone teach that woman to use the "JIS"!

Olesker reports on that great Baltimore pastime, stoopin and watching the shit go down.

"Heroin County" is turning to coke.

Christopher Gary, accused of fatally shooting his mother in Prince George's County, committed suicide by cop in PGC.

I wonder how much the Annapolis Mast Thieves would charge to get rid of the blight in front of the train station?

Afternoon

Herve Massaba must take great comfort in the political posturing about how the only people affected by crime in Baltimore are the people who are involved in crime in Baltimore. Of course, this happened in Baltimore County, so maybe things are different out there. Interestingly, the article in the Sun did not mention the woman who was paralyzed after being shot in the neck in Fells Point a few days before Massaba was shot.

The reckless endangerment trial against Shanda Harris has been postponed until September 5. Harris is the mother of 11-year-old Irvin Harris, who was allegedly murdered by babysitter / convicted sex offender Melvin Jones.

The first-degree murder trial against Melvin "Tight Rope" Faulkner is scheduled to begin tomorrow. Faulkner is accused of murdering Pierre Alston at 3620 Edmondson Ave. on May 5, 2006.

Kevin Warren was arrested during a traffic stop on July 6, shortly after being featured on America's Most Wanted. Warren was charged with first- and second-degree murder for killing 13-year-old Briona Porter during a robbery of her family's new ice cream truck.

July 9

The man who was fatally shot in a triple shooting on Friday night was identified as 25-year-old George Thomas Johnson. The shooting was originally reported as being in the 1900 block of E. Lafayette Ave., but is now listed around the corner in the 800 block of N. Payson St.

A 27-year-old man is suspected in a fatal domestic shooting in Bowie that left the man's mother dead.

There was a shooting this morning in the 3700 block of Offutt Rd. in Randallstown. Last night, two men were injured in two separate shootings, one in the 700 block of N. Rose St., and one in the 2000 block of Westwood Ave.

Two bottle bombs blew up in a Harford County parking lot on Sunday morning, and two undetonated bombs required bomb squad intervention.

HoCo PD's school resource officers have kept busy this year, with everything from stolen gift cards to kids carrying assault weapons (to protect themselves from gangs, of course).

Don't mess with the Girl Scouts.

July 7

Sorry for the Sun-heavy post today; with the exception of the Harford hammer beater, you might as well just go read the Sun.

The body of Phyllis S. Johnson was found by her son in her home in the 1700 block of N. Broadway in Oliver. She had been stabbed and was lying in a pool of blood. Also in Oliver, the man whose body was found in a garbage bag behind a house in the 1500 block of N. Bond St. has been ID'd as 52-year-old Christopher M. Barrett.

An unidentified man was fatally shot in the head last night in the 1900 block of W. Lafayette Ave. Another man and a woman were also shot at the same time.

In Harford County, 17-year-old Andrew E. Bogris allegedly attacked another 17-year-old with a hammer after arguing over a girl.

Kelly Schreck was arrested after five dead dogs, four starving dogs, and four starving cats were found in her Glen Burnie house. She's being held on $800,000 bail, the highest amount ever for an animal cruelty case in AAC.

The BPD, Hopkins, and the people of Charles Village are all a bit freaked out about the attempted abduction of a 29-year-old JHU grad student.

Joseph C. Schultz was given $1.3M after getting shot in the face by an FBI agent in 2002.

Sheila D. fought to allow Charles Murel out of jail long enough to attend his son's funeral. His son was the 3-year-old boy who was hit by a car on June 30 on W. Lanvale St.

July 6

Police found the car that fatally struck Pedro Colon on Dundalk Ave. early Wednesday morning, but they haven't located the driver.

Two men in a black SUV tried to abduct a Hopkins student in the 100 block of W. 29th St. yesterday morning, but fled when she screamed and witnesses ran to help her.

More on the drive-by yesterday morning in a downtown parking garage.

Bryant Mitchell Johnson is wanted for a whole bunch of bank robberies.

Vandals targeted 15 cars and a house in Hamilton.

A push for $2M to recruit city cops is falling on deaf ears. Sheila D. says we're meeting our recruiting goals (despite having at least 140 unfilled positions), and we shouldn't use the city's "rainy day fund" for this. Meanwhile, there are a paltry 21,000 open city warrants (that's the conservative number) and 79 officers to work on them. (Baltimore Crime loves us some math: if each officer closes a measly 53 warrants per day, and no new crimes are committed, we'd have a clean slate in a week!)

Two more dismissals of BCFD fire commanders for negligence and incompetence.

Darryl E. Green got two consecutive life sentences plus 40 years for killing Vanessa and Bianca Price in 1992.

The Examiner has a homicide Q&A for HoCo State's Attorney Tim McCrone.

Cory Booker

There's an interesting article about Cory Booker and his first year as mayor of Newark, NJ, in the Newark Star-Ledger (June 24, 2007, "Booker redirects his anger at the war on drugs"). His words almost sound like Mayor Dixon's, but Booker claims he's willing to go to jail to make things change. Sitting in jail is a far cry from riding around on a garbage truck.

"I'm going to battle on this," the mayor says. "We're going to start doing it the gentlemanly way. And then we're going to do the civil disobedience way. Because this is absurd ... I'm talking about marches. I'm talking about sit-ins at the state capital. I'm talking about whatever it takes."

There's also a series of articles in the New York Times on Booker's first year as mayor. The most recent part of the series details dissent in Newark, some from supporters of former mayor Sharpe James, and some from people who feel Booker has broken campaign promises.

July 5

According to "Murder Ink," the death of Philip Airey (the man who was killed and stuffed in the trunk of a burning car) has been added to the city's murder toll because, "Maryland State Police contacted Baltimore police and told them that they had evidence that the murder actually occurred in a building in the 4800 block of Pennington Avenue in Curtis Bay, making it a Baltimore City homicide." There were also updates on several homicides, including several cases that were closed.

A man in West Baltimore got shot in the leg after he cut a cop's face.

An Essex woman who was partying in Fells Point was paralyzed after she was shot in the neck by some people with whom she and/or her friends were arguing. WBAL doesn't report what day the shooting occurred, but they do tell us that "police are looking for black men in connection with the shooting."

A man died yesterday after being the victim of a hit-and-run in Dundalk.

Two people were shot early this morning in a parking garage just west of the main library and north of Lexington Market.

An 18-year-old was arrested in Ellicott City after police found a bomb in his car.

Sumathi Reddy and John Fritze at the Sun profile a few of your City Council candidates, those of us who are brave/crazy/driven enough to want a job that "is far from glamorous, (and has) had less and less influence in recent decades over citywide problems such as crime and education. Like the Maryland General Assembly, the council has virtually no power over the budget, and many members spend significant effort on nonbinding resolutions."

Well, that narrows it down...

"witnesses said they heard a gun shot and found the victim slumped over ... Police are looking for black men in connection with the shooting."

(Thanks Jeffrey)

July 4

More on the murder of defense witness Carl Stanley Lackl, who was set to testify in the homicide trial of Patrick Byers that was scheduled to begin on July 10.

There are some reports in yesterday's comments about a murder in the 1100 block of Greenmount Ave. on Monday night, but I can't find anything about it.

Kevin Mark Warren has been identified as a suspect in the ice-cream-truck murder of 13-year-old Briona Jasmine Porter.

An inmate was stabbed at the Maryland Correctional Institute in Jessup last night.

A man with a gun was arrested at the second hole of the Longview Golf Course in Cockeysville.

Juvon Curtis Harris was arrested for fatally shooting Taavon Chambers in the parking lot of the Windsor Inn.

Jason Chen got 20 years for murdering his father with a steak knife in their Ellicott City home in 2005.

A robber in Frederick was arrested after calling one of his victims and demanding more money.

Operation Safe Streets East is trying to take back an East Baltimore neighborhood.

Dear readers, when posting the Mayorial poll, I inadvertently omitted the heir apparent.
The poll has been redone and you can vote again. Sorry for the oversight.
ps. yes I'm still in China, where Blogger is blocked ... one can create posts, but not view them. Please kiss the ground for me this July 4!

from Beijing Xinhua Domestic News Service:
"it is necessary to announce to the world the human rights violations in the United States ... In American society, excessive violence has resulted in ineffective protection of human life and personal safety."
"Indiscriminate arrests are [a] serious problem ... [in Baltimore in 2002,] Prosecutors declined to charge in 24 percent of the cases. Two-thirds of the cases they dropped were dropped on the day of arrest because they could not be proved in court."

"The Sun newspaper reported on 31 August 2002, the Baltimore City Detention Center has a poorly run system of health care and suicide prevention. In some cases, the problems resulted in jail suicides, heart attack deaths and fatal asthma spasms that federal authorities deemed preventable if the inmates had been properly treated."

"The United States has been releasing annually Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, censuring other countries for their human rights situations, but it has turned a blind eye to serious violations of human rights on its own soil."

Carl Stanley Lackl

The man killed last night in the 8000 block of Philadelphia Rd. was Carl Stanley Lackl, a witness in the Baltimore homicide case against Patrick Byers. Lackl and Byers didn't know each other, and the State's Attorney's Office said Lackl had been a helpful witness. A 10-year-old girl witnessed Lackl's murder, and is probably scared s--tless, for a whole bunch of reasons that go way beyond the fact that no 10-year-old should have to witness a homicide.

No word yet from Sheila or Lenny. I really hope neither of them has the gumption to say it's a Baltimore County problem, not a city problem.

July 3

Lots of murder news in the city:

• Two men were shot yesterday afternoon in the 2000 block of Guilford Ave. in Barclay, just up the street from the public school headquarters. 39-year-old Allen Burton died from his wounds at Shock Trauma shortly after the shooting.
• 30-year-old Nathaniel Price was reported missing on Saturday; his body was found in the back of his 2007 Jeep yesterday in the 4900 block of Greencrest Rd. in the Northeastern.
• The unidentified body found in a garbage bag behind a rowhouse in the 1500 block of Bond St. had a gunshot wound to the upper torso, and has been declared a homicide.
• Davon Turner was the man who was murdered Sunday in the 800 block of N. Patterson Park Ave.
• Gerald Smith was shot to death behind the wheel of his idling car in the 4800 block of Herring Run Dr.
• Jewels Cook was the man whose body was found last week in the 2300 block of Cylburn Ave, near the Cylburn Arboretum.

Hey, all you Baltimore County people, you've got a few also:

• A 38-year-old man was fatally shot in the 8000 block of Philadelphia Rd. in Rosedale last night at about 9:00. He was the 21st murder victim in the county this year.
• 23-year-old Taavon Chambers was the man who was shot to death in the parking lot of the Windsor Inn in Woodlawn just after closing time on Monday morning (or Sunday morning, according to the Sun). Chambers was the nephew of a Baltimore County police officer, and did not appear to know his attacker.

13-year-old Briona Jasmine Porter died after being shot during a robbery attempt of her mother's new ice cream truck.

The family of murder victim and alleged rim stealer Joseph Johnson claims that he and Charles Brockington have had disputes in the past.

Luke Broadwater's monthly recap in the Examiner focuses on Marine reservist Michael Simms, and gives us a few fun facts: Every police district in the city has had at least nine murders; police have closed 48 of this year's 151 homicides; our population is apathetic towards violent crime; and a pastor on Edmonson Ave. is preaching on the street outside her church to try to stem the flow of blood.

David Lee Miller, the alleged murderer of Elizabeth Walters and their unborn child, will face first-degree murder charges for the fetus' death.

There were four shootings in two separate incidents in AAC over the weekend. (Actually, the article lists five victims, but the headline says four. Go figure.)

Fascinating evidence that MO'M and his zero-tolerance approach might not have been as effective as the former mayor claimed.

There's a good article on BPD foot patrols in the Sun that poses questions and observations like "Is it (the foot patrols) going to be sustained?" and "How this will prevent violent crime ... isn't readily apparent. But then, preventive measures rarely are dramatic or immediate."

Accusations of excessive force were made against officer James Wilder of the BPD for his behavior at the scene of an accident on 39th St. and N. Charles St.

Kenneth Pinckney was charged with first- and second-degree assault for stabbing a man who was talking to Pinckney's wife at the Deutsches Gasthaus in Aberdeen.

A porn shop in Aberdeen was burned on Sunday morning.

As of yesterday, felons who have completed their sentences can vote in Maryland.

Guardian Angels will begin training Edgewood residents within the next few weeks.

Someone stole a banner from a PFLAG booth at the Columbia City Fair last weekend.

Lawrence Williams stole Viagra from the military and sold it for his own profit.

Rats have infested the playground at the old Memorial Stadium site in Waverly. (Okay, so it's not a crime, but it's really gross.)

July 2

Charles Brockington, the man charged with second-degree murder for shooting rim-stealer Joseph Milton Johnson, will be held without bail. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for 8:30AM July 26, 2007 in Wabash District Court, room six.

Three more murders between Saturday night and Sunday night, bringing our official tally to 157.

A man was killed in the parking lot of the Windsor Inn bar and restaurant in Woodlawn (Balto. County) just after closing time on Sunday morning.

A decomposing body was found in a garbage bag behind a rowhouse in the 1500 block of Bond St. The death is suspicious but has not been ruled a homicide. Also at the same link, a man was shot during a robbery at a house in Severna Park.

The hit-and-run driver who killed 10-year-old Kianna Johnson with a green station wagon on June 21 remains free and unidentified.

Hey Sheila, your voters are almost ready to pack up and leave. Maybe you should do something more meaningful than holding another f--king meeting.

July 1

Charles Brockington was charged with second degree murder yesterday.

Charging documents allege that he killed Joseph Milton Johnson, Jr. 29, early Friday, June 29, when Brockington spotted Johnson removing tires from Brockington's 2006 Mercedes parked in front of his home. The documents further allege that in a ruse to return the tires and distract Brockington, Johnson returned to his car and drove away. While driving away, Johnson was struck in the left shoulder area by a 9MM gun fired by Brockington.

Damon Holmes got 40 years for killing Malian can driver Oumar Bah.

19-year-old Adrian Jones got nervous when he saw some cops, so he ran away then tried to shoot them.

With 155 murders at the year's halfway point, the Sun investigates the violence and the lack of outrage in the city. Meanwhile, WJZ has a story about a rally to stop the violence.

The Sun published Q&As with Hamm and Dixon.

Annapolis is having a rough time with crime, too.

Police are still searching for the two men who robbed an Edgewater Shell station last week.

Robberies and drug arrests in the Blotter.

June 29

A man in Park Heights was killed at 5:20 this morning, allegedly while stealing wheels off of a Mercedes.

Three city residents were indicted for using information from stolen credit reports to buy a whole bunch of fancy stuff.

A man having a psychological episode led police on a leisurely car chase near Frederick.

Happy day in the Blotter: No killing, shooting, stabbing, beating, raping, assaulting, child abusing, car jacking, or other generally acceptable Baltimore behavior. There was, however, a robbery on Monday morning at a gas station on W. Franklin St.

Stephen Sellman was arrested on Wednesday after DNA linked him to a 1987 rape.

Threatening letter-writer Michelle J. Dohm got canned by Frederick County.

Department of governmental incompetence and/or corruption:

The Maryland Judiciary failed to get competitive bids for about $4M in equipment.

Four HoCo schools didn't use approved vendors for their fundraisers.

Evening

News from the State's Attorney's Office:

Sentencing for 15-year-old Damon Holmes is scheduled for 9:00 tomorrow morning before Judge Lynn Stewart. Holmes pleaded guilty to shooting cab driver Oumar Bah during a robbery on May 31, 2006.

***

17-year-old Christopher Ford was indicted for first-degree murder and handgun charges.

Court documents allege that Christopher Ford was responsible for the shooting incident on May 29, 2007 in the 3400 block of Clifton Avenue. Neil Rather, 18, was found shot on the parking lot on Clifton and Denison Avenue. The two men were engaged in an argument over a $20.00 debt when Rather was shot. He died later at Sinai Hospital.

***

The attempted murder trial of Rozza Alston, 29, of the 1600 block of Saint Paul Street, is scheduled to begin 11AM tomorrow before Judge Wanda K. Heard, 540 Courthouse East, 111 N. Calvert St.

Court documents allege that on January 26, 2007 Alston accosted a female victim in the parking lot of a Kentucky Fried Chicken located at 1821 Saint Paul Street demanding her purse. When the victim refused, he allegedly stabbed her numerous times in her hand, arm and chest. Police arrested Alston on February 3, 2007.

***

The RIAA is thanking Baltimore for going after music pirates:

The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) will present a number of awards to police and prosecutors for their professionalism in the ongoing successful effort to charge and prosecute defendants who engage in music piracy. Dozens of these cases are prosecuted annually by the State’s Attorney’s Office.

June 28

A body with gunshot wound(s) was found yesterday morning in the 2300 block of Cylburn Ave, near the Cylburn Arboretum.

Police don't know whether Moeen Raja's Ellicott City murder was a random crime, and Raja's family is offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to an arrest.

The man murdered in Annapolis yesterday has been identified as 35-year-old Marcus Antonio Wells. It was the fourth homicide in Annapolis this year, which gives the capitol city a per capita murder rate of about half of Baltimore's.

Two men were shot at a playground in the 1100 block of Orleans St. on Tuesday evening.

An Easton police officer shot at a suspect and was placed on administrative leave.

Michael McFadden was found guilty of second-degree murder in the death of 16-year-old Ronny Martin on January 1, 2006.

Vera Rennie Rogers testified in the Carroll County murder trial against her nephew, Shawn Anthony Jones. In exchange for her testimony, Rogers got a five-year suspended jail sentence and three years of supervised probation.

PDJ: Scott R. Davis got five years for trading pictures online of adults having sex with kids. Have fun in prison, Scott.

The debate continues over whether or not James Thompson deserves a new trial.

The Harford County Sheriff's Department has some sweet new digs.

June 27

Anna Ditkoff sheds light on a whole bunch of death in this week's Murder Ink.

An unidentified man was shot and killed in the 200 block of Croll Dr. in Annapolis last night.

Ruby Pulley was attacked and mauled by two pit bulls in East Baltimore. The two dogs -- along with five other pits -- were owned by a 17-year-old boy and his family.

AAC police are looking for two men who robbed an Edgewater gas station last Wednesday.

Police are investigating the Jack and Jill Day Care Center in Dundalk for child abuse. The owner of the center says the charges are coming from a disgruntled employee.

Jerrell Antwan Gardner was charged with first-degree murder in the death of 15-year-old Maurice Gordon.

18-year-old Jaquane Donte Gross was charged with first degree murder in the death of 16-year-old Davon Lopez.

17-year-old Jyreece Simmons was charged with attempted murder for shooting a man on the light rail last week.

Eric Miller was arrested and charged with attempted murder for a triple shooting at the Lafayette Homes project in Southeastern Baltimore on June 2.

Four alleged murderers may face the death penalty for killing a witness to a crime. The men are charged with killing John Dowery last Thanksgiving when he snuck home to visit his family. (I got the facts completely wrong on this one. John Dowery's murder is still unsolved, although members of the Special Heroin organization were charged with shooting Dowery nonfatally on Oct. 19, 2005. Just read Matthew Dolan's article in the Sun, and it'll all make sense. Sorry for the mistake. -TTC)

Daniel Scott Rushton entered an Alford plea after being charged with beating Robert Proescher to death outside an Overlea bar last year.

A 15-year-old HoCo student claims he brought a gun to school to protect himself from gangs.

Former sixth-grade teacher Michelle J. Dohm got nine months for sending threatening notes to five of her students.

The BCFD was charged with violations that led to the death of fire cadet Racheal M. Wilson.

Wealthy kids in Bel Air are at risk of becoming drug addicts.

Speeding with 42 pounds of pot in the back of your station wagon is pretty stupid.

Baltimore County Executive James T. Smith Jr. is supporting a move to condemn nine buildings in Dundalk's Yorkway neighborhood.

Evening Update

Demetries Sturgis Convicted of First-Degree Murder
A Baltimore City jury yesterday convicted Demetries Sturgis, 22, of the 3000 block of Matthews St. of first degree murder, two counts of second degree murder and several counts of assault. The trial began June 22, 2007. Judge Kaye Allison scheduled sentencing for August 14, 2007.

On July 18, 2006, at approximately 2:30AM in the 400 block of Whitridge Ave. the two victims (Larry Reed of 1409 N. Bond St. and Rasheed Stevenson of 506 Sheridan Ave) got into an argument with Sturgis and another person. Sturgis and the other person left the scene and later returned. It was at this time Sturgis cut and stabbed Rasheed Stevenson 11 times, fatally severing his carotid artery, and then stabbed Larry Reed in his cheek, underarm and thigh. The two victims were then rushed to the hospital by a close friend. Sturgis and the other person fled the scene. The motive for the incident stemmed from the fact that Sturgis did not believe that the victims were legitimate members of the Bloods Gang.
Assistant State's Attorney Kevin Wiggins of the Homicide Division prosecuted this case.

The Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted Bernard Ramseur, 18, of the 1300 block of N. Gilmore Street for first-degree attempted rape, armed robbery and third-degree sex offense. Court documents allege that Bernard Ramseur was identified by surveillance camera in the 600 block of N. Paca Street as the suspect for the attempted rape, armed robbery and third-degree sex offense on June 14, 2007. As officers approached the location, Ramseur fled the scene but was later found several blocks away in the 400 block of Druid Hill Avenue. An arraignment is scheduled for July 20, 2007 before Judge John M. Glynn, Room 236, Mitchell Courthouse. Assistant State’s Attorney John Park will prosecute this case.