Culture Corner

They've scheduled the Real-Deal Live Mayoral debate for Monday August 27, at 7 p.m., featuring all eight candidates AND Jayne Miller on live TV!
Anyone on the internets know of a bar in Baltimore city that has a big screen that's not always tuned to sports, some kind of parking & doesn't smell bad for the Mayoral Debate drinking game?

Tickets are now on sale for "Corpus: Stories about the Body," the premiere Stoop Storytelling Series show at CENTERSTAGE (yes that's how they write it, CENTERSTAGE) on Monday, September 24. Seven storytellers get seven minutes each to tell true, personal tales about the glories, guts, and gross-outs of the human form, and the Storytellers for this episode include Dana Kollmann, forensic scientist and former Baltimore
County Police CSI, Walter Lomax, "wrongfully convicted murderer freed after 39 years,"* and Anna Ditkoff, aka the Best Crime Reporter in Baltimore (according to you guys**).
* This is what the press release says, but the SA's office refutes:

"Despite previous media reports, Lomax was not “wrongfully convicted” his sentence was not “overturned” and he was NOT exonerated of this crime. His guilty conviction stands. On December 13, 2006 Judge Rasin modified the original lawful sentence of life in prison and re-imposed a life sentence and suspended all but time served. Lomax received a guilty verdict for the 1967 murder of Robert Brewer, 56. Judge Rasin MODIFIED the original sentence to time served."

** ...speaking of polls, here's one I made but never got around to posting from a while back, "What Should Matt Jablow Do Next?"

Today, August 20, 2007, Jonathan Brock Everett, 21 of Harlem Avenue was found guilty of 1st degree murder (count 1), use of a handgun in the commission of a crime of violence (count 2), (conspiracy to commit 1st degree murder count 3), and wear, carry, and transporting a handgun (count 4).

The case number is 106292028; ASA Kevin Wiggins prosecuted the case. The victim in this case was Teon L.D. White age 25 of Braddish Avenue. The trial began on August 13 and ended today with closing arguments and the verdict. Margaret Mead was counsel for the defendant. Sentencing will be held on October 12, 2007. The state was not able to present a motive to the jury because no one with first-hand knowledge of the motive came forward. The facts of the case from the SA's office:

On July 28, 2006 at around approximately 11:30 am the defendant contacted a friend and borrowed his car. The defendant and an unknown co-defendant then drove to Clifton Ave wearing bandannas over their faces and shot and killed Teon White in the back as he ran up Ko Ko Lane striking him five times. The defendant then returned the car and fled to St. Louis where he was apprehended by authorities and brought back to Baltimore. The State was able to track him by way of his cell phone calls. A big part of this case was presented through the cell phone expert who testified about the calls made by the defendant. There was no DNA evidence and no fingerprints.

Today the Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted Schvel Mack, 17, of the 200 block of S. Payson Street for first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder and two counts of conspiracy to commit murder on Friday, August 17, 2007. Mack and two other co-defendants were responsible for a double shooting incident on July 15, 2007. The victims were found suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. The first victim Deandre Salmond was found at the intersection of Smallwood and Christian Streets and the second victim in the 2100 block of Christian Street. Both victims were transported to University of Maryland Shock Trauma Hospital, however Salmond died from his injuries, the second victim survived his injuries. Anthony White and Patrick Wilkes were indicted on the same charges. An arraignment is scheduled for September 14, 2007 before Judge Wanda K. Heard, Room 540, Courthouse East. Matt Fraling will prosecute this case.

August 20

17-year-old Darius Cox was fatally shot -- and another boy was wounded -- in the 2400 block of Woodbrook Ave. on Saturday night, less than 90 days after a Circuit Court judge suspended 9 years and 11 months of Cox's 10 year sentence for assault. Cox is the 199th "official" homicide in Baltimore City this year.

A 26-year-old man was killed and left in the Keyser Motel on Rt. 40 in Aberdeen. His is the third homicide in HarCo this year.

Suicidal Parkville resident Adam Benjamin Rothstein was killed by police after pointing a flashlight and a pellet gun at them.

The mourners for Shadow (a.k.a. Samuel Horne, HarCo homicide victim #2) "must have exhausted the malls with these T-shirts."

A purse-snatcher downtown stabbed a 57-year-old woman in the neck.

He may have been a drunk, obnoxious jackass, but shouldn't the cops have helped this guy?

Yeah, Keiffer... like you've done so damned much to make meaningful change in this city.

August 19

Stop what you're doing and go read Annie Linskey's story on Barbara Griffin (#135).

August 18

51-year-old Karen Kutchey was the woman who was found by a postal carrier on Thursday. She was stabbed to death outside the well-kept Brooklyn house where she'd grown up and still lived with her elderly mother. In an impressive display of sentimentality, BPD spokesman Troy Harris was quoted as saying, "Right now it's too early to know if she was targeted or if this was a crime of opportunity or whatever."

Frederick Moore had a mouthful of crack and a pocketful of cash when he was shot to death on Wednesday night in the 700 block of Brune St. in the Western.

In the Kitty Genovese department: A 71-year-old man was beaten with his own cane in Baltimore County on Wednesday night, but none of the Stoneleigh residents bothered to call 911 when they heard a commotion.

The failed Molotov cocktail attack against the home of Cecil County Sheriff's Cpl. Don Alexander doesn't appear to have been directed specifically towards Alexander. So is it more or less comforting to know that some shit-for-brains in Cecil County thinks it's fun to randomly lob Molotov cocktails at people's houses?

Some jackass (who happens to be the senior VP of a data security firm) thought it would be a good idea to behave suspiciously while carrying a concealed Glock at BWI. Meanwhile, our protectors at the TSA didn't bother to tell anyone what happened for nearly three weeks.

Your HIPAA at work: A 25-year-old former worker at Harbor Hospital got two years in federal prison for using a patient's personal information to buy $60K worth of goodies. She also has to pay $123,000 in restitution, so she might want to get busy fudging her résumé so she can get another hospital job.

Local cops have "adopted" 27 of the most troubled blocks of the city, in hopes their work will have a long-term positive effect with the community's perception of police. Really, though, the article just demonstrates that every police strategy on the table right now is a political tool for someone to get elected. We'll see what strategies stick around after November.

An e-mail hoax? Why, I never...

Gregory Kane got some misadressed mail, investigated, and learned that the state sells a list of "traffic scofflaws" to lawyers, who then send ads to prospective clients.

August The 17th Of This Year, 2007

There still may be questions about what number of homicide we're at (The Sun's count, our count), but if this blog is correct, number two-oh-four was discovered yesterday morning by a US Postal Carrier in Brooklyn.

Her sister's on her campaign payroll? Isn't this the sort of thing that got Sheila Dixon in hot water a couple of years ago?

Serial Killer Alexander Wayne Watson Jr. met with the families of his victims but "never apologized, and never dropped eye contact with [Jennifer Shereika Scott] as he answered questions about killing Elaine Shereika in 1988." Can you say "creepy"?

A fight at Metropolitan Transition Center sent seven prisoners to the hospital with stab wounds.

Going to the Reservoir anytime soon? Keep your eyes open for rabid wildlife.

A woman in her 50's was found beaten to death in the 4000 block of Fifth St. in Brooklyn, South Baltimore.

August 16

The Examiner has new & different details in the story of the freaky near-kidnapping in Govans. Bobby Ray Stanberry's previous victims may not have been prostitutes-- in fact, no one knows exactly who they were because they disappeared.
And, in addition to a knife and rope, he also had some black-girl-focused porn.
Also freaky: no other news outlets have covered this story, even the tv stations that reliably go apeshit over less. Wonder why?

In AAC, serial killer Alexander Wayne Watson Jr. pled guity today to killing Boontem Andersen in 1986, Mary Elaine Shereika in 1988, and 14-year-old Kathleen Haenel in 1993, and will spend life in prison without parole.

Blotter bits: "John Hinton, 32, remained in critical condition at Johns Hopkins Hospital after he was stabbed in the stomach Tuesday. Hinton drove to the 300 block of E. 24th St. about noon, where he fell to the pavement. He was unable to tell police who stabbed him or where the attack occurred. Police said he had $4,000 in his pockets."
Also an arrest for the murder of Tarik Tynes, a teenager mugged at gunpoint in Bolton Hill, a gunshot through a car window on E. Belvedere Avenue, and a stolen tractor, Lexus, Toyota and a Ford pickup.

Eight years for pedophile pastor Gerald F. Griffith, whose victims testified even though some were shunned by family members and had faithful congregants mumbling during their testimony.

A police chase ended in a car crash at the intersection of Pratt and Smallwood streets in Southwest Baltimore yesterday.

FYI, MD schools are getting worse.

August 15

This Ink has murders from August 7-12, and news of arrests for some of this years' murders, good news we so rarely hear about ... and Did You Know? Perry Costley's murder in July made the third occassion this year in which a murder was closed because the suspect himself was murdered.

Yike! A 14-year-old girl was harassed by a man in a tan Kia while walking in Govans. She ran home, called the police, and... "A short time later, police found the car and a man in the 800 block of Woodbourne Ave. and arrested him. In the vehicle, police found a length of rope, a blanket and a knife. Held at Central Booking and Intake Center was Bobby Ray Stanberry, 35, of Suitland. Agent Donny Moses, a police spokesman, said Stanberry had been charged twice with raping two prostitutes, but the charges were dropped because of the credibility of the victims."

"A murder suspect who was mistakenly released from custody in May, and subsequently surrendered when he was notified of the mistake, had his murder charge dropped by prosecutors yesterday. ... prosecutors did not have enough evidence to proceed with a case against James C. Burton, charged with killing Aaron Godbolt, 23, in March 2006 as he stood on Reisterstown Road in Northwest Baltimore." - "By a Sun reporter" (?)

The State is looking for Kenyan Anastasia Olouch, wanted for abusing an elderly man.

"Mayor Sheila Dixon's administration introduced legislation in the City Council [Monday] to tighten the city's pension law after a former top police deputy received a lucrative pension deal -- a proposal that may end similar arrangements in the future."
So it wasn't illegal to make false statements to the pension board and file fraudumlent paperwork before?

Gee, the new gun control plan sounds a little dangerous: A man trying to flee police fell 50 feet and then got hit by a Chevy Malibu. JZ quotes Donny Moses: "He was armed and in accordance with what the mayor's trying to do. We are trying to get these handguns off the streets."

Jeffrey Corporal, 22, was found guilty of armed robbery, reckless endangerment, using a handgun in a crime of violence and having a handgun in a vehicle after robbing Mike Kim of Parkside Liquors.

Down in Annapolis, Leeander Blake got life, finally.

At Sandy Point State Park, Juan Payz Reyes was arrested for raping two teenage Sheppard Pratt patients.

City to homeless: Move It!

Monday's Indictments

The Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted Steven Lashley, 29, of the 2000 block of Paulette Road for first-degree murder and other charges. Court documents allege Steven Lashley is responsible for an incident in which three men were stabbed in the 400 block of Water Street around 2 a.m. on September 22, 2005. One of the three men, Stanley Thomas, Jr. died as a result of his injuries. The other two men were treated at area hospitals and survived their injuries. An arraignment is scheduled for September 5, 2007 before Judge John M. Glynn, Room 236 Mitchell Courthouse. [Your boyfriend] ASA Samuel Yee will prosecute this case.

The Grand Jury indicted Jamal Wise, 21, of the 1800 block of Spring Street for witness intimidation. Court documents allege Jamal Wise is responsible for an incident of threatening a witness in a criminal case. Wise approached the witness on two different occasions in June 2007 and threatened to kill him for testifying in a criminal case against an acquaintance of his. An arraignment is scheduled for September 11, 2007 before Judge Wanda K. Heard, Room 540 East. ASA David Grzechowiak will prosecute this case.

The Grand Jury indicted Shawnawn Morgan, 22, of the 2200 block of Round Road for witness intimidation. Court documents allege on July 11, 2007 Shawnawn Morgan and a co-defendant were responsible for an incident in which they threatened a witness in a criminal case. Both suspects approached the witness as he attempted to exit Courthouse East shouting expletives. The incident arose from Morgan’s family member pointing out the witness in a non-verbal manner during a court proceeding. Another woman, Takiea Corbin, was indicted on the same charge August 3, 2007. An arraignment is scheduled for September 5, 2007 before Judge Wanda K. Heard, Room 540 East. ASA Christopher Sandman will prosecute this case.

--from the SA's office

Life Plus 25 for Demetries Sturgis

At a hearing today Judge Kaye Allison sentenced Demetries Sturgis, 22, of the 3000 block of Matthews St. to life in prison for first degree murder and a consecutive 25 years in prison for first-degree assault. A Baltimore City jury convicted Sturgis June 25, 2007. Says the SA's office,

On July 18, 2006, at approximately 2:30 a.m. 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. yay Kevin Wiggins!

Tevon Allen, 18, arrested for killing "good kid" Jordan Brown, threatened the life of his own mother. "A judge granted a temporary ex parte order, and days later Allen was charged with violating it. That case was placed on the court's "stet" docket and made inactive." There is circumstances that happen indeed.

Three stabbings and four shootings in the Blotter, and victims ID'd.

Not only are there unrecovered drowning victims somewhere in the Beaver Dam quarry, but the swim club is now being plagued by car break-ins.

Media: I don't even know what to think about The Deuce having a MySpace page, much less the revelation that it's a 28-year-old male (though it's no shocker he's single).
Says the blog, "The ABC2 News, and abc2news.com team is dedicated to bringing you the areas [sic] most complete coverage on air, [sic] and online. We'll link Baltimore News [sic] stories to this blog and look forward to hearing from our My Space friends. Let us know what your [sic] talking about."

Eighteen-year-old Tevon Allen was arrested in the murder of Jordan Brown, the man whose friend sought help for him in front of the Mayor's house. Said Dixon of the incident, "There's [sic] circumstances that take place."

Police arrested Wisconsin fugitive Isaias DeLeon, wanted for assaulting a 14-year-old girl in 2000.

Update: skeezy pedophile John Henri Palmont turned himself in to the Prince George's County Jail at about 2 p.m. today, says WBAL.

From a reader:
Just wanted to pass along that the Baltimore City Council introduced (by Jim Kraft) and passed a resolution with immediate adoption (# 07-0319R) at the meeting tonight on 8/13 related to the attempted murder of Zach Sowers.  The resolution was:
In Support of the Family of Zachary Sowers in Their Search for Justice
FOR the purpose of  respectfully requesting the Baltimore City State's Attorney's 
Office to seek maximum sentences for the attempted murder of Zachary Sowers, 
and extending an expression of support to Mr. Sowers' family.
Sponsors: James B. Kraft, President Rawlings-Blake, Nicholas C. D'Adamo, Bernard 
C. 'Jack' Young, Vernon E. Crider, Mary Pat Clarke, Rochelle 'Rikki' 
Spector, Sharon Green Middleton and Edward L. Reisinger

15 and 7 Years for Drug-House Killers

At a hearing late Friday, Judge Wanda K. Heard sentenced Mark Brooks, 41, of the 2200 block of Clifton Avenue to 25 years in prison suspending all but 15 years. Brooks pled guilty to second degree murder May 11, 2007. Co-defendant Natasha Sarchiapone, 26, of the 2000 block of Griddle Avenue (which should read Grinnalds Avenue), pled guilty to second degree assault and first degree breaking and entering May 11, 2007. Judge Heard sentenced her at that time to 20 years in prison, suspending all but seven years and three years probation for the breaking and entering. Details:

On June 24, 2006 at approximately 11:30 p.m. police responded to 4819 Pennington Ave. for a report of a stabbing. Upon arrival, police discovered the victim, Russell Duckworth, 33, suffering from multiple stab wounds to the neck and torso. He was transported to Harbor Hospital, where he died less than an hour later. Investigation revealed that Natasha Sarchiapone was at the Duckworth’s home using drugs all day. Duckworth then told Sarchiapone to leave. Sarchiapone refused so victim physically removed her. Sarchiapone was upset by this and returned with Mark Brooks. They entered the home of the victim without his permission or knowledge. Sarchiapone then proceeded to assault a woman who was in the home while at the same time Brooks attacked the victim with a sharp object, striking him 12 times. Brooks and Sarchiapone both fled and witnesses later identified them as the individuals who committed the above crimes.

August 13

Byron Dickey, 28, of East Baltimore died at Johns Hopkins Hospital after an unknown gunman shot him repeatedly while the victim stood in the 2100 block of Barclay St. about 4 p.m.

No witnesses and no motive in the Saturday evening death of Davon McCargo, though onlookers were there to watch him bleed to death in the street.

"... members of the city's all-volunteer auxiliary police unit say they used to do much more, including walking foot patrols with sworn officers. Many are now saying they do not get respect from the department and they are not being used effectively." In fact, "the unit is so low on the city's radar screen that City Council President Stephanie C. Rawlings-Blake was unaware that the unit existed and offered a resolution in June to consider creating a volunteer unit that would supplement police. She later learned that one existed."
Yike!!!

Witness intimidation worked for Jacob Brooks, 19, who was charged with a 2005 slaying outside a Temple Hills nightclub and for the fatal shooting last year of one of his childhood friends who Brooks mistakenly believed was snitching.

Thirty-one years ago, Charles Hopkins went on a tear in city hq on a hunt for Schaefer, instead killing City Councilman Dominic Leone and shooting Councilman Carroll Fitzgerald, a secretary and a city police officer. Judge John Glynn has now moved him to "a less secure residential program."

"A city jury has found that the Housing Authority of Baltimore City should pay $4 million in damages to two siblings [Joseph Avery Jr. and Lisa Avery] poisoned by lead paint in their publicly owned rowhouse in the 1980s."

August 12

Eeeee... there's a manhunt underway in PGC for skeevy-looking John Henri Palmont Jr., left, of the 5200 block of Marlboro Pike, who forced himself upon his 9-year-old neighbor after asking to use the phone.

Clueless police are asking the public's help to find the killer of Dwight Evans, shot multiple times behind Evans Temple Church in the Madison East section of Baltimore, six months and 170 murders ago.

It's the feel-good story of the week... a city jury convicted Kenneth Mahai Friday of first-degree murder, in spite of his threats to witnesses.

Ya think?! Experts opine that HarfCo suspected serial killer Charles E. Burns is "a sociopath."

Samuel David Horne, 25, was shot to death in Edgewood yesterday, in front of a row of townhouses in the 1800 block of Brookside Drive.

The state crackers got Quinton J. Thomas convicted of first-degree murder in MoCo for killing Stephen W. Kelley, 20, of Gaithersburg, after Thomas sent some colorful letters to the wrong address.

Andrew H. Williams' last business venture was shut down for being too much like a Ponzi scheme, and his new one, "Metro Dream Homes," sounds no more respectable.

Blogger Jeff Q. is furious that The Deuce's Linda So lifted his story about Stop Fucking Snitching being a part of the UMBC library holdings, without giving him credit.

Politics: Dixon called Jill Carter "a little girl."

Which would you rather ...
... wake up tomorrow as?	a little girl a withered hag Frank Conaway Sr.
	Current Results

August 10

You may remember Owings Mills High alum Majid Khan, who held in a CIA "black" prison, probably in Poland, for three years and is now in Guantanamo. The NYker reports that the US government has argued that he has to be "prohibited from access to a lawyer specifically because he might describe the 'alternative interrogation methods' that the agency had used when questioning him." (Third paragraph.)

An unid'd man was shot to death yesterday afternoon at about 1:30 p.m. in the 3400 block of Dupont Ave. in the city's Central Park Heights neighborhood. No suspects, no motive.

Dwayne Erving, the 17-year-old suspected in Wednesday's double shooting on E. Oliver street, was also charged with attempted murder in September, in connection with shooting a man in a dispute over a pit bull last July. "Prosecutors put the July case on the inactive docket because the victim and witnesses -- including the boy's mother -- were uncooperative."

There'll be no more calling Tyrone (Henderson, 23). After eight gun arrests and no convictions, Rod Rosenstein and friends finally scored an indictment and now he could go to jail for life. Said Bealefeld III, "That doesn't just send a message to him; his buddies see that" they get eight free passes in the city.
(Note to self: GunStat = good, Gun Offender Registry = lame)

Baltimore's least-talented graffiti artist, Kenneth "Oracl" Ellis, is now in hot water for stabbing a man in the back twice in a dispute over a kitten. Ellis says he stabbed "Tiger" twice with three knives while hugging him.

Broadwater serves up the skin-crawly tale of a remorseful gymnastics coach who's going to jail for his bedroom collection of 21 pairs of kid underpants he got from the Lost n Found, and 800 videotapes, all of child pornography. (Lost and found?! 800?! Videotapes?)
Interesting:

This case arose from a nationwide investigation of a sophisticated internet message board conducted last year by the FBI. After determining that the bulletin board contained child pornography, undercover FBI agents used the bulletin board to post a link to a file on a covert FBI computer. The FBI captured the internet addresses of computers that tried to download the file, which was actually a non-pornographic image file.

... and 32-year-old Joppa firefighter Angelo Sudano sent actual pornographic (and lascivious) displays of minors to "a citizen," which also did not go over well.

One escaped Hickey teen was caught, but the other, 16-year-old Davon Julius, is still on the run somewhere in the city.

August 9

Seventeen-year-old Dwayne Erving was arrested for the murder on the 2300 block of E. Oliver Street yesterday.

Very sad: murder victim Lorado Williams Jr. was a friendly and clean-living boxer who liked poetry. The robbery and shooting that killed him seem to be random and there are no suspects, even though there is a police camera right there. A wake is scheduled for Zannino Funeral Home on 263 S. Conkling St. in Baltimore, with viewings from 3 to 5 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m.

Jason Goldsmith, 38, was indicted for assault for beating his wife with their toddler. That's some meshuggah shit, yo.

Remember this video of drug suspect Wayne (Examiner) or Glen (JZ) Curry being punched in the jaw and dragged by an officer? His uncle Fred, who made the videotape, faces some serious jail time. Some defense witnesses said that police arrested him in a drug sweep only after they learned of his identity.

Baltimore city police officer Damian Sabo pled guilty in PA to hitting his estranged wife, Donna M. Bevan, in the head with a pistol as she was holding their 2-year-old child in August of 2006.

A Baltimore City Council committee approved Dixon's dubious plan to start a Gun Offender registry.

A caller to the Ed Norris show reported that mayor Dixon made a quickie apperance before the funeral for Jordan Brown, the man who was shot and collapsed on her front lawn*, but left before the service began.
*it probably didn't happen this way, but we like to think it did.

Country police are still investigating choirmaster David Riley, 59, who was given probation before judgment by a judge for possessing child pornography. Contractors working on his home notified police after they found "chest-high stacks" of photos of 10- to 18-year-old boys "playing tie-up games" in Riley's home.

August 8

Two more murders overnight, both as-yet-unid'd men. The first shooting occurred about 11:15 p.m. in the 1400 block of N. Milton Ave., and the man was pronounced dead at 11:30. The other man died 15 minutes later in the 2300 block of E. Oliver St.
(Thanks M!)

The Ink has 13 murders from July 23 - August 5, plus updates, and Anna says it's "Lorado" and he died on Saturday the 4th on Lombard Street.

Bennie Fullard, 49, was the man arrested Monday for stabbing his girlfriend in Woodlawn after his family turned him in. This morning he waived his right to seek bail. Also, "a man with the same name and born in the same year as Fullard has at least three previous convictions."
That's one wacky coincidence!

Murder victim Eric Ford was id'd as the man killed in the 3400 block of Baltimore street, and four shootings in the Blotter:

• a man walking in the rear of the 4100 block of Stokes Drive about 1:30 a.m. yesterday and gunman shot him in the left arm, - a person fired several shots outside a bar in the 800 block of W. Cross St. about 2 a.m. Sunday, and one of them grazed a guy's left eye ,


• Darrell Smith, 22, whose address was not released, remained in critical condition at Maryland Shock Trauma Center after he was shot in the back of the neck about 4 p.m. Monday in the 300 block of E. 21st St. (this item also appeared yesterday),


• and in Towson a man was shot in a leg during "an incident" in a house in the 1300 block of Dartmouth Ave. about 7:40 p.m. yesterday.

The Marcus Brown pension scandal isn't finished yet ... the president of Baltimore's FOP Lodge 3, said that the union has authorized its law firm to explore the possibility of suing the city and the Police Department.

Thank you Luke Broadwater for putting "boyfriend" in quotes there...
if a guy slaughters you in cold blood (all together now ladies) he's just not that into you.
Wow, only 24 homicides in all of Baltimore County so far this year.

How did Kenneth Barnes become the Roland Park pervert? Or is he a misunderstood psychotic? The CP's Chris Landers investigates.
ps. have you noticed there have been almost no perverts reported in a few weeks, after months of having like, two a day?
They must've caught them all...

Fascinating! Freakonomics.com has a Q&A with Sudhir Venkatesh, the then grad-student in the book who studied Chicago gangs. (Turns out they love "The Wire" but not the crack)
Venkatesh makes the excellent points that anti-gang laws are usually racist, won't stand up in court, and too vague to be of any use.
Cases in point, head of the county’s gang-suppression unit Cpl. Thomas Gamble, who says gang indentity is all about "clothes," and the HarfCo elementary-school boy who threw a sign in the class picture.

Speaking of "The Wire," bad news for wannabe Marlos and goatherds: a new City rule allows residents to keep no more than 125 pigeons as pets. And, "you need three acres to have goats, sheep ponies and pigs."
What kind of twisted mutant is a sheep pony?!

Politics: Dixon knows the less she says the better! She's letting her $2 million anti-trash tagline* do the talking and simply not showing up to candidate forums, citing schedule conflicts. But there will be at least one televised debate. We'll have to find a bar with a giant TV for that experience!
*That would be, "Don't make excuses. Make a difference." Said Celeste Amato, the coordinator of the Clean Out Baltimore initiative, "the underlying message is about personal responsibility."

The Sun election blog recaps the Dixon sweetheart-contracts scandal.
Did you know? Not only did her sister work for Utech, a company awarded city contracts against ethics rules, but "the city found, after The Sun's reports, that the company did not have the capacity to perform the public work it was winning."
She also employed "creative" work orders to keep from having to report that she gave her campaign chairman's company half a million bucks! No wonder she didn't want to say anything harsh about the Brown Schammdal!

The Curious Case of Mr. Williams

On August 3 the Sun reported that a man was shot in the head in the 3600 block of E. Lombard St. and died, victim 190.
The next day, the same paper reports that a man was shot in the head in the 3600 block of E. Lombard St. and is "not expected to survive."
And then there's the story of Lorado Williams Jr., shot to death during a robbery in the 3600 block of E. Baltimore St. from today. And now there's also a different guy in the 5th on E. Baltimore St. So now it's two guys, same street.
... Or is it? Now Mr. Williams is back to being shot on Lombard. Or is that his twin brother who also lives in the 600 block of S. Lehigh St., "Larado"?!
Today, Anna says two victims, two different days in two different places, one on Lombard and one on Baltimore, and it's "Lorado."
Who's got it wrong?

August 7

After the William Welch lost-evidence flap, state police have made a "verbal agreement" to handle evidence in cases against city officers in the future.

A rewrite that combines two of yesterday's stories, and additional forensics by Burgersub, clarify a couple of "details":

mr. williams was shot in the 3600 block of e lombard street friday night and died saturday. a 19 year old was shot in the first block of s highland avenue sunday and managed to run to the 3400 block of e baltimore street before collapsing. he died sunday (the same day he was shot). [and,] the sun sucks.

The S has more on the trial of HarfCo suspected serial killer Charles Burns, including a creepy letter the prosecution read. (I'm going to try to copy more primary-source stuff from Sun stories because their links expire in a day).

As I set here I'm thinking of what could've been going through that girls mind, as this was happening to her ... I know if this were me, I'd be saying what kind of 'monster' did I get a ride from. I'd be praying to God please Lord help me.

It's thirty years, yes, that's three zero, for 23-year-old Antoine Oliver, who shot Justice Georgie for $20 at the Divine Unity hair salon on Garrison Blvd. This means Mr. Oliver will likely get out when? ... Anyone? Anyone?
Update: Writes Julie Bykowicz,

Antoine can't get out in less than 15 years because he is convicted of a violent crime. When he does become eligible for parole, the governor will HAVE to sign off on his release, as that is standard operating procedure in all "life sentences" -- even ones with suspended terms like this one.

If he can't get a governor to sign him out of the big house, he'll have to wait until he is "mandatorily released" through "diminution credits," which would maybe happen around year 20. I did an explainer story on this pretty recently ["Pressures dictate plea deals, But sentences in city homicide cases aren't necessarily a bargain for the convicted," July 25, 2007]. Toward the end, it goes into (probably too much) detail about this subject.

Adds Luke Broadwater, wrestling coach/Examiner reporter:

Julie (as usual) is completely right about eligibility for parole. Under Maryland law, if convicted of a crime of violence (as defined by statute) a suspect isn't eligible for parole until he has served half his time. He can be up for his first parole review as early as 1/4th of his time, if he's convicted of a non-violent crime.

Thanks reporters! All quality, those two. So he'll serve at least 15 years.

Blotter: "A 20-year-old Bolton Hill woman was jogging around the reservoir at Druid Hill Park about 3 p.m. Sunday when several young men and women began yelling foul language at her and throwing rocks. The woman was not injured and no arrests had been made."

In the County, another domestic murder, at least the 8th in MD in the past month. Satya Long was found stabbed to death last night at her home in Woodlawn, and a so-far-unnamed man is in custody, turned in by his family after he confessed to his mom.

And a domestic dispute led to a city officer having to shoot one Ronald Bennett, 21. Just in the leg though unfortunately. Apparently there was already an assault warrant out for him but he'd been too busy wailing on his babymom to go to court.

Two yutes have escapes from the Hickey School (Didn't Ehrlich close that place down?). Fifteen-year-old Justin Russell and 16-year-old Davon Julius escaped a week ago.

Peter Franchot is after tax scofflaws. You mean, you can just ignore tax bills? i thought they'd take your house or something, but I guess not!

Three raids in the 'burbs busted car thieves who've sent thousands of Marylanders' vehicles to Africa and the Middle East.
"It's in vogue to run around in these countries with a license plate on that says Maryland on it or Florida on it," said Ben Jillett, a car-theft investigator with the Insurance Bureau of Canada.

Wrestling coach/ reporter Luke Broadwater rides with some unsuccessful bail bondsmen.

August 7th

"Routine Transfer" (Gone Bad, that is): escaped prisoner (and serial escapist) Marvin Jordan (he bolted outside of the court house yesterday noonish) is now on Baltimore's "Dirty Thirty" list. (Dirty Thirty? Really?)

August 6

Suspected serial killer Charles Burns of Bel Air was sentenced to life without parole today for killing Lillian Phelps of Elkton.

Patirica Campbell, the crazy neighbor who abducted 6-year-old Shenika Scott and styled her hair, pled guilty to child abduction as part of a plea deal Friday.

The Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted Calvin Puryear, 20, of the 2600 block of Dulaney Street and Lloyd Chase, 17, of the 2100 McHenry Street for first-degree murder and other charges on Friday. Court documents allege Calvin Puryear and Lloyd Chase are responsible for stabbing Christine Richardson, 15, on July 10, 2007 in her home in the 300 block of S. Fulton Avenue. Christine Richardson was stabbed several times and her throat slashed following an argument with the two suspects. Richardson died the same day. An arraignment is scheduled for August 28, 2007 before Judge John M. Glynn, Room 236 Mitchell Courthouse. Assistant State’s Attorney Cynthia Banks will prosecute this case.

The Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted James Giles, 21, of the 200 block of Dallas Court for first-degree murder, robbery deadly weapon and other charges on Friday. Court documents allege James Giles is responsible for shooting Robert Perlie, Jr. in the head on May 17, 2007 in the 200 block of Dallas Court during a robbery. Perlie succumbed to his injuries at Johns Hopkins Hospital. An arraignment is scheduled for September 7, 2007 before Judge John M. Glynn, Room 236, Mitchell Courthouse. Chief of the Homicide Division and Assistant State’s Attorney Mark Cohen will prosecute this case.

A boy was shot last night in 3400 block of E. Baltimore St.

Lorado Williams Jr., 27, a victim shot and robbed on Friday in the 3600 block of E. Baltimore St. died (unknown if there's any relationship to the incident above.)

Two more (!) shootings in the Blotter:

Shooting // Police responding to a report of a man shot in the 3000 block of McElderry St. about 5 a.m. Saturday found the victim bleeding from a bullet wound to an upper leg. The victim, 22, was treated at Johns Hopkins Hospital.

Eastern
Shooting // A 25-year-old man was shot once in the upper body in the 900 block of N. Patterson Park Ave. about 3 a.m. Saturday and was admitted in critical but stable condition at Johns Hopkins Hospital. The man, who lives in the 1100 block of N. Carey St. in West Baltimore, was found by police responding a report of a shooting.

The trial of officer William Welch has been postponed. Welch is accused of raping a 16-year-old (alleged) prostitute in the SE district house. Three weeks ago, the police lost (or perhaps "lost") the girl's clothing from the evidence room.

One Clinton Dunnock got 14 years for trying to bring 7 kgs. of cocaine (about 15 1/2 pounds) from NY to Baltimore. Why is the DEA the only organization in the US that uses the metric system?

We love sites like this! Truth About Dixon dishes scandals, outrage

Mayor Dixon has a new project: GunStat.

Matthew R. Dieterle, who killed his AAC "girlfriend" Samantha MacQuilliam in Tampa, had a criminal history including assault, gun violations and burglary.

In lieu of a certain candidate's recent issues, we thought it time to reset the mayoral poll, right.

August 5

Don't forget Neighbor's Night Out!
Join your fellow crimefighters in boozing it up at Max's this minute!
Even if it seems like Dixon is co-oping the event, galt, proceeds do go to the Zach Sowers Recovery Fund, a very worthy cause.

Do you know someone who drives in MoCo in a silver BMW 5 series that now has front-end damage (or their car's suddenly disappeared? Well that said someone may have mowed down 17-year-old prospective chef Esai Lopez, and you should totally narc on them.

"Can we have a police patrol in this area?" a resident of asked Sheila Dixon. But not a peep as to what the mayor's answer was?!

"The reason why we chose Baltimore was, they came in with the highest bid on bodies." -- Maj. Jeffrey Ball in a Sun medical melodrama piece ("A Doctor at War") on how UMM's Shock Trauma trained a doctor for Iraq.

August 4

"A 20-year-old man was shot several times in the 3400 block of Carlisle Ave. in Northwest Baltimore about 12:30 a.m. He was taken to Sinai Hospital for surgery and listed in grave condition, police said. About an hour later, a man was shot in the head in the 3600 block of E. Lombard St., ... The man was taken to Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center and is not expected to survive. ... Another man was stabbed about 5 p.m. yesterday near Liberty Heights Avenue and Garrison Boulevard in the Forest Park neighborhood."

Police have released a sketch of the suspect who raped an 88-year-old woman, shown at right. Hmm, is that man Asian?

Gus S. on the Zach Sowers case.
Where's everybody going for neighbors' night out tomorrow?
The family & I will be at Mama's on the Half Shell at 6 (the only place in the city that has lobster rolls and a children's menu) ...hope everyone comes out!

Defendant Brandon Morris, accused of shooting Correctional Officer Jeffery Wroten, is such a spaz he'll have to wear a stun belt to court.

As regular readers surely know, killer moms aren't rare.

In MoCo, Francesco Kelly, who at age 16 shot a man because the victim's girlfriend made fun of him on a bus, is a free man.
"The verdict surprised even the defense team."

HBO Trolls Craigslist, Pt. Deux

Since everyone was so jazzed about the last ad...
HBO's "The Wire": Extras needed for Monday Aug. 6th

Reply to: wirebaltimore@gmail.com
Date: 2007-08-02, 2:28PM EDT

Pat Moran and Associates is looking for people wanting to work as background extras on HBO's "The Wire," this coming Monday August 6th. The commitment may be for the entire day so please DO NOT respond unless you are available all day.

We are looking for all types, male/female, Caucasian/African American, age range preferably 25+, although we may need high schoolers as well.

We will also need people who are willing to use their car in the show, if you have a car that is NOT white, preferably darker colors, please specify in your email.

All emails should include a recent photograph, age/height/weight, car make/model (if applicable) and a phone number where you can be reached.

Please send submissions to wirebaltimore@gmail.com

These are Non-Union positions, pay is $50/8 hours, plus a $10.00 bump if we use your car.

www.patmoranandassociates.com

Location: Baltimore
Compensation: Non-Union, $50/8
Principals only. Recruiters, please don't contact this job poster.
Please, no phone calls about this job!
Please do not contact job poster about other services, products or commercial interests.

(Thanks Dan!)

August 3

Four Three murders in 24 hours:

• An unidentified man was killed at 1:30 a.m. this morning in the 3600 block of E. Lombard St., in the Baltimore Highlands whoops, wait, he survived!
• Donte Bracey, 20, was shot in the back shortly before 11 p.m. last night in the 500 block of E. 23rd St. in the East Baltimore Midway
• A man was shot in the 3400 block of Carlisle Ave., in Northwest Baltimore, and is in "grave" condition (er, there's only one kind of condition that's appopos for the grave... but it sounds like he's still alive)

The other two murders must be the two unid'd men from yesterday: 7:45 a.m. in the 3700 block of Lyndale Ave. and an 18-year-old man 1:30 a.m. in the 2400 block of Marbourne Ave in Lakeland.

Indeed, the "more details" in the "written-off carjacking" are very depressing: not just details that make it clear an armed carjacking really happened and Grimes was the 'jacker, but stolen credit cards that could have helped lead police to Brandon Grimes had police believed the victim and recorded the crime properly.
Like the commentor said, "if somebody really wants to kill somebody else, there's nothing the police can do!"

In Clinton, PGC, Terris Terrell Luckett, 39, shot his wife and then drove to a barbershop to kill a football coach.

Pediatrics & Parenting
Trouble for Mitchell's mayoral campaign: his DAD and treasurer allegedly spent $40,000 of campaign money on personal expenses.

Jessamy vs. Kraft: who's the baby?
Kraft sent Jessamy letters asking her to get tougher on violent crime in his Southeast District, and released one of them to "the media", and Jessamy went ballistic:

"'Councilman Kraft, please grow up,' Jessamy wrote in a letter dated Tuesday. 'Stop being a petulant ‘do nothing’ politician and represent the interest of your constituents. I am willing to work with you, but will not under any circumstances tolerate your attacks.'”

We don't know exactly what Kraft's letter said, but can't help but to notice Jessamy seems to have a whole lot of trouble getting along with others (and is none too PR-savvy either. Had anyone heard of that letter before this?).

An AAC teenager was found "responsible" in juvenile court for the death of her newborn infant found in a trash can.

August 2

Update, if you're following the OC fetus-mom story:
Prosecutors have dropped the murder charges in the case of the 26-week-old fetus found in Christy Freeman's house, but have now charged her with murder of an "infant" "born" in 2003.

Is Nicole Richie still in town? A "vehicle going the wrong way in the 1400 block of Montford Avenue crashed into a police car."
Crazy picture!

Media news:
Dolan Media, owner of the Daily Record and other "niche" business and law papers, has gone public ... and amazingly the public is buying it!

So much for that lull... two more murders, unid'd:
7:45 a.m. in the 3700 block of Lyndale Ave.
and an 18-year-old man 1:30 a.m. in the 2400 block of Marbourne Ave in Lakeland.
The Sun's 187 and 188 = our 192 & 193.

Court of Appeals: the state needs to try harder to comply with convicted rapists’ and murderers’ requests for post-conviction DNA testing, checking the police evidence-control unit isn't enough.

A third suspect was arrested today in the Carl Lackl case, Marcus Antwan Pearson, 26. Also in custody are Johnathan Ryan Cordish, 15 of the 300 block N. Monroe St., and Ronald Wendell Williams, 21. Though it's clear Pearson and the 15-year-old gunboy targeted Lackl, police say there's no evidence that the killing was motivated by Lackl's planned testimony in the Patrick Byers murder trial.

Blotter: A man was shot in the shoulder by robbers in the Northwest; a man was shot in the upper right leg trying to flee an altercation with two other men in the 3300 block of E. Fayette St. about 3 a.m. Sunday, a woman was punched in the face at a gas station in the 2200 block of Linden Ave.; police are seeking several teenage females who attacked two other females, one 19 and the other 16, in the 2100 block of N. Pulaski St. late Saturday night.

Beware the sound of a saw in your driveway: stealing catalytic converters is a profitable and low-risk activity for thieves.

Notable quotable: "Baltimore is a safe city." - Mayor Dixon
Was our mayor lying to our people in uniform?
(Or did she mean relative to Iraq?!)

Notable quotable II: "I'm goin to the hairdresser, I can't do it this way!" - Sheila Dixon, last two seconds of Fox's "Raw News" Mayor Dixon Crime Plan Press Conference
The "officer sentenced" video with the reporter chasing down Joseph Mosmiller and his slouchy lawyer is also a hoot:
"Why would you take pictures of women's breasts? Get ahead of him! She says she's been damaged forever emotionally! You have nothing to say to her? What about to fellow police officers! Fellow police officers!"

The media frenzy surrounding the OC fetus house has prompted police patrols. And no word from police or the prosecutors since Monday, when he told reporters that Freeman caused her baby to be stillborn. (How is that possible? Said a police spokesman, "use your imagination.")

August 2

In the case of murdered witness Carl Lackl, there's been a third arrest: Marcus Antwan Pearson has been charged with first degree murder:

Pearson made telephone calls to Lackl about a car that the Rosedale man was selling to lure him outside of his home, county police said. Pearson was in a vehicle in front of the shooter's car, and pointed out Lackl as they drove by, police said.

Suspects in the Lackl case so far are:
Marcus Antwan Pearson, 26,
Johnathan Ryan Cordish, 15
of the 300 block N. Monroe St., and
Ronald Wendell Williams, 21,

Guard your car's catalytic converter, although I don't think your dealership's repair shop is going to mind too much if they've gotta replace 'em for you.

Awful: the rape and robbery of an 88-year old cancer patient in Southeast Baltimore.

Mayor Sheila Dixon demands accountability from the police:

On Wednesday, the mayor said this isn't the first time she's heard complaints of crimes that hadn't been written up. She called the practice unacceptable in her administration.

Jesus God! Hasn't the misreporting or underreporting or whatever-reporting-of-crime been a big complaint against the police department and the mayor's office for, um, quite some time now? Hopefully, if there's one silver lining from this tragic shooting, it'll be an overhaul of how the police report crimes (and, hopefully, a police department with the balls to stand up to any political pressure it might get to do so).

August 1

A man was fatally shot in the 1200 block of Nanticoke St in Pigtown, South Baltimore.

The man who ran to the mayor's West Baltimore house after being shot has died.

At a hearing today Judge Allen L. Schwait sentenced Antonio Dana Rogers, 28, of the 100 block of Cherryhill Road to life in prison for attempted first degree murder and an additional 25 years in prison, consecutive, for use of a handgun in the commission of a crime of violence and prohibited possession of a handgun counts. A Baltimore City jury convicted Rogers June 5, 2007. The story:

On August 23, 2005 at approximately 11:00PM the victim was walking in the 2000 block of McCullough toward the 400 block of W. Presstman St. when she became engaged in an argument with Rogers. As the victim continued toward her home, Rogers followed and pulled out a small caliber handgun, shooting the victim two times – once in the abdomen and once in the arm. When officers arrived the victim told police that “Dana” shot her and that he stays in the Cherry Hill area of the city. Rogers was eventually apprehended and was identified by both the victim and other witnesses. The victim suffered permanent injuries due to the shooting and now has to walk with a cane. She has undergone 14 surgeries since the shooting due to the injuries she suffered.

Today the Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted Rodney Fray, 39, of the 1800 block of E. Pratt St. for first-degree murder and deadly weapon. Court documents allege that Rodney Fray was responsible for an incident on July 7, 2007 when Ashley Bellosi, 23, was found suffering from head and neck injuries in her apartment in the 800 block of St Paul St. Fray allegedly fought with Bellosi, knocked her unconscious and then left the scene. Bellosi died later at University of Maryland Shock Trauma Hospital. Fray was reportedly Bellosi’s boyfriend.

Domestic Horrors!
An 88-year-old woman was raped in her home by a 20-something black male in South Baltimore.

The family of murder victim Anna Bergman are outraged that she wasn't granted a restraining order. The court commissioner in Catonsville says that Bergman claimed that Ryan Bulter threatened her new boyfriend, not herself. and she was told that he should apply for his own order.

WTF?!: In Frederick County, Donna Jean Compton, 46, pled guilty to transmitting images of her 14-year-old daughter “in various stages of undress” to a "juvenile acquaintance."

The Murder Ink details homicides from July 23 to 27, and fills in Conrad Strange, 25, killed July 15 on North Gay Street.

In this week's CP, in a "classic" from 1984, John Waters interviews "kinky Gary Gilmore" Arthur Frederick Goode III, "one Maryland native we'd all rather forget."

Fredneck gun-weilding teenager Tia Janae Moore was found guilty of masterminding a 90-minute robbery spree that struck a Wendy's, a Dunkin Donuts and a Domino's deliveryperson. Said Assistant State's Attorney Teresa R. Bean, "Apparently they needed money for shoes."

A good question: "If you have a miscarriage at home, what are you supposed to do with the fetus?"
Not being legally human yet it can't make human remains, so that would fall under "medical waste" and the MDE, right?
Well, the MDE says:

Household waste is exempted from being regulated as hazardous waste. Nevertheless, it should not be disposed of indiscriminately. If you no longer have use for a hazardous product, try to find someone who can use it [an embryologist at Hopkins, perhaps?]. Failing that, contact your county governemt (sic) to determine if they have a household hazardous waste collection day scheduled."

Fun Quiz!

By the Sun's John Fritze: "Here are the mayoral candidates' verbatim answers (trimmed only when their words were not clear; offered in the order that they spoke) to the following question: 'Baltimore has one of the highest murder rates in the country. ... What are your plans to ensure that citizens enjoy a safer Baltimore?'"

Match the candiate to the quotes:

a. "We don't compromise when it comes to our religion, we don't compromise when it comes to our Lord and our God -- we cannot compromise when it comes to leadership."

b. "I've called for a federal program to treat drugs as a public health issue. Addict goes to a clinic, gets what they're addicted to. All the money we've saved on the cops and the courts and the prisons and the low morale in the police because all of this can be used for treatment on demand and a federal jobs program. It would probably cost us far less than what we're spending now."

c. "A wise old owl sat on an oak. The more he heard the less he spoke. The less he spoke the more he heard. I'll try to be like that wise old bird."

d. "This afternoon I had the opportunity to visit one of the officers at shock trauma who was shot last night. I looked in the faces of her parents and I went to visit her. We need more police officers on our streets. We are short."

answers
Further reading: the Sun's Baltimore election blog.

We all knew Brandon Grimes, right, should have been in jail long before he killed officer Troy Chesley Jr., but it gets worse. Grimes apparently carjacked someone days before the shooting, but police "declared the carjacking report unfounded. As a result, there was no follow-up investigation and no lookout was posted for the green van." Not the first time Jayne's reported police dismissing carjacking victims.
Dixon's tepid response: "We really need to find out what happened and why, and make some folks accountable. It's unacceptable."
Yeah, you like, totally do. Good idea. Let me know how that goes!

Former Prince George's County homeland security official Keith A. Washington was indicted yesterday on charges of murder and attempted murder for shooting two unarmed furniture delivery men, Brandon D. Clark and Robert White, in his Accokeek home in January. Washington cried self-defense, but looks like the grand jury decided he meant it.

Ranard D. Brown, 26, was arrested yesterday for shooting the two female officers on Monday.

An unnamed man died Saturday, four months after being shot in the 2900 block of Mosher St.

Who wrote secreted?!
WBAL version of an AP story: "Investigators working on the case of a Maryland mother who allegedly secreted dead fetuses around her home have a task that could stretch the bounds of even fictional forensic specialists on a television show."
("Hid" is used in the in the Capitol's version)

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July 31

A man was shot around 11 p.m. Monday night just a few blocks from mayor Dixon's home on Swann Avenue in West Baltimore; the bleeding man drove himself to her security car for help.

Also: "A man, 25, was shot in the chest about 11:15 p.m. Sunday in the 4500 block of Farring Court," "Three men were fighting in the 3300 block of E. Fayette St. about 3 a.m. Sunday when one man pulled out a semiautomatic handgun and shot another man, 31, in the upper right leg, shattering the hip bone." and a man in the 1400 block of N. Broadway Sunday was struck "several times over the head and body with a piece of wood."

Shot suspect: that was a popsicle in my mouth, not drugs.

The female officers shot yesterday were ID'd as Loretta L. Francis, 34, a member of the force for 14 years, and Karen Brzowsky, 29, an officer for 5 years. Sun: "A source close to the investigation -- who is not named because the source is not permitted to talk to the media -- said the two officers were responding to a call for men gambling in or near the 200 block of N. Port when they were shot." The story also reports that as of Monday there were 445 non-fatal shootings, up from 338 last year.

Serial bank robber Craig Joseph Mills got 6 1/2 years in federal prison.

It's only the second use of MD's fetal homicide law, and Worcester County State's Attorney Joel J. Todd's application is highly irregular, to say the least. First of all, the OC fetuses were all preterm and not born alive. And, if even if Christy Freeman somehow caused her own late-term abortion, that wouldn't be against the new law. One of the bill's sponsors says that the exemption doesn't apply to "wanton or reckless behavior," but, well, the law doesn't actually say anything about that, and it isn't especially illegal to smoke crack while you're pregnant in MD.

July 30

Demetris Downing Sr. (Sr?!) , 25, was shot to death Saturday night in the 2100 block of McHenry St. shortly before 7 p.m., a block from his house.

Two police officers were shot at Orleans Street and Port Streets. both are alive ... and female!

What is going on?! Four horrible domestic murders in two days. Jeremy and Justin Herring, 18 and 20 years old, were murdered by their father in MoCo.

And the third MD dad-on-mom murder in the past three weeks: "Police said Anna Bergman, 20, was shot in the head by her 3-year-old son's father, whose name has not been released, in the 300 block of Westshire Road on Monday morning. Bergman was pronounced dead at the scene." Update: a court commissioner had refused to grant Anna Bergman a restraining order Friday night. The three-year-old, also Ryan Butler, is in custody of the murderer's parents.

The story of Christy Freeman, the taxi-company-owner and Ocean-City-baby-body-collector, is grey-area and getting creepier. WBAL says "four infant cadavers have been found since last week" (a very peculiar word choice, almost always used to describe a body being used for educational purposes), and goes on to say that all of the babies were pre-term and stillborn. Nevertheless, the prosecutor down there says he plans to charge her under the fetal homicide law.

The Baltimore City Grand Jury today indicted Lontona Maria Webb, 38, of the 3600 block of Clarinth Rd., Michael Moore, 26, of the 3600 block of Clarinth Rd. and Latoya Renee James, 24, of the 1300 block of Dalton Rd. on July 26, 2007 in an alleged theft scheme involving the property of detainees at the Baltimore Central Booking and Intake Facility (CBIF). The indictments allege that the incidents occurred at CBIF between November 2006 and March 2007. Details from the SA's office:

After hearing testimony, the Grand Jury returned a total of 32 indictments, alleging credit card theft, identity fraud, conspiracy to commit theft and misconduct in office involving 8 victims who were arrested and transported to the Baltimore Central Booking and Intake Facility (CBIF) for processing. Webb is charged in 22 separate indictments, Moore in 7 indictments and James in 3 indictments.

Webb is a former Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services Correctional Officer. James is still a Correctional Officer.

Court documents allege that between November 2006 and March 2007 various defendants were processed at Central Booking and Intake Facility (CBIF) and reported their credit cards stolen and used during their period of incarceration. Investigation showed that defendant Lontona Webb, who was employed as a correctional officer during this time, and Michael Moore, of the same address, conspired to use the cards to purchase items in both Baltimore City & County. Lontona James worked the same shift at CBIF as Webb, and also allegedly took a credit card and used it in Baltimore County.

Baltimore County police said they've arrested four men and charged them in the shooting of 24-year-old student Herve Massaba, who is now paralyzed from the chest down.

More on the suicide of murderer Donald Webb Jr. and his victims. The Sun reports that the 13-year-old boy is recovering at Johns Hopkins Children's Center after surgery for multiple bullet wounds.

There was another male-on-female domestic murder/suicide 15 days ago in Arbutus; Donta Antwon Gross, 30, shot Tashema Tameka Fitzgerald, 21, then himself in the 4800 block of Westland Blvd.

In Ocean City, 37-year-old Cindy Freeman was charged with the murder of an infant and "Maryland investigators have found three tiny bodies" in her home.

Three MD and DC metro stations were shut down and the FBI was called in after a pest-control contractor neglected to clean up some dead birds. The Takoma station shut down for almost four hours awaiting NIH clearance.

Remember AAC's Officer Joseph Francis Mosmiller, who photographed himself honking a teenage motorist's boob?
He pled guilty to misconduct and will spend six days in jail.

July 29, Evening

Taming a Violent City - The Baltimore Sun asks an "array of experts" on how, exactly, to do that. Interesting, but why no prosecutors or ex-police *cough*Ed*cough* chiefs on the list?

24-year old Brandon Reed mugged a woman fifty years his senior and was apparently so overcome by shame that he allegedly hung himself in a HoCo jail cell, the fourth person to do so since 1999.

July 29

Donald Webb Jr., 48, who killed his wife and shot his stepson Friday night, is still at large! was found with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head in upstate New York.
Webb is was a chubby corrections officer, shown at right & last seen in a blue 2006 Chevrolet pickup with Maryland license plate 24R856.

A crime wave has hit the Roland Park subdivision of Evergreen, with cars broken into and houses robbed in broad daylight on Wilmslow and Cable Streets. Lock your doors & windows, especially in the daytime when you're at home!

"The fault line between work and family” is “precisely where sex-based overgeneralization has been and remains strongest." -- says the Chief Justice in the NYT Mag article "Family Leave Values"

Julie Bykowicz answers our voir dire questions.
(Schwait turned over a conviction because of his own error? Wacky!)
From law.com: "Jury practices vary widely across the Nation"

"An apparent Sinful Secret was Exposed in Harford County Last Night ... Mike Hellgren has the disturbing allegations ... A warning, though, for some of you, this is very graphic stuff ... Deacon Kevin Glenn ... groin area ... buttocks... feeling up ... played a game called hide the money ... cash ... undergarmets ... and when one of the girls confronted him, he read her Scriptures."

July 28

Horrid. Donald Webb Jr. shot his 13-year-old son and his wife, wounding to the boy and killing his mother in the 900 block of West Lombard Street.

Nathaniel Treat, a 27-year-old Annapolis man was recovering at Johns Hopkins Hospital yesterday after he was stabbed three times in the stomach while trying to save someone he saw being beaten in Charles Village.

One instance and one quote is no argument for any kind of trend, but it does give Greg Kane the opportunity to bitch about that perinneal Baltimore juror, The Lady Who Won't Convict The Black Man.

This should be good! Mayoral candidate Del. Jill Carter will co-host the Ed Norris Show this Monday from 11-1.

City council candidate Adam Meister will be guest-bartending upstairs at the Ottobar tonight from 5:30-8:30, with tips going to the campaign. Downstairs, a collection of "the wildest, weirdest, most obscene bands".

Evening

Today a Baltimore City jury convicted Elliott McLain, 31, of the 5200 block of St. Charles Ave. of first degree murder, conspiracy and other related handgun counts. The jury deliberated for approximately one day following four days of testimony. Judge Robert Kershaw will sentence McLain October 3, 2007. He faces a maximum possible term of life plus life plus 25 years in prison. Details from the SA's office, edited for clarity:

On June 1, 2004 at approximately 1 a.m. in the 600 block of Hazel Street, McLain and co-defendant Kevin Fletcher approach the victim, Tidell Harris, on the street. They each pulled a gun. Fifteen shots were fired and the victim was hit five times, twice in the chest and three in the face and head. Harris was pronounced dead at the scene. Fletcher confessed and had a plea deal in which he was to testify against McLain (Life, suspend all but 25 years). But Fletcher refused to testify in January when called to the stand during a pretrial motions hearing, so the court sentenced Fletcher to life in prison plus 20 years. Fletcher did testify in this case but his court testimony was inconsistent with his taped police confession, which was played in court. Assistant State’s Attorney Tonya LaPolla of the FIVE Division prosecuted this case.

Thirty-four-year-old Ida Susan Robinson pled guilty and got 20 years for stabbing her shack-up boyfriend to death in front of his eight-year-old son in Woodlawn.

An eagle-eyed PA trooper apprehended Lorenzo Presha II, wanted for rape in the county.

Whatever did they talk about? Dixon and Ed Norris met privately at a Hunt Valley hotel bar.
('on the QT'? What does that stand for?)

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.