September 10

City police are investigating the "suspicious" deaths of two people whose bodies were found early this morning inside a house in the 3500 block of Elmley Ave in the Belair-Edison neighborhood of Northeast Baltimore.
UPDATE: The Sun has updated the above link to note that it was a male/female murder/suicide in the 3600 block of Elmley Ave. Police identified the female victim as Khonji Walton, 27, and the man was identified as 36-year-old Antonio Clyburn.

An unidentified man was found shot on the 800 block of North Chester Street just before 2 a.m. Saturday. No suspects, no motive.

A 30-year-old woman was shot and died in Dundalk at 5:45 this morning.
UPDATE: She was identified as Lymaris Mejias, 29, a Latina exotic dancer and mother of four who used the stage name Chyna. A neighbor says that she told him she had a lot of enemies.

Baltimore County police are looking for Emory Lamont Lewis, 24, who allegedly shot Felicia Ann Spratley, 22, of Silerton Road, after she ran from him during a fight.

In Woodlawn, "A male in his 20s was shot in the face outside a house in the 1600 block of Kirkwood Road in the West Edmondale community shortly before 9 p.m. yesterday and was taken to Maryland Shock Trauma Center, where he was admitted in critical condition. Police were seeking two males seen running from the scene." Also lots of robbery, burglary and theft in the Blotter.

There's a new home for pregnant nonviolent offenders in Park Heights.

Dept. of Negligent Snack-Food Culture
Dan Rodricks moderates a discussion on crime
Anyway, crappy education, lack of employment opportunities and kids eating Doritos® for breakfast are all blamed ... yet no one has the 'nads to blame the culture and people who see no shame in letting kids drop out of school and serving them Doritos® for breakfast.
We musn't be culturally insensitive!

* New slang alert!
Dorito: [noun] A lazily slipshod and dilatory individual, undeservedly prideful and violence-prone; a person who serves children snack foods for breakfast
"He had to overcome a lot to get to college, his parents are total Doritos."
"You don't want to buy that house, there's a whole bunch of Doritos living next door."

Speaking of Britney Spears, we read an article in out favorite paper a while back that she was addicted to opiate lollipops-- turns out they're for real!

September 9

Two more police-involved shootings today, and unshockingly both were the result of "domestics."

Alleged killer of Detective Troy Lamont Chesley (and alleged carjacker, robber, assailant, etc etc), Brandon Grimes. is seeking to change his plea from "not guilty" to "not criminally responsible" on account of bipolar disorder or a learning disorder or something.

Amazing survival story! Missing student James McCormick had driven his car into a ravine, and was found a week later by a sharp-eyed pregnant passenger!

Wow, there really are more black men in jail than in prison!

While Baltimoreans are annoyed about crime, but apparently not enough so to do anything about it, Annapolitans are freaking.

A happy ending! Detective Ed Burns and David Simon of "The Wire" introduced the real-life Omar Little* to his wife-to-be! Awwwwww! Here's more.
*We're assuming there's at least one major difference...

Sheriff's deputies in Florence, S.C., continued a two-day manhunt mit Hunden in the forest off Interstate 95 today for convicted armed robber Marvin Ray Jordan, who escaped his leg shackles last month at the Courthouse East.

Three Years for Kaufman's Brick-Basher

This morning Judge Wanda K. Heard sentenced Steven Carr, 38, of the 3800 block of Hillsdale Road, to 15 years in prison, suspending all but three years. Said the SA's office, in their no-nonsense style:

Carr pled guilty to robbery with a deadly weapon May 11, 2007 for assaulting mayoral candidate A. Robert Kaufman in the head with a brick, taking money from Mr. Kaufman on December 6, 2006 at Mr. Kaufman’s home on North Hilton Street. Judge Heard ordered that the sentence run concurrent to the two years that Carr is currently serving for violating probation on a previous CDS case. The court also ordered that Carr be placed on probation for five years following his release from prison, during which time he is to complete his GED, and complete his licensing as an electrician. He will also be provided with drug and alcohol treatment, if necessary, along with an anger management counseling. At the hearing, Mr. Kaufman spoke at length about his concerns for Mr. Carr, and the city in general. He expressed his wishes that Mr. Kaufman receive rehabilitation and counseling during his incarceration in the hopes that Mr. Carr will “become a productive member of society.” Judge Heard said that she was very moved by both Mr. Kaufman’s and Mr. Carr’s comments. The State had asked for a prison term of 20 years suspend all but 10 years. Assistant State’s Attorney and General Trial Division Chief Lawrence Doan prosecuted this case.

September 7

AAC police are asking for the public's help to find 6-year-old Colin Jackson, left, kidnapped by his non-custodial parent. They're believed to be in a 1992 Chevrolet Blazer, with Maryland tags A184479.

Blarf! It's the BCrime diet plan... every time you have an appetite, read this article about Richard Lewis Marks' 30+ years of pedophilia. Hork! Heave!

A stolen-car chase yesterday ended with police shooting out one of the car's windows on Pratt Street; the driver was arrested. This is intuguing: "an electronic scanning device mounted on the police vehicle indicated that [the car had] been stolen." So futuristic!

An 18-year-old arrested for murder and a Woodlawn home-invasion robbery in the Blotter.

Kenneth Beauchamp of Dundalk, wanted in the murder of Patrick Pearce III of Rosedale, was arrested in Ohio.

WYPR: "Crime Anxiety Grips Three Baltimore Neighborhoods"
(only three? Finally some good news!)

Ellicott City gallery owner/Ponzi schemer Thomas H. Akins got 6 1/2 years in the federal pen for his "Art Investment Program."

Politics
Janis: when it comes to elections, voter turnout is what counts. In '06 MD's turnout was 47.3 percent, not much worse than the US average. Wonder what it is in the city? One Oz Bengur says "a third," but doesn't source that number.

PPark Double Shooter Indicted for Murder

The Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted Shawn Dickey, 21, of the 400 block of N. Collington Avenue on charges of first-degree murder and attempted first degree murder. Court documents allege Shawn Dickey is responsible for a double shooting in the 2300 block of E. Fayette Street and Patterson Park on May 22, 2007. Alexander Rose and another person were on the corner of Patterson Park and Fayette Street when Dickey began shooting at the two people. The surviving victim was able to run away despite suffering a gunshot to the leg. Rose succumbed to his injuries at Johns Hopkins Hospital. An arraignment is scheduled for October 2, 2007 before Judge Lynn K. Stewart, Room 215, Mitchell Courthouse. Assistant State’s Attorney Joshua Felsen will prosecute this case.

Guilty Plea but No Jail for Shanda Harris

At a hearing today, Shanda R. Harris, 41, of the 3100 block of Lawnview Avenue pled guilty to one count of reckless endangerment and three counts of child in need of assistance (CINA) or contributing to the negligence of a child. Judge John M. Glynn sentenced Harris to eight years in prison suspending all but the time she already served from October 5, 2006 through March 26, 2007, and also sentenced her to three years' probation and set special conditions: that she complete drug and alcohol abuse treatment, psychiatric treatment and parenting classes. Between July 1, 2005 and July 30, 2006 Harris allowed convicted child sex offender Melvin Jones access to her four children after being notified that he was in fact a registered child sex offender. Assistant State’s Attorney and Felony Family Violence Division Chief Julie Drake will prosecuted this case.

September 6

Fox's Jeff Barnes reported last night that the man shot in an auto-parts store on Belvedere Avenue died, and a suspect fled in a silver Mercedes, plate 9CT H64.

From yesterday: A foul-smelling (alleged) sex offender with a collection of knockout drugs was discovered hiding in the closet of two Dundalk kids.

More on murder vitims Jasmine Borum and her grandmother Pauline.
WMAR reports that neighbors believe the grandmother was caught in the way of someone after Jasmine, but

'[Jasmine's] dead and gone why drag her name through the mud,' says [neighbor Marcus] Lynch. Only because other residents believe her record may explain why someone would kill a 60 year grandmother and her granddaughter inside their home and in a neighborhood, everyone agrees was quiet full of families, full of children.

A 20-year-old man walking in the 1500 block of Cliftview Ave. about 12:30 a.m. and was shot in the back and lived; Troy Spencer, 33, was arrested for shooting two people; stolen American cars in the Blotter.

In AAC, Ronald Francis Dawson II will serve two months for killing TJ Watson in an alleged drug deal gone bad.

Mother-of-the-year Shanda Harris won't get a plea deal.

Who Knew? Dept:
Apparently, Remington isn't an abyss of drugs and violence.

"Implementing Park Heights Revitalization A Tall Order"

Missing persons:
PGC Police Department is seeking the public’s help in locating missing 18-year-old Julian Carlos McCormick, last seen Saturday Sept. 1 leaving his dorm at Bowie State University in his Blue-Silver 2003 Honda Civic with Maryland temporary tag # 83870A.

More on the Karen Kamsch mystery.

Crime Alert! Fake BGE Men

"Fartsy" wrote:
"I live in Pigtown and we have a guy who's going around robbing houses in broad daylight. He's described as a black male, and VERY tall...like 6'5" or so, and he wears a construction vest and gloves."

I called the SW district to confirm, and the very nice officer who picked up the phone said that what police have seen a lot of lately, in the SW and city-wide, is an uptick in reports of the scam of men posing as workers from BGE, sometimes complete with a very-real looking uniform and badge. Sometimes they scam people by saying that they owe money on their bills and the power's going to be shut off that minute if they don't pay, other times they just flat-out shove their way in and rob the house after someone opens the door.
Of course, he says, BGE doesn't collect cash door-to-door, and they don't show up unannounced, so if you see an unexpected "BGE man" or other utility-person type knocking on your door, don't open the door, and call the police!

UPDATE: Says Fartsy, "No, it's not one of the phony BGE men! This guy just kicks in doors and windows -- he doesn't bother with knocking and pretending to be a phony BGE man. One of our neighbors was stabbed multiple times and has a collapsed lung (or had, I haven't gotten an update lately on the guy's condition). The phony BGE guy is a different crook."

Jezum crow!

This Just In: WBAL Reportage Lazy, Hype-Driven

OMG, what little lying weasels!
Looking for the clip of the Walters' CCTV tape of a mugging I posted a while back, I found this instead from WBAL. Assuming that they found the clip randomly and don't read this site, my YouTube "handle" and a link to send me a message is right there on every clip! Hardly a BIG MYSTERY!
I guess a mugging is too dull, they felt the need to fabricate a hook out of thin air!



How does Jayne Miller stand to hang out with those assclowns?

ps. a Great essay/rant by George Saunders, "The Braindead Megaphone," in this month's GQ, opining the myriad ways in which progressively "dumber" TV news spreads the "disease" of "stupidity, aggression and anxiety."

A very violent blotter, and let's preserve the news of bodily harm for posterity here:

Northeastern
Shooting // An unidentified man was in critical condition at Johns Hopkins Hospital after he was shot in the head, chest and neck about 9 p.m. yesterday in the 2500 block of Garrett Ave. by an unknown assailant.

Stabbing // Two teenage girls were stabbed about 8:45 p.m. yesterday in the 1600 block of Abbotston St. by one of several other females who fled the scene. The victims, one stabbed in the face and the other in the face, chest and back, were treated at an area hospital.

Northwestern
Shooting // Police were seeking a man who shot another man at an auto repair shop in the 4100 block of W. Belvedere Ave. about 9 p.m. yesterday and stole a car. The victim was taken to Maryland Shock Trauma Center. His condition was not available.

Victim named // Police released yesterday the name of the man shot Aug. 29 in the 3100 block of Artaban Place who died the next day at Sinai Hospital. He was Darnell Thomas, 23, of the 3900 block of Piedmont Ave.

Southwestern
Victim named // Police yesterday identified Kahlil Taylor, 23, of the 2700 block of Dunkirk Ave. as the man who was shot Aug. 30 in the 3000 block of Normount Court and died the next day at Maryland Shock Trauma Center. Three other males who were shot during the same incident survived. There was no arrest.

Arrest // Tyron Stridiron, 26, of the 4100 block of Glenhunt Road, was arrested Tuesday in the 2600 block of W. Franklin St. on a warrant charging him with attempted murder. Stridiron is charged with shooting another man in the 4100 block of Mountwood Road on June 4.

Southeastern
Victim named // A man fatally shot in the 2000 block of E. Fairmount Ave. on Aug. 31 has been identified as Sean Blackwell, 20, of the 1500 block of E. Madison St. No arrest had been made.

Assault // Police were seeking a known male who fired several shots at two brothers standing in the 300 block of Loney's Lane about 9 p.m. Sunday. The incident was attributed to an attempted robbery of one of the brothers by the gunman several minutes earlier.

Assault // A man, 59, and his nephew were standing the rear yard of a house in the 100 block of E. Barney St. about 2:20 p.m. Sunday, arguing over who would perform a paint job there, when the nephew allegedly struck his uncle with a shovel. The victim was not seriously injured, and no arrest had been made.

...and then there's a whole other page of robberies, drugs and so on.

WTF? A foul-smelling (alleged) sex offender was discovered hiding in the closet of two Dundalk boys.

In AAC, police say they are questioning a 'person of interest' in the 1976 disappearance of 14-year-old Karen Beth Kamsch.

Life Plus 5 for Myron Gladney

Saying that violence involving young people has forced citizens in Baltimore to be confined to their homes and that it gives him no pleasure to sentence young people to long prison terms, Circuit Court Judge John C. Themelis today sentenced Myron Merrill Gladney, 21, to life in prison plus 20 concurrent years on a handgun charge and five consecutive years for witness intimidation. A Baltimore Jury convicted Gladney of attempted first-degree murder, use of a handgun in the commission of a crime of violence and witness intimidation on July 17, 2007. Says the SA's office:

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 however Anthony Gladney was acquitted of murder by a city jury July 20, 2005. Arrington also testified in June and positively identified Myron Gladney as the man who shot him.

Homicide prosecutor and assistant state’s attorney Lisa Phelps prosecuted the case.

September 5

238 words about five victims: Davon Qualls, 17, was shot to death last night in the 2500 block of Garrett Ave. in Northeast Baltimore; two people who were found yesterday in a dwelling in the 6100 block of MacBeth Drive near Chinquapin Parkway in North Baltimore and their deaths are "suspicious," and a woman and a boy were shot in East Baltimore.
WJZ reports that the MacBeth Drive incident was in the 6000 block, and the victims were a grandmother and her neice.
"It seems the women had gun shout wounds to their body's."
UPDATE: "a Sun reporter" says the victims were named as Pauline Borum, 60, and her granddaughter, Jasmine Borum, 17.

We knew that the Tuxedo Park home-invader, Chaz Ricks, had a long-as-your-arm record, but that's just the tip of the incredibly fucked-up iceberg: Bykowicz reports that he also stomped his mother's face, terrorized his neighbor, stabbed his cousin in the eye and shot a nine-year-old.

The Northern District will get its third police chief in as many years; the well-liked Major Michael Pristoop is retiring from the city police department to take a job with the state.

The Murder Ink details intentional homicides from August 27-31.

Who knew? WYPR has a whole "Crime & Violence" department, where one can have various perspectives on the bad news delivered via rich and lilting oratory.

Update: the Notre Dame attempted-abduction story was a total lie, and the crazy bitch who phoned it in now faces gun charges. Says the head of security, "We found a student concocted the story to more or less create a cover story for some behavior that she was involved in earlier in that week involving the same gentleman."

SHOCKING! Says Philadelphia police Capt. Ben Naish of a new stat showing that 91 percent of Baltimore murder victims have criminal records, up from 74 percent 10 years ago.

Police say there's new information in the case of Karen Kamsch, who went missing in the 'Deaner in 1976.

September 4

Bang, bang. An officer responding to a domestic on North Wolfe St. shot and wounded a suspect last night, making the third officer-involved shooting in a week.

Following the Roland Park home invasion, police say Tuxedo Park will get "special attention." The second suspect is still at large.

The victim who put serial rapist Alphonso W. Hill in jail in 1983 imagines the stress his many victims went through before he was charged August 28: "Until a name and a face is attached to that person, anyone could be that person. It could be the person walking down the street, passing you on the sidewalk. Once you know who they are and once you know they have been charged and sentenced, the rape can have a different role in your life. You don't get over it. But you can move on."

Saturday night, someone at the College of Notre Dame called to report that a man had trespassed on campus and tried to abduct a student, triggering the school's first-ever text-message campus security alert.

"Sod it all, Bobby! Some bloody arsehole nicked four sport-riding-bikes from the gerridge whilst I was kipping!"

Like candidates in your earhole? WYPR has audio and links for just about everyone who's running for anything.

Burbs
Up in Bel Air, 6'7" 550-pound David P. Matarazzo threatened to kill his family with a rock and a folding chair, then died after police squirted him with pepper spray.

More on Edna Gorham Bey, right, felon and self-appointed Queen Doctor Sultana of the United States Moorish-American Nation.

The last episode of "The Wire" is in the can, and the soundstage will be turned into a Wegman's.

Four recent murder victims were id'd:
Aug. 28: Lacy Hazel, 44 (Payson St.)
Aug. 30: Darnell Thomas, 23 (Artaban Place.)
Aug. 30: Kahlil Taylor, 23 (Normount Ct.)
Aug. 31: Sean Blackwell, 20, (Fairmount St.)

Last week's goings-on at the federal courthouse:
The fake child-porn movie that's lured other pedophiles previously snared a 20-year military vet named Steve Miller.

Two months in jail for pro basketball player/ firearms fan Lonny Baxter for convincing his friend to send his other friend some guns via FedEx. Last August, Baxter was arrested by the Secret Service for firing off a .40 caliber Glock handgun into the air near the White House.

Edna Gorham-Bey, the self-proclaimed Sultana of the United States Moorish-American Nation, was found guilty of various counts related to forging postal money orders.

September 3

21-year-old Gary Watts was shot repeatedly and killed last night in a drive-by in the 1300 block of N. Rosedale St.

The Examiner offers up their month-end homicide recap, and Luke B. reports that our murder rate is "insane" (and our politicians are windbags).

Lots of bricks and guns in the Blotter:

A man, 44, and a woman, 30, were seated in the man's car parked in the 3100 block of Baker St. about 10 p.m. Saturday when someone threw a brick through the car's window that struck the man in the head. Police said when the woman got out of the car, she yelled out, "The money is in the console!" With that, the injured driver attempted to flee and was shot in the left arm. Police said the woman, who apparently set up the incident, joined several men and was being sought. The wounded driver ran to the 1300 block of N. Rosedale St., where police were investigating a fatal shooting [the murder of Gary Watts, above], and was taken by ambulance to Maryland Shock Trauma Center.

Police are ISO 57-year-old Kenneth Beauchamp, left, for the Rosedale murder of Patrick Pearce III.

Interesting poll results: while crime is the biggest issue to Baltimoreans who respond to telephone polls, the majority say that in their neighborhoods, it's "not much of a problem at all."

Arthur Lee Edmondson Jr., the city "officer who shot and killed a man during a struggle for his service weapon on a Northwest Baltimore street early Thursday had previously shot four people, including one man fatally in 1994, according to department records."

September 2

A 16-year-old in McElderry Park crashed his bicycle as he was fleeing police, pointed a stolen Army gun at the cops, and got shot in the shoulder by undercover police.

Remember our collective outrage over the Dawsons? This is what it got us.

Criminologists who study Baltimore say apathy, alienation and cynicism have taken root. People have seen the criminal justice system fail to arrest and lock up criminals, allowing gangs to proliferate. They have seen politicians announce crime-fighting plans with great fanfare, only to have results fall short of the rhetoric.

At the same time, many of the positive forces of cohesion from the past have disappeared. Libraries have closed. Neighborhood associations have weakened. The number of recreation centers in the city has dropped from 145 in 1980 to 43 today. ... The violence considered routine in the city's most desperate neighborhoods is spreading to places once assumed to be safe.

Residents of Charles Village are assaulted and mugged on the street. A Roland Park woman is raped and robbed in her home. Near Patterson Park, a young man is beaten into a coma while walking home from Canton. ... After such well-publicized incidents of crime this summer... even people committed to the city are talking about getting out. They're disillusioned... after five police commissioners in eight years and no clear direction from the city when it comes to fighting crime.

"I think the entire city is under siege," [Warren] Brown said.

Rough stuff. And yet the status-quo Mayoral candidate leads the polls. Why?

This guy's quote about a new anti-panhandling bill ("It's a stress for me. I'm like, 'Do I have any spare change? If I don't, are they going to be upset?'") sounds a lot like The Onion article titled, "Man With Friend With Cancer 'Going Through A Rough Time'."

Yesterday, the Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted Tevon Allen, 18, at left, of the 1200 block of Seminole Avenue for first-degree murder, first-degree attempted murder and other charges. Court documents allege Tevon Allen is responsible for a shooting incident on July 30, 2007 in the 600 block of Winans Way. Jordan Taylor Brown, 21 was found suffering from a gunshot wound there, and is alleged Brown was riding in the front passenger seat of the vehicle, which was stopped at the intersection of Swan Avenue and Rokeby Road, Allen discharged the weapon as the vehicle turned eastbound on Rokeby Road striking Brown. Brown succumbed to his injuries the next day at Sinai Hospital. An arraignment is scheduled for September 24.

September 1

The decomposed body of Patrick Carroll Pearce III was found on Thursday night, four days after he was reported missing by his girlfriend. His body was buried beneath garbage in the 600 block of Todds Lane in Rosedale, and he'd been shot in the chest.

In other Rosedale murder news, the manager of the El-Rich motel on Rt. 40 in Rosedale found a body behind the motel. He was tending his garden yesterday evening when he found the body of what might -- or might not -- be a woman in the woods in the 1100 block of Batavia Farm Rd., about a mile from where Pearce's body was found. The death is being ruled suspicious. Police haven't linked the two bodies.

Our favorite news station offers the following about the two Rosedale murders:
1) A headline that informs us that a murdered man was found dead
2) The wonderful new word, "whuke"
3) An alternate spelling to the victim's name
4) The possibility that Pea(ie)rce was shot in the head rather than the chest

In Wicomico County, Muhammad Na'im Akram apparently had a change of heart and drove his wife to the hospital after taking her to a sand pit, binding her with duct tape, and beating her unconscious with a hammer.

Stephen Janis gives some history behind the quadruple shooting in West Baltimore on Thursday night. A longtime resident of the neighborhood said, "Something happens there every month. I lived here for 30 years. I don't want to leave, but it may be time."

A dumbfuck 16-year-old was arrested after he and two of his dumbfuck friends detonated a soda bottle bomb in a Quiznos in Severna Park.

Lots of car crime in the Blotter.

August 31

A man was shot to death last night in the 2000 block of E. Fairmount Ave. in Butcher's Hill, and a quadruple shooting in the 3000 block of Normount Ct. left one 22-year-old man dead.

A man who was shot on Wednesday night in the 3100 block of Artaban Pl. died yesterday. The man was found in the yard of a house a few blocks away from where Constitutional Defender and All Around Great Guy Warren Brown lives with his crime-fighting swimming pool.

A decomposed body was found in the Jones Falls near the 3000 block of Falls Rd. and Chestnut Ave. in Hampden. The death has been ruled suspicious. (Thanks, Burger.)

Police aren't really saying much about the investigation of Karen Kamsch, a Pasadena teenager who disappeared in the '70s, except to say that there's nothing in the well.

A woman crossing Harford Rd. in Parkville was hit by a silver Saturn that continued driving south towards the city. The car contained two women and a baby.

"In fact, until recently, (Cherry Hill) went several months without a single murder, something that hadn't happened in decades."

More Molotov cocktails, this time in Abingdon.

A guard at the Somerset County jail allegedly sexually assaulted five female inmates.

Former Army Lt. Col. and current pedophile Steve Miller got five years in prison.

DJ Nelly Nell got convicted for drugs and might get a 40-year gig in prison.

Oops! Dale Clark, Sheila D.'s former campaign chairman who earned half-a-million-big-ones working for the city without a contract, forgot to file his tax returns.

An ex-employee of Bowman's Restaurant and Pub in Carney pleaded guilty to robbing his former employer, who happened to be located directly next door to the Baltimore County Fraternal Order of Police lodge.

Note to criminals: be careful with your E-ZPass.

Quote of the Day

"In the black community, we'll find 10 different ways to kick you down before we'll take one to lift you up."
-- Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, on why not to vote for her

Yesterday the Baltimore City Grand Jury indicted Dwayne Erving, 18, of the 1700 block of N. Bond Street for first-degree murder and handgun charges. Court documents allege Dwayne Erving is responsible for "a shooting incident" on August 8, 2007 in the 2300 block of E. Oliver Street. Joseph Bryant was found suffering from a gunshot wound to the chest in the unit block of E. Oliver Street. Erving allegedly attempted to flee on foot but was apprehended in the 2100 block of Federal Street, two blocks from the murder scene. Bryant died later the same day at Johns Hopkins Hospital.

Wednesday, a Baltimore City jury convicted Joseph Brinkley, 39, of the 2700 block of Baker Street of two counts of attempted first degree murder, two counts of use of a handgun in the commission of a crime of violence, two counts of reckless endangerment and one count of handgun on person and one count of possession of a regulated firearm. Jurors heard two days of testimony and deliberated for one hour before reaching a verdict. Attempted first degree murder carries a maximum prison term of life. The handgun counts carry maximum prison terms of 20 years. Judge Paul E. Alpert scheduled sentencing for November 7, 2007. Details:

On November 11, 2005, two men were leaving an apartment in the 3400 block of Oakfield Avenue after noticing Brinkley had a gun. The men got into a hack and started to drive away. Brinkley ran into the street after them firing nine times from a 9mm semiautomatic handgun, motive unknown. Both men were hit multiple times in the back. The driver was unharmed and drove them to find the nearest ambulance. One of the victims was in a coma from the injuries for almost three weeks and lost his lung. Initially, when interviewed by Detectives a month after the shooting, he gave a taped statement indicating he did not see who shot him. However, after Brinkley approached him and his nine-year old son a year later, the victim came forward and identified Brinkley as the shooter. This witness was the only eyewitness and his compelling and truthful testimony at trial, despite his earlier statements, helped secure this conviction.

At a hearing yesterday, Judge Lynn K. Stewart sentenced Elmer Warfield, 37, of the 2800 block of Oakley Ave. to three terms of 10 years in prison suspend all but five years, consecutive, for three separate counts of robbery. Warfield pled guilty June 21, 2007 to three counts of robbery. Shortly after 9 a.m on March 19, 2007 police apprehended Warfield after a robbery call was placed from Carrollton Bank on North Charles Street. He pled guilty to robbing $1,300 from that bank and also pled guilty to two other bank robberies: robbing $4,400 from First Mariner Bank in Canton on March 16, 2007 and robbing $2,000 from Bank of America in Federal Hill on February 16.

August 30

Police killed a combative road rager in the Northwestern.

HoCo's #5, Wasel Ali, was missing for five days before his (allegedly) beaten body was found in the woods in Columbia. Ali had just admitted to stealing from his employer, and was recently discharged from the Army Reserve for impersonating an MP.

AAC police are investigating a Pasadena well in a homicide case from 30 years ago.

This has signs of Irvin Harris written all over it.

A bunch of guys attacked another bunch of guys, leading to assault charges in Glen Burnie.

To prove her decision isn't filled with political posturing, Sheila D. might appoint a new Police Commissioner before the primary on September 11. In unrelated news, pigs might fly out of my ass later on today.

The BPD case for Ramona Bradley was closed when 46-year-old Sandra Milton was arrested and charged with Bradley's death. In the same article, two people were arrested for the murder of Tyrone Willie Bonner.

Not guilty due to a plane ticket to Oregon.

Crime Alert: Mt. Vernon

On August 23 at approximately 12:52 a.m. there was an assault and robbery committed at Charles Street and Peabody Mews; a suspect grabbed a young woman and forced her into the alley and then into the car park behind 3 West Mt. Vernon. The suspect assaulted the victim by beating her and then stole her purse. He ran west through Peabody Mews to Cathedral Street. The Walters Art Museum was able to provide video to the Police from external CCTV cameras, above.

August 29

Thanks to a couple of detectives, Baltimore County police have charged Alphonso William Hill, 55, with six rapes that occurred between 1978 and 1989 along the Loch Raven Boulevard corridor. Investigators have also collected evidence from at least 20 other unsolved rapes that occurred in these areas that they suspect Hill of committing.

"Suspect in Roland Park attack [is] a man with a history of arrests for robbery and sexual assault" ... and makes you wonder why he wasn't, um, behind bars?

If the guy who is robbing you has a gun, you might not want to provoke him.

Glen Stewart, 17, was the former owner of the burning body found in a park just over the County line.

From the "Where were these teachers when I was in high school?" Department:

Kirsten Ann Kinley pleaded guilty yesterday ... to one count of third-degree sex offense for improper sexual conduct with a 15-year-old boy at her Columbia apartment. "She's very depressed," said Thomas Morrow, her Towson-based attorney.

Well, no shit: "She's lost her teaching career. She's facing the unenviable task of being a convicted felon and registering as a sexual offender for the rest of her life." Ah, hindsight.

Former Washington Police Chief Charles H. Ramsey, who was out of a job when a new administration came to town in January, is so hard up for work
he says he wants to be Baltimore's next police commissioner. However,

As a city council member, Fenty had often criticized Ramsey for not focusing enough on Washington's most troubled and crime-ridden neighborhoods, a sentiment echoed by some community leaders yesterday. Critics in the city's police union accused Ramsey of playing to the news media while undercutting rank-and-file officers, who they said are demoralized and leaving in droves.

Baltimore County's cost-cutting medical examinations of police officers -- in some cases, forcing them into early retirement -- are illegal, sayeth los Federales.

Some people use guns, but Joseph R. Lagana used WD-40 to carjack a Columbia man. He'll be doing nine years in the clink.

There's been a fatal double-shooting (double fatal shooting?) in AACo.

MD is either the richest state in the U.S. or its citizens are the most likely to inflate their income on census bureau forms.

County Swimming Holes Terrorized by Rabid Beaver

At arraignment today Calvin Puryear and Lloyd Chase pled not guilty to the murder of Christine Richardson. The court scheduled a murder trial for November 14, 2007.

Roland Park Sex Attack/Robbery Arrest

Chaz Montreal Ricks, 20, left, of 5339 Gist Avenue, was arrested for the Roland Park home invasion, robbery and sex attack. Word is that a city detective actually recognized him from the sketch.
A JIS case search shows that Ricks' rap sheet is as long as your arm and includes 10 criminal cases. Less than a month ago he was loosed after being accused of armed robbery, theft, use of a handgun and second- and third-degree sex offenses when County prosecutors decided to drop the case because the only evidence against him was the word of a co-defendant, which is not legally enough. A second suspect, right, is still at large.

The man found dead in a wooded area in Columbia last night was id'd as 19-year-old Wasel Ali, who had been reported missing by a family member August 22nd.

Entertainment Insider Exxtras: The last season of "the Wire" will include homeless people.

...and the lyrics to Frank Conaway's rap.

August 28

A man was shot and killed in the 400 block of S. Payson St. in the Southwestern early this morning.

The man killed at a Texaco station near Mondawmin Mall has been ID'd as 18-year-old Himank Karki, an immigrant from Nepal who was preparing to start his first day of college after wrapping up his 12-hour shift at the gas station. (What's this, the second BCCC student in the past two months who can't attend school because he got fucking shot? Great leadership, Sheila.)

26-year-old Matthew Sivells has been identified as the man who was killed on Cecil Ave. on Sunday afternoon.

The body of a man in his 20s was found in Columbia, and there appear to be no signs of foul play.

Shawn Jones got life + 30 years, and Donnie Bowman's family is still grieving.

Lawrence Joseph Lannin is already serving two life sentences, so he won't really be punished for murdering child-killer Richard Spicknall in prison.

"Gang members seem to be showing tribute. They use their bandanas each one of them come by and sort of ceremoniously drop a bandana in the casket. ... They want to put in bottles of Hennessey, they want to put blunts ... in there."

The citizens of Oliver, Harlem Park, and Charles Village are a little freaked out. (As are the citizens of EB Midway, Highlandtown, Better Waverly, etc.)

Frank, you could've at least thrown your support to someone more worthy of being mayor, like Jill Carter or my dog Roxy.

Tuesday

#213 - Unidentified Victim, fatally shot in Southwest Baltimore.

Top Cop: Frederick H. Bealefeld III v Charles H. Ramsey, who, until he resigned last December, was DC's Chief.

“You may not have killed her, but she died of a broken heart": the victims berate Shawn Jones in Carroll County's 2005 homicide/double-shooting.

Emulating Schaefer, and other anti-crime policies of the candidates for Mayor.

Someone discovered "a body in a wooded area in Columbia" yesterday evening. (Woods? In Columbia? I thought they all got chopped down).

Charles Carroll Acquitted

A Baltimore City Jury acquitted Charles Carroll today of second degree rape, third and fourth degree sex offense, three counts of second degree assault and two counts of sexual child abuse following three days of testimony and approximately one hour of deliberations. The Baltimore City Grand jury indicted Carroll May 19, 2005. Three counts of sexual abuse of a minor under the age of 18 and one count of third degree sexual offense are still pending against Carroll. Court documents allege Carroll sexually assaulted two victims. The alleged assaults occurred between December 2004 and April 2005. Carroll’s first trial ended January 11, 2007 when the court declared a mistrial after hearing witness testimony.

The burning body found over the county line off of Liberty Heights Avenue was id'd as an African-American male between 15 and 25 years old.

RP Rape Suspects Arrested Suspected

From the neighborhood association e-mail list:

Ladies and Gentlemen,
 
Det. Connolly has identified and issued warrants for the arrests of the two suspects for the rape on Colorado Ave.  I cannnot give you any further details.  The Warrant Apprehension Task Force has the warrants and is on the case!  They will be in jail soon!
 
Tell your neighbors to breathe easy.

But Juile Bike-a-wits says,

the neighborhood association is jumping the gun, so to speak. no arrrests have been made. police are simply interviewing these guys right now.

Luke Broadwater says that sources inside the PD say that a "big announcement" is coming soon related to the Roland Park home invasion/assault.

August 27

The attendant at a Texaco station in the 2600 block of Gwynns Falls Parkway was shot and killed early this morning.

On Saturday afternoon, an unidentified man was fatally shot in the 1900 block of Cecil Ave. in East Baltimore Midway.

A burning body was found in a Baltimore County park at about 1:45 this morning.

O' mighty Warren Brown, beloved defender of the Constitution, there's a dead man in your pool named Dwight McDaniel Baker.

Somebody in Carroll County really doesn't want to get with the learnin'.

August 26

JZ: Police say 28-year-old Andre McNaire died after he lost a shootout in the 3500 block of East Baltimore Street around 3 a.m. today. His is the 203rd homicide declared by the Medical Examiner's office so far this year.

Warren Brown's Pool Filled With Victim's Blood!

A man who was shot in a robbery attempt drove through a concrete wall in his SUV and plunged into Warren A. Brown's swimming pool, where the victim bled to death!

The teen who was shot last Thursday in front of his home on Riggs Avenue was id'd as Ishmael Cooper, 15.

Sean Smith, 28, was arrested in the horrid hamlet of Stamford, Conn for the August 11 murder of Samuel Horne in Edgewood.

"Wire" news: As the show is set to finish its last week of shooting ever, brother of "The Wire" actor Ralph Anwan Glover, Tayon Glover, 29, was shot to death in DC. Ralph himself has also been shot 13 times. In better news, Lance Reddick (Col. Cedric Daniels) landed a role on ABC's "Lost."

Roland Park Sex Attack/Robbery Update

Reports from the past 24 hours:
- LB adds that one perp raped her while the other robbed the house.
- Julie B. notes that the victim was 59 and taken to Mercy Medical Center, interviews Dr. Fessenden (famous 10th-grade economics teacher).
- ...And Janis & LB say "crime has left residents of this community of well-manicured lawns and pricey historic homes looking for answers" and reporters looking for new ways to say "rich white neighborhood."
- On WBAL officer Nicole Monroe says that the victim is still hospitalized and suffered a neck injury from being grabbed. There is now a composite sketch of a suspect who looks like Paul Mooney with edema.

Evening Update

Newly released DOJ statistics show that in 2005, 49 percent of the victims of homicide in the United States were "black," ("blacks" are only 13 percent of the population), and 52 percent of people convicted of murder in the United States are also nero. But chill out, white people: "93 percent of black homicide victims and 85 percent of white victims in single-victim and single-offender homicides were murdered by someone of their [own] race."

"A Baltimore attorney and a mortgage broker have pleaded guilty to charges related to a mortgage scheme in which they helped secure loans for two suspected drug dealers, federal prosecutors said today."

Three crack dealers got the business end of the law's Rod.

Baltimore police have charged two women — Janice Jones, 27, and Dakia Frazier, 23 — with witness intimidation. The brazen bullies drove a witness to the police station to get her to recant her testimony, and then waited for her outside.

At Loch Raven Reservoir, a woman had her car broken into and cell phone stolen, then got carjacked when she asked "a pedestrian" for help.

Quote of the day: "That's what I think of TV news." -- some pervert

Neighborhood Alert: Roland Park Sex Attack/Robbery

From an e-mail from Karen DeCamp:

I just got off the phone with a Deputy Major with the Northern District Police - the police are calling community leaders to alert people about a home invasion and rape this evening [8/24] around 8 pm on Colorado Ave [in the Tuxedo Park area] in Roland Park. The suspects appear to have targeted this house, hiding and following the woman into her house when she returned home. The police are searching for suspects - the only description they have is that they are two black males, one taller and thin and one shorter and more heavyset, both wearing summer clothes.

I know that's not much to go on, but the police are asking that if you have any information to please call 911. And of course, it goes without saying that everyone should use extra caution when coming and going.

Note, dear readers, that it is very common for robbers to stake out parking lots of grocery-store shopping centers (the York Road Giant parking lot is perennially popular) looking for single women to follow home; they know if you're getting groceries you're likely going home directly. So watch your rearview as you leave these places, and if you think you're being followed, let the ice cream melt and drive to a police station, fire station, etc!

And solid advice for the ladies from Craigslist: grab a rock!:

"If you feel as if you are about to be a victim, try to do something to make your possible attacker think HE might end up being the victim. Turn and face him, cross the street, take your hands out of your pockets and keep them free for fighting, stare right in his face, suddenly walk slower than him, pick up a weapon from the street (rock, brick, whatever and just hold it). The killers pick up on that and will move on to their next target."

And how about some pepper spray?

Updates: The media rolls it out for Roland Park!
LB adds that one perp raped her while the other robbed the house.
And Julie B. notes that the victim was 59 and taken to Mercy Medical Center, interviews Dr. Fessenden (famous 10th-grade economics teacher).
...And Janis & LB say "crime has left residents of this community of well-manicured lawns and pricey historic homes looking for answers."

... please help spread neighborhood crime alerts by joining your neighborhood listservs and bulletin boards and forwarding them here!

August 24

A teenage boy was shot to death yesterday afternoon in the 1400 block of Riggs Avenue in the Western district.

Police are busy investigating three shootings in three different parts of the city this morning: 1:40 a.m., a man was found shot twice at Sinclair Lane and Frankford Avenue in the Northeast; at 2:30 a.m. a man was shot in the 900 block of N. Rosedale Street in the Southwest; at 5 a.m, a juvenile in the 4100 block of Garrison Blvd.

If we're so worried about all of the juvenile murder victims, why is no one enforcing the Minor Curfew laws?

Waverly Terrorist Attack! Update II:
The firebombing was on McKewin Street, and the "cocktail" actually landed on the wrong porch! The family is now in protective custody (which sounds a lot like jail) and Mary Pat Clarke says "This is the first time I've ever had a firebombing in my district and it will be the last."
Whose district was the McAbier attack in?

City police found that kid who escaped from the Hickey School, Davon Julius. And what's up with this garbled-yet-intriguing piece of a story? "[Troopers] say Julius had not been struck by rounds fired two nights ago by a state trooper police say was being dragged by the Jeep Cherokee Julius was driving. Police found that Jeep Thursday in the 200 block of North Charles Street. They are trying to determine if it was stolen."

Scandalous! A County traffic-ticket quota system in place since May demands that police write at least one traffic citation every day, or they'll be last in line to pick days off, and issuing three or more daily tickets will get a "positive counseling form."
In spite of the straightforward memo, the County police spokesman denies an illegal quota system exists. WBAL's Steve Fermier: Chief James Johnson says "he had no knowledge of it, would not have tolerated it if he had... and it's gone now in any case." He's also stopped beating his wife!

How crazy is crazy Frank Conaway Sr.? He plans to ask Bundley and Carter to drop out of the race to give him a better chance to beat Dixon!

The family of RPEMS mom and fire cadet Racheal Wilson deem her death criminal murder and have hired local windbag Warren Brown to sue. They say Wilson was 'set up' intentionally because she was female.

Terrorist Attack in Waverly! Update: WBAL reports this is actually the second time the house has been firebombed, and the family has now relocated.

You may remember Amara Eden, right, arrested in PGC after her five children were found alone in squalid conditions. She pled guilty to to five counts of leaving a child under the age of 10 unattended (which is odd since the DJS Web site attests that you can leave children alone if they're 8 (!!) or older) and two counts of reckless endangerment and will serve 20 days in jail.

Baltimore's crime on CNN

Here's the CNN "Baltimore" video (baltimore.crime.affl) Cybrarian blogged about yesterday from Hotlanta. Warning: you need Adobe Flash Player 8 (or higher) to view.

(Sorry, embedding doesn't seem to be an option).

Thursday Part Deux

Do you know who Arthur Bremer is? You probably did back in May, 1972 when he shot presidential hopeful George Wallace. "Bremer is to be released under a state program that reduces the prison time for inmates who have a prison job and maintain good behavior."

Maryland drivers and school buses: whaaaatdyamean, I hadda stop? And if you've got kids in Charles County, for god's sake, just drive them yourself.

O'Malley on the Death Penalty: "his administration isn't likely to issue execution procedures until the General Assembly has a chance to consider repealing capital punishment."

Javaughn Adams, whose trial for the Annapolis-mall shooting spree last year is fast approaching, will not be able to "revisit the crime scene to aid in his defense."

See (in the "people are effin' retarded" story), (and this is why I just park far away from wherever I want to go and get myself some exercise walking): "A Silver Spring man is recovering from being stabbed repeatedly with a screwdriver during fight over a parking spot."

A third taser-related death in Baltimore City: "Thomas Campbell, 50, after officers responded to a call on the 1000 block of Payson Street for a man jumping on a utility company truck ... Campbell ran into a nursing home basement and began acting aggressively and resisting arrest."

A juvenile escapee in Baltimore County ... (bullets didn't stop him, maybe a taser would've?)

Homeland InSecurity? Adel Abassi "pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court yesterday to helping immigrants to fraudulently obtain social security cards."

Terrorist Attack in Waverly!

It's Edna McAbier and the Dawsons all over again!
A Waverly family's house was firebombed in retaliation for their complaints about drug dealing on their street.
Mary Pat Clarke: "I talked to the Commissioner, and he says that he will pound down in this area until we clear out this drug disease and this terrible threat to a wonderful neighborhood."
Pounding? How about some security for these people?!

Coincidentally, the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals (which I suppose is the next step up from the MD CSA?) upheld sentences for three of the drug dealers who firebombed Edna McAbier's house in 2005. The cons' lawyers argued that the sentences were too long, showing the jury a clip of the defendant denouncing 'snitching' was prejudicial, and the case shouldn't have been federal in the first place because McAbier didn't phone the DEA directly or some crap.

Related: talk on the "Stop Snitchin'" Wikipedia entry.

Poor Us!

Forced viewing on CNN in Atlanta, broadcast on every airport television: a CNN "poor Baltimore" story, featuring a foot-tall number "200" behind a blonde reporter ... "with almost a murder a day in Baltimore, the desperate mayor reaches out to a convicted felon for advice." (or some such.) Of course that felon would be the "disgraced Ed Norris, former commissioner turned actor and radio talk show host" (and after he put on a suit for that bitch!)
Cut to mom of a victim saying she just wants to get out of the city.
Also featured: B-roll of "The Wire," police cars, vials crushed underfoot, and a pouty, piteous lead-out suitable for a story on orphaned crack babies.
Sob!

August 22

The dead man at the Keyser Motel has been ID'd as Robert Donte Hemphill, a 26-year-old who lived at the motel. (Like Eloise! --Ed)

50-year-old Thomas Campbell died after being Tasered twice by the BPD over the weekend.

Candice Page, a woman who was reported missing in Cumberland County in March and was found on E. Madison St. in Baltimore with a bullet wound to the back of her head, has been charged with murdering Edwin Matthews. Matthews was shot to death at the same crime scene.

This week's "Murder Ink" covers Frederick Moore, Karen Kutchey, Ramana Bradley, and Darius Cox. There's also an update on the sentencing of Demetries Sturgis.

In the blotter, some thefts and shootings. Re: the shootings (as in the case of 'A man, 42' it's probably just me, but given the choice about where to be shot, the groin is probably the very last place I'd care to be: no, really, double-tap me in the back of my head, just let me die with my lap intact, por favor).

Orlando Yarborough "faces gun charges": 'City prosecutors said yesterday that they have filed 33 "criminal information" complaints', moving the case 'to Circuit Court much like a grand jury indictment or a preliminary hearing. Prosecutors can obtain a criminal information only in a misdemeanor case.'

Police were chasing escaped Hickey "student" Davon Julius this morning, but there's no word on whether they caught him.

In the department of unimportant news that wasn't really covered anywhere but with 53 words on WJZ's site, a juvenile was stabbed at the Wendy's on Old Court and Liberty Rd.

Looks like Oricl's new tag will be Prisn Btch.

Baltimore won't tolerate dog fighting. No word on how we feel about shootings, stabbings, beatings, intimidation, drug dealing, prostitution, rape, arson, or larceny.

Jesse Bane is "borrowing" some crime-fighting tactics from Baltimore City to combat crime on Brookside Dr. in Edgewood. Let's hope those tactics don't include understaffing the police department and suspending all but 1 month of the sentences handed to violent felons.

A couple of geniuses in the Eastern were charged with witness intimidation after they drove a woman to the station house and forced her to recant her testimony.

Is book burning the hot new pastime in HarCo?

The candidates for City Council president held a debate at the library last night.

A minor league team in St. Paul, MN, is giving away Michael Vick dog chew toys.

August 21

Yesterday's "Homicide 200" actually happened August 13, though this is the first anyone's heard of the incident.
The victim was Ramona Bradley, 40, who WBAL reports had worked in the past as a professional comfort lady. Bradley was reported by police yesterday to have been beaten to death about 11 p.m. Aug. 13 in the 1100 block of Harper Way in Armistead Gardens. However, "Police officials note that the pace of homicides and nonfatal shootings has slowed in the past 30 days."

The pace of the bullets wasn't slow enough to keep them from piercing a guy's chest, arm and a leg in the 1800 block of Druid Hill Ave. about 7 p.m. yesterday (possibly the 7 p.m. 'murder' Jeff Barnes was so peppy about?)

Claim to fame of the third possible "Homicide 200," 17-year-old Darius Cox:

"Cox was highlighted two years ago in an article in The Sun that profiled the Upton School, an alternative school for middle and high school students who had been expelled for serious offenses. His hands were shown in a photograph making brownies for victims of the tsunami in South Asia."

The trial of Charles Carroll is underway. He's the convicted murderer and sex offender who raped a student at the Community Initiatives Academy in 2005.

Rodney Rosenstein's people are handing out the years for identity fraud and bank robbery.

A pervading sense of lawlessness has also infected MD's drunkards: booze-fueled highway fatalities are up.

#200 (or, by our count, #207)

E-mail from Cybrarian in the in-box: "Fox just announced official murder #200 on the news with great fanfare (half expected a light to flash and confetti to come out of the ceiling), but it went by too fast for me to hear who or where it was, though I did catch that it was at about 7 p.m. This evening." And that would be (oddly enough, not on Fox's website, this from WBAL:) "a 40-year-old woman with a record of prostitution who was found beaten last week in northeast Baltimore. She died several days later in a hospital."

Ok, I exaggerate, it wasn't great fanfare, but Jeff Barnes did seem awfully perky about it. -- Ed

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.